Page 31 of Minor Trouble
Ainsley crossed her arms over her chest. “I may not be Martha Stewart, but I can make a decent chocolate cake, even if it doesn’t look the prettiest.”
“You’ll have to prove it to me sometime.” I winked.
“Seth Hudson, long time no see.” A male voice I recognized turned me cold. “What brings you out to a school fundraiser? Trying to tap up some new clients?”
I swallowed and shifted around to face the newcomer. He was accompanied by two others I definitely knew from my dealing days. “Victor.” I tipped my chin to him.
“So, you got anything?” he asked, ignoring the fact Ainsley was right by us.
“You’re kidding me, right? I don’t do that shit anymore.”
Victor let out a harsh laugh. “Yeah, course you don’t. Come on, I know you got out of jail a while back. You must still have the contacts?”
I screwed up my face. Why was he having his conversation with me while Ainsley stood not less than two feet away from me? I hadn’t told her about my less than salubrious past. “Sorry, no can do.” I spread my hands wide. “You’ll have to talk to someone else.”
“There you are.” Noah and a girl I assumed to be Pepper came over to us. “We’ve been looking all over for you. Can we go home?”
Victor glanced at Noah, then towards me. “Who’s this? Your little brother?”
“Noah’s my son,” I lowered my voice, making sure only Victor could hear.
“You have a kid?” Victor’s tone raised. His head ping ponged between me and Noah, checking out the similarities between us. He held his hands up. “Now’s probably not the right time then.” Without another word, he and his two buddies turned on their heel and walked away.
Ainsley’s expression was unreadable. I had expected her to be shocked, but she seemed to take everything in her stride as she stepped towards Noah and Pepper. The teenage girl’s face was streaked with tears. “What happened, Pepper?”
“My mom and dadpromisedthey’d be here this afternoon. They were meant to be nice to each other for my sake,” she wailed. “But Mom texted me to say they weren’t coming to pick me up.”
Ainsley reached over and placed a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Oh, Pepper, I’m so sorry to hear that. I know how important it was for you that they showed today.” Pepper greeted her words with another sob. “Do you want to go home?”
“No.”
She looked over at me. “What are your plans for the rest of the day?”
My stomach rumbled again. It didn’t look like I’d get cake now. “Getting some food somewhere. Noah, what do you say?”
Noah nodded. “Sounds like a good idea. Can we get tacos?”
Remembering what he’d told me last night about Pepper’s favorite food, I could see why he’d suggested it. “You got it. Pepper?”
Her mouth curved in a weak smile. “I’d like that, thank you.”
I turned my gaze to Ainsley. “Ms. Coren, would you like to join us?”
The time it took her to answer was possibly the longest ten seconds of my life. I desperately wanted her to come along, for us to do something normal together, to prove that I was capable of getting my shit together and not screwing it up for everyone. I wanted to show Victor I didn’t need to deal weed to get people to like me.
“Sure,” she finally agreed. “Let me tell Principal Collins I’ve finished for the day.”
Half an hour later, we were seated at a table in Sombreros, Cali Cross’s best—and only—Mexican restaurant. It had been years since I’d been there and was definitely a first for Ainsley and Noah. Pepper excitedly pointed at things on the menu that Noah ought to try. He wasn’t paying much attention to the menu, more interested in watching her.
“They’re cute together,” Ainsley whispered. “So glad they have each other.”
“Noah, why don’t you and Pepper go and fill up our sodas?” I suggested. I wanted a few moments alone with Ainsley to explain about Victor.
They did as I suggested, laughing together as if they shared some kind of secret.
“About those guys in the park,” I began.
Ainsley placed a hand on my arm, the simple touch making my body tense in anticipation. “It’s okay. I know about your past. My landlord, Marlena, told me when I first moved in.”
