Page 15 of Always Be True: Tino
Chapter 4
Tino checked the time and wanted to curse. If he didn’t get moving, he was going to be late. “I’m out of here.”
As soon as he made a move toward the door, his brother and nephew jumped in front of him to block his way. When he attempted to slide past them, they matched him step for step until he gave up and stood his ground.
“What do you clowns want now?”
Jack crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head to the side as he gave Tino the once-over. “So, what do you think, Ricky? Is he pretty enough?”
The teenager circled around Tino, pausing long enough to brush some invisible piece of lint off the shoulder of his sports coat. “Considering what we had to work with, I say he looks as good as he’s going to.”
The kid laughed and ducked out of reach before Tino could retaliate. This was what he got for letting it slip that he was a bit nervous about tonight’s date. “Like I said, I’m out of here. You two can show yourselves out. Now.”
Jack planted those big feet of his and didn’t move. “Ricky, wait outside for me. I need to have a talk with Tino. I’ll be out in a minute.”
The teenager glared at his new dad. “Aw, come on, Jack. Why do I have to leave? Are you going to tell him to practice safe sex or something? It’s not like I don’t know about that stuff. Besides, I’m guessing Tino is smart enough to figure it out for himself.”
Tino choked back a laugh. “Thanks for that, kid…I think.”
The really funny part was the fact that his brother looked as if he was about to have a stroke. Most parents got to watch their children grow from zygote to teenager gradually, which gave them time to get used to each new stage in a kid’s life. Jack and his wife had skipped all those early steps by adopting a full-blown teenager, attitude and all, to start their family. All of them were crazy about Ricky; that didn’t mean it was always easy to know the best way to deal with him.
Jack drew a deep breath, looking as if he was praying for patience. “Please go wait in the car, kid. I’ll be out in a minute.”
Ricky gave in, but not without another parting shot. “Tino, whatever advice he gives you, take it with a grain of salt. The man has the social skills of a gorilla.”
Then he took off running and laughing like a hyena. Tino would’ve said he didn’t envy Jack and the challenges he faced as a new husband and father, but that would’ve been a lie. “So whatever bullshit you have to say, make it quick. I really do need to get going.”
Jack’s expression took on a hard edge as he stared at Tino, giving him a long look from head to toe and back up again. “I’m thinking the fact that Natalie comes from big money is messing with your mind, but screw that. She agreed to go out with you, so you must have done something right. Rather than take her to some fancy place and that art film you picked out, go where you’ll be comfortable. You know, someplace where you can be yourself.”
Just what Tino needed—a reason to second-guess the plans he’d made. “Damn it, Jack, when did you turn out to be such a mother hen? From what I heard about your first date with Caitlyn, you took her to that expensive seafood restaurant Mom recommended and then out to a club to go dancing. How is what I’ve got planned any different than that?”
“It just is.” Jack was nothing if not stubborn. “For one thing, I actually like dancing, and you hate subtitles. That should tell you something.”
Maybe it did, but Tino wasn’t going to admit it. “I want to show her a good time. Now, you’d better get back out to your SUV before the kid takes off with it. Besides, it’s a school night. Doesn’t he have homework to do or something?”
“He already finished it. That was part of the deal if he got to come with me.”
Jack finally started toward the door, and Tino followed right behind him. “How’s he doing in school?”
Ricky had been living on the streets when Jack found him, so the kid had had some catching up to do. Jack’s chest puffed up with pride. “On his mid-term grades, he got a B-plus in English and an A in everything else.”
Tino’s own feelings on the subject echoed Jack’s. “I should probably tell you that I bet the kid he couldn’t earn an A average for the semester just so he’d have to prove me wrong. Sounds like I’m going to have to pay off on it.”
His brother rounded on him again. “And what did I say about bribing the kid? He’s supposed to want to earn good grades on his own. Self-motivation is an important life skill. Dad always told us that.”
Tino was precariously balanced on the slippery edge of the high ground and knew it. “It wasn’t a bribe. It was a bet.”
Jack snorted. “I want to be there when you explain the difference between the two to Caitlyn. Or, better yet, Mom.”
It was hard to know which of those prospects was the scarier thought. Before getting in the car, he made one last attempt to save his own hide. “I don’t suppose you might consider keeping this just between the three of us—you, me, and the kid.”
“As if, little brother. Have fun tonight.” Jack cruised on past him. “And in the wise words of your nephew, safe sex and all of that.”
“As I recall, he also said I’m smart enough to figure it out for myself.”
Which was why he’d stuck a couple of packets in the inside pocket of his sports coat. He didn’t expect to need them, not tonight anyway, but a man could always hope.
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