Page 68 of Call the Shots
A snort burst out of me and a couple of people on the patio glanced over. I chuckled. “No fighting, got it.” It was silent again. I could hear the crickets and my own thoughts. “June, I shouldn’t have yelled at Montoya.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“I told him I’m sorry.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“I…what do you want me to say?”
“I don’t want you to say anything, Bear. The apology is for Montoya to consider, but I’m not going to pretend like everything’s okay. Just saying you’re sorry doesn’t mean anything. What good is an apology when you’ll shout at him next week?”
“It won’t happen again—” I insisted but Montoya’s voice broke through.
“It’s me, June gave me the phone. We’re at the frozen yogurt place.”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “What flavor are you getting?”
“Cookies and cream. June, what flavor are you—?” He paused. “You don’t want any?”
A muffled voice answered him.
“Bear? I think I have to let you go, it’s pretty loud here.”
We said our goodbyes, and it was only the crickets again. The silence ended when Xavier broke away from the party with two beers. I didn’t realize he was coming to see me until he motioned to the phone. “Were you calling for a refund on the jacket rental? Kidding, kidding.”
“Nah, a kid on my team. An actual kid. He’s seventeen.”
“Holy shit.”
“Right?”
Xavier handed me an open beer before clinking his with mine. “Sorry about the mix-up.”
“It happens.”
“We’re playing some trivia games if you want to join.”
“That sounds?—”
“Bear?” Xavier took a seat. “You’re living with June.”
“Yeah.”
“I need a favor.”
“Uh-huh?”
“June used to work with me. Under me. I was her boss, and she stole some receipts, folders, and stuff that she’s refusing to give back.”
I peeled off part of the beer’s sticker. “June didn’t smash your Clemenza.”
He didn’t say anything.
Slowly, I worked at the sticker, bringing it cleanly off the glass. “We went to a rage room and I’m positive June’s never broken a window before. I know she’s doing crazy shit, but every time she acts out, it’s like she goes through this shock that?—”
“Bear, I know she didn’t do it.”
The sticker ripped down the middle. “What?”
