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“Yup!” Brooklyn says a little too excitedly.
Back in Chicago she had boys who were friends. She had crushes. But she never looked at any of them the way she’s looking up at Weston.
“You don’t have a motorcycle, do you?”
“No, ma’am,” he says with a smile. “I drive a Dodge truck. It was my dad’s. I just turned seventeen, I’m a junior, play football, and get good grades. Hope to become an electrician, like my dad.”
Like Cash, I think.
I see the appeal for Brooklyn.
He’s tall, what I assume is attractive but since I don’t look at teenage boys that way, I can’t say for sure. His hair is floppy and has bright blue eyes.
“Mom.”
“Right. Be careful and drive safe. That’s my baby and next time, I would like to be asked and informed ahead of time so I’m not blindsided.”
“Okay. So, can we leave now? I don’t want to be late for school.”
“Have a good day. Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
She gives me a quick hug and out the door they go.
I watch as he opens the door for her and she climbs into a boy’s truck.
My heart feels like it’s in my throat.
I wasn’t prepared for this.
Once they’re out of eyesight, I grab my phone and call Cash.
“Hey, you,” he answers, happy to hear my voice.
“Who’s Weston? Does his dad work for you? Is he a good person?”
Cash goes quiet for a few beats. “Does this have something to do with Brooklyn?”
“He just picked her up for school. I wasn’t prepared. I didn’t know anything until this boy shows up at my house and Brooklyn is looking at him with googly eyes.”
“Shit.”
I furrow my brow. “That’s not reassuring, Cash.”
“He’s a good kid,” he rushes to add. “His dad works for us. One of our head guys, actually. And yes, he’s a good man, too.”
“Then why did you say shit?”
“Because now I have to beat the hell out of him.”
That makes me smile. “I’m not sure that’s necessary. You said he was a good kid and that’s the vibe I got from him.”
“He is and so is his dad,” he repeats.
“So what’s the problem?”
“I was a seventeen-year-old boy once, Hadley.”
