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“Now see here, we done got good educated out here in the sticks, ain’t that right, brothers? Coupla us even went on to those big universities where they teach ya even better,” the other Lake brother says with a grin.
I cover my mouth with my hand, trying not to laugh. I know his joke will go right over my parents’ heads and when I see their wide and quite frankly, a bit frightened, expressions, I know I’m right.
“He’s joking. I swear, we all had excellent education here,” Cash promises.
“Who evenareyou?”
“Friends of Hadley’s,” Cash declares, giving me a grin.
“I’m Boone.” Boone, apparently, the one who made the comment about education, raises his hand. “I got my girl knocked up when we were in high school then she ran off so I raised him.”
Mom gasps. Valid.
“Stop being a smart ass,” Cash growls. “I mean, it’s true that he’s a single dad and his girlfriend got pregnant in high school and ran off but yeah, that’s not really Red Oak’s fault. Name’s Cash. This one’s Brock. Hadley was here the night he got engaged.”
“You got engaged…here?”Mom asks, appalled as she looks around.
“Damn right, I did. First place I realized I was in love with Naomi so it was the perfect place. Plus, Hadley’s pies are the best. No offense, Dorothy. Your pies are great, too. But Hadley’s pies are mouthwatering.”
Boone snickers and Cash lightly punches him in the shoulder.
“Hadley’s… pies?” Dad wonders. “You bake pie?”
“She learned from the best,” Dorothy tells him proudly.
“Can I have a slice? It’s been twenty years since I’ve had pie.”
Boone can’t even control his laughter at this point, nor does he try to hide it.
I roll my eyes.
My parents will never understand the innuendo.
But when I look at my dad and see his eyes dancing, I wonder if he’s a little less stuffy than I thought he was.
“You can have a slice if you promise you’ll have a little more understanding and compassion for your daughter. This bullshit has gone on long enough,” Dorothy declares.
I’ve never heard her swear before and by the look on the boys’ faces, neither have they.
I’m waiting for my mom to say something to Dad about eating sugar but she doesn’t.
“Is Brooklyn here?” Mom wonders.
“She is,” I admit. “But I’m not sure she wants to see either of you. Last time you hurt her and she’s not eager for a repeat.”
For the first time in my life, I see my parents speechless.
ChapterSix
Cash
The night Hadley and I met, she told me a little about her family.
The night we reconnected, which is a term I’m using very loosely here considering she hasn’t reached out to me since I gave her my number, she told me more.
But nothing could have prepared me for what I just witnessed.
Her mom is not just a piece of work. She’s apieceoffucking work.I thought I got a shitty dad because he cheated on my mom and then ghosted the entire family after calling his grandson a bastard. Or maybe we ghosted him because he was a total dick and called Cody a bastard.
