Page 7 of Just Another Chance

“He’s back with the city again,” she informs me.

I can easily picture him sitting in the truck, eating donuts and not doing a damn thing to help the others. He’s such a slacker. I won’t be surprised when they can his ass again in a month or two.

After the soup starts bubbling, I turn the burner off and carefully pour it into a bowl. Then I take it out to my mom along with some crackers and a can of Ginger Ale. “This’ll be easy on your stomach,” I tell her and set it down on the TV tray.

“Thank you,” she murmurs. “You’re such a good girl, Addison.”

A part of me wants to move back in here so I can take care of my mom because she can’t count on her useless husband. But there’s no way I could live with Randy again. Besides, our arguing would probably stress her out even more.

No, it’s best if I come to visit a few times a week and try to arrange it so I’m here when Randy is at work. Or off gambling and drinking. I’m not sure how much Kayla comes around, but I have a feeling it isn’t very often.

“Have you talked to Kayla lately?” I ask and sit down in the chair next to her again.

My mom sips some soup and tilts her graying head. “A couple of weeks ago? She stopped by to pick up something.”

My ears prick. Kayla doesn’t usually come around unless she wants something. “Pick up what?” I ask, trying to sound casual. But inside I'm starting to seethe because I already know what my mom is about to say.

“Those credit card companies are hounding her again, so I gave her a little money to help get them off her back.”

I clench my jaw and then huff out a frustrated sigh. “Mom! She probably took that money and bought a new outfit.”

“Oh, no. She promised me she was going to give it to the Visa people.”

Squeezing my eyes shut, I shut my anger down. It’s not my mom’s fault and I don’t want to misdirect my frustration. She’s only trying to help, and I can’t fault her for that. She has a big heart and that’s one of the things I love so much about her.

But it annoys the hell out of me that Kayla got money from Mom and then came to me asking for more. She’s never going to learn until we stop enabling her.

The front door opens, and I look up to see Randy walk inside. Stifling a groan, I pretend not to see him until my mom acknowledges him. Then I give a small, tight smile.

“Addie girl,” he says, voice slurring. “Just the person I wanted to see.”

Oh, great.It’s clear he’s been out drinking. He was probably already fired, and I can’t say I’m surprised. “Hi, Randy,” I mumble.

“So, we need to sit down and have a serious discussion.” He drops his reflective vest, hardhat and keys on the table.

I’m glad he’s been driving in his current inebriated condition,I think in disgust, and suppress a groan.God, he’s so selfish.

“I am sitting,” I say and try to not roll my eyes. What the hell could he possibly want from me? He’s a mooch just like my sister so I guess it could be anything.

Randy walks closer and props a big, dusty boot on the coffee table. As he leans toward me, I can see how bloodshot his eyes are and when I get a whiff of his whiskey-scented breath, it nearly knocks me out. Holy crap, he’s three sheets to the wind.

“So, I hear you’ve got yourself a boyfriend.”

Uh oh. How did he find out about Tanner?I wonder. Then it occurs to me that Kayla probably told him. I am going to kill my little sister. What a big mouth.

“And not just any boy. You’re screwin’ around with a Beckett, ain't ‘ya?”

My stomach sinks. “It’s not really any of your business,” I respond tartly, turning my attention back to my mom. “Did you want another Ginger Ale?”

Before she can respond, Randy stands up straight to his full height and thunks his boot down on the floor. “Do you know how much frickin’ money those Becketts have?”

“No idea,” I say dismissively.

He snorts. “Well, I’ll ‘ya! A frickin’ buttload. They don’t call ‘em the Beckett Billionaires for nothin’,” he exclaims. He puffs his chest out, looking proud of himself, and acting like he just revealed some big secret.

I’ve never thought him a bigger idiot than at this moment.

“Why don’t you turn a couple of tricks and marry into that? Then you can set your Pops here up for life.”

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