Page 17 of Big Trouble
Once I had it, I headed out to the store. The uncomfortable position I’d sat in meant my ankle throbbed and, not for the first time, I was grateful the car was an automatic.
When I walked in, it felt like silence descended over the store. I felt the gazes of the staff on me. Before leaving town, I’d been a regular and, I guess, had something of a reputation here.
One of the older guys waved. “Jack Cairney! How you doing, buddy?”
“Not bad, getting there,” I lied. My body hurt like hell and I wished I’d had more painkillers before leaving the house. Mom had left the appropriate dose out alongside the coffee pot before she’d left for work and when I’d looked in the cupboard for the bottle, it had gone. I knew she was only being protective, but it felt as if she were babying me. I wouldn’t have taken the whole bottle like my Dad did. Honest.
“Holler if you need any help.”
“Will do, thanks, Bud.”
As I turned into the first aisle, I ran into Maddox Riley.
Literally.
He was about to apologize, when he realized it was me. His eyes narrowed. Okay, we’d had somewhat of a prickly relationship, but his reaction was weird.
“What’s up your ass…sideways?” I asked. There was no need for him to look at me like that.
“You come back to town and start spreading your misery like the damn plague,” he snapped. “It doesn’t hurt to be nice to the people who are trying to help you.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about Lo.”
I rubbed my head.How did he know Lo?“What about her?” And why was he giving me shit over her?
“You made her cry.”
My heart sank.Lo and Maddox were dating. She’d gone running to him after yesterday’s spat and now, here he was to teach me a lesson.
“What’s it got to do with you? You her boyfriend or something?”
For some reason, the thought of this rankled me.
Maddox laughed. “No, I’m not. I’m with Lyla.”
“Wait, Lyla, as in Lyla Cash? As in Andre’s little sister? Dating your best friend’s sister? Jeez, Maddox, I’d never have expected that.” In all the years we’d been friends, it was always the one thing Andre had been adamant about. No dating his sister. I really had been away too long for that to have changed. Why hadn’t Andre told me when we met up for dinner? Surely it would have been a big thing for him to come to terms with? We’d ended up talking about how he and Willa got back together instead.
A slow smile spread across his face. “Yeah. Dre wasn’t too pleased about it though. I still have the bruises to prove it.”
“I can imagine.”
He folded his arms across his chest, the previously jovial demeanor gone. “But at least we got over it and moved on. If you were happier with your life, I bet you wouldn’t have lashed out at Lo like you did. And you wouldn’t have the time or energy to make everyone else miserable too.”
How the hell did he know what I’d said to Lo? Was she going around town shouting her mouth off to anyone who would listen? I ground my teeth. “Then what do you suggest to make me more unicorns and rainbows?”
“You’re in a bike parts store, so I’m guessing you’re fixing something up.”
I nodded. “Mom thought it would be good for me to have a project to work on. Thinks it will be character building.”
“Then come build character at my garage.”
I blinked a few times. “You’re kidding. We’d be at each other’s throats.”
“Nah. We’re all grown-up now, Jack. We’re mature.” Maddox paused. “And you need me.” He chuckled.
“I need you?” He might have been right, but I wasn’t going to go down like that.
