Page 75 of Restless
“They took you shopping to buy whatever you wanted,” he told her. He snatched his cigarette from behind his ear. Once he lit it and took a drag, he continued, accepting the ashtray she hid under her bed especially for him. “They wouldn’t yell at you, especially over a $20 shirt.”
She got her phone from under her pillow, typed something, then handed it to him. “That’s the shirt.”
It was black with the words,Birthday Girl, written in rose gold rhinestones.
He really, truly hated to bring up her birthdate. It was February 29th. Instead of helping her celebrate on the 28thor the 1stof March between leap years, her mother had convinced her there were thirty-two days in February. Deep down, he knew she’d find a way to repeat her date of death: February 32, 2199.
Jamming the cigarette in the corner of his mouth, he stood and dug in his back pocket for his wallet, then took out his debit card.
“Go for it,” he told her as he sat and handed her the card.
Her eyes widened. “Really?” she whispered.
He nodded.
“I told Ryan and showed him the shirt, and he said I was very expensive. He’d bought me French fries because I crave those a lot. He said I broke his bank.”
Stingy asshole.
CJ didn’t know how much allowance Ryan received, but he knew fucking fries wouldn’t break that cheap motherfucker. “He doesn’t have a sister, Mo. He’s unfamiliar with the things girls like.”
She scooted next to him to make the purchase then gave him his card.
“I’ll wear my shirt on February 32nd, so Mama and Daddy will remember my birthday.”
Fuck! CJ’s heart broke for her. Not wanting her to feel even worse, he returned his card to his wallet and finished his cigarette in silence. He hadn’t brought any napkins to remove the evidence of his smoking.
He sighed.
“Give it to me. I’ll be careful not to spill the ashes,” she promised.
Once the ashtray was tucked away, he stood, intending to return to their project.
“How can you afford expensive things? The shirt you bought me, for instance.”
“My mom is good at investing money. She understands what to purchase during bull markets and when to start divesting if she suspects a bear market.”
“I never met a bear dealer before.” She frowned. “Or does she own a zoo?”
Generally, CJ took Molly’s observations in stride, but he was so startled by her words, he couldn’t hold in his laughter. When her face crumpled, he sobered slightly. He didn’t want to hurt her feelings, butJesus.
“My mom doesn’t sell bears, nor does she own a fuckingzoo.”
“A ranch?”
“No.” With effort, he swallowed the guffaws dying to erupt. “She deals with the stock market.”
She gave him a blank look. “Bull and bear stocks? She puts their feet in jail?”
“No, Molly! No! It forecasts the economy. A bull market means a strong economy. A bear market means a recession might happen. It has nothing to do with the devices to restrain your feet to punish or humiliate you. How the fuck do you know about that but not about stock markets?”
“Willard mentioned them once.”
CJ gave her a dark look. “Don’t mention that motherfucker to me.”
“He’s meaner than Ryan.”
He stood. “I’m going to have to leave soon, but I wanted to let you know that my dad—”
