Page 52 of Cash

“I’m just good at what I do, baby boy.” Jules plopped down beside him.

“What do you drink? Black?”

“Nope.” Jules sipped at his cup.

“What is it?”

“Iced chai with oat milk and brown sugar syrup.”

Brick raised his brow. “And you’re sure I was your first guy?”

“Fucker.” Jules laughed. “There’s two shots of espresso in it too.”

“What are the other ones?” Brick eyed the remaining coffees.

“I got you another one of them vanilla bean things, and I also got a mocha cookie crumble.”

“Uh-huh.” Brick grinned.

“What? What’s wrong with likin’ coffee that doesn’t taste like shit?”

“I’m just joking.” Brick bumped their legs together. “I think it’s adorable. Did you get any cake pops?”

“No. Fuckers were out.”

“Have you ever had bungeoppang?”

“Uh-uh. What’s that?”

Brick paused to drink some coffee. “It’s a Korean dessert. Well, it’s Japanese, but they’re called bungeoppang in Korea. They’re little pastries shaped like fish. Traditionally, they’re filled with sweet red bean paste, but you can put anything in them. My dad likes Nutella. You eat them while they’re still steaming hot and the inside is delicious melted goo.”

“Can you whip up some of them? Because that sounds fuckin’ awesome.”

“Yeah, totally. My mom used to make them. She even gave me a bungeoppang pan for my birthday.”

“Let’s do that shit.”

“We’ll have to go shopping. I don’t think I have all the ingredients. Plus, I’ll need my pan.”

“Guess what else delivers now?”

“Groceries?”

“Fuckin’ groceries.”

Brick was surprised at how easy this was—sitting together, enjoying their morning coffee as if they did this every day. He was happy, comfortable, and he loved how Jules was in constant physical contact with him. Jules would touch Brick’s hair and rub his leg, always with a little smile that seemed especially pleased.

As the coffee drove away the sleepy fog from Brick’s mind, the reality of his incredible situation came crashing back in to ruin his good morning.

Gangsters, murder, coverups, and one dead body.

Ugh.

Jules must have noticed Brick’s mood dropping because he asked, “What’s the matter, baby boy?”

“Sorry, uh. It’s still a lot, you know?” Brick tried to smile. “Everything that’s going on.”

“Don’t worry.” Jules kissed his forehead. “After tonight, it’s a fuckin’ done deal. No more bullshit.”

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