Page 12 of Truck You

I look forward to hearing from you.

I plug my phone back in and head toward the kitchen. Grams is standing at the stove. I step up behind her and kiss the top of her head. She’s a petite woman, only five-foot-three, with a head full of completely silver hair. “Morning, Grams.”

She smiles up at me and pats my cheek. “Morning. I hear you met someone last night.”

I groan and glare at my brothers sitting around the table. Liam is at one end pretending to read the paper, Ash is sitting back in his seat grinning like he knows a secret, and Chase is pretending to be cool, acting like he doesn’t have a clue what Grams is talking about.

“You shit.” I knock Chase upside the head, knowing damn well he’s the one that told her.

He laughs and jerks away before I can pull him into a headlock. “What? You were awfully sweet with that redhead. You ditched us and everything.”

“She’s new in town. I was just being friendly.”

“Is that why you dragged her into a dark alley?” Ash mumbles under his breath. I narrow my gaze in warning, and it only makes his smile grow. I should have known they saw me do that.

These fuckers know the rules. We never discuss our hook ups with Grams. Not that I hooked up with Sophia, but it’s a strong possibility that it will happen. Maybe even as soon as Saturday night.

“I was just beingnice.” I ground out.

“You two looked pretty cozy on the Ferris Wheel.” Chase teases. “But I particularly loved the way she kicked your ass on the bumper cars. That was the highlight of my night.”

I flip him off before I grab a mug from the cabinet and pour myself a cup of coffee. Maybe if I ignore him, he’ll shut up.

Thankfully, the back door opens, and Garret’s entrance distracts my family. He heads directly for Grams and gives her a hug and kiss before he takes a seat at the table next to Liam as if this is a normal thing for him. It’s not normal. He never joins us for breakfast.

While we’re all staring at him like he’s a mirage, Grams smiles and sets a plate at each of our seats. She smiles at Garret and says, “I take it you got my message?”

He grunts and nods but doesn’t use actual words. Thatisnormal for Garret.

Neither one of them elaborate but based on the way Garret digs into his cinnamon roll the second Grams puts it on his plate, I think it’s safe to assume that’s what got him to the house. None of us can resist Grams’ baked goods. Not even a grumpy recluse like Garret.

“Haven’t seen Rayne lately,” Grams says. “Have you?”

This is directed at Garret. Grams will try anything to get Garret to talk and Rayne is usually a good way to do that.

Rayne Weber is the ten-year-old granddaughter of our next-door neighbors, Jim and Lois Weber. They’ve raised Rayne since she was a baby. Her mom, their youngest daughter, Carol, died of pregnancy complications shortly after giving birth.

Rayne’s a good kid. She’s always upbeat and cheerful even though she has good reasons to be mad at the world. She has no clue who her dad is and probably never will, and she lost her mom before she ever got a chance to know her.

For reasons none of us can figure out, Garret enjoys having her around.

Their house butts up next to the property line, close to where Garret put his tiny house. Rayne is always stopping by and chatting with him. Well, Rayne talks, and Garret listens with the occasional grunt.

Garret shakes his head without a word. Then he digs into his cinnamon roll, making it clear he has no interest in talking.

We’re all eating in silence when the back door opens again. This time it’s Dad that walks in. “Mornin’ boys. The car’s loaded up for you.”

I tip my head in his direction. “Thanks, Dad.”

“Of course, son.” He gives me a tight smile before he refills his coffee mug and heads back outside.

To say we all have a strained relationship with our dad is an understatement. He’s a decent man if you don’t consider his poor parenting skills. He’s fathered seven kids from four different women. He only married one of them, Susanne—Liam’s, Warren’s, and Garret’s mom. I think it’s also safe to say she’s the only woman he ever loved too.

Unfortunately, she was diagnosed with cancer shortly after she found out she was pregnant with Garret. She opted to forgo treatment in favor of the life growing inside her. Dad fought her hard on that. But Susanne couldn’t be swayed. She died within hours after Garret was born.

Dad never got over the loss, and he blames Garret for her death. Well, blame might not be the right way to put it. Garret didn’t cause her to get cancer, and Dad knows that, but he’s never been able to look Garret in the eyes. Ever. Seeing Garret is a constant reminder that Susanne chose Garret over herself. Admirable if you ask me, but Dad couldn’t handle it.

No wonder Garret’s a grumpy recluse.

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