Page 41 of Bound to Burn


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We had a wet winter that caused a lot of growth, but the summer heat and drought has caused a lot of plants to die, leaving behind fuel for the fires.

Grandpa John looks past me to the Jeep sitting in the front of the house. “I see you got your Jeep fixed.”

I nod, trying to hide my discomfort that Cash was responsible for fixing it. Aside from when I was five and Grandma Jo had to complain to my kindergarten teacher that someone stole my favorite unicorn pen, I’ve always been taught to fix my own messes, hence why I didn’t ask them for help when Danny got us evicted from our apartment and I needed to come home. I don’t want Grandpa John thinking I let someone else take responsibility for my problems. I had every intention of calling a tow truck to pick it up today if Cash hadn’t beat me to it.

“You got a real nice boss to do something like that for you.” Maybe he saw Cash drop it off, or maybe Grandma Jo mentioned something to him, but either way, nothing gets past him.

I look over my shoulder at the offending Jeep. Itwasnice of him to do that, and I wouldn’t have been offended except for the fact that he dropped it off knowing he would be able to avoid me.

“Yeah,” I grumble.

Grandpa John nods before he walks back to the barn, and I hop in the Jeep. The road into the valley is quiet, so I crank up the volume of the music from my playlist.

Traffic is light, and twenty minutes later, I’m pulling into the parking lot ofUnderground Records. On the wall in my usual parking spot is a sign that readsEmployee of the Month.

16

THREE MEN AND A BABY

CASH

Jessie’s Girl by Rick Springfield

“Idon’t see why I had to come all the way down here,” Jack sighs, leaning on the counter as if being here has fucked up his day or something.

“I have better things to do,” Wade chimes in, holding baby Dylan in a carrier strapped to his chest. Luckily, Dylan is sleeping.

“Just because you have a baby doesn’t mean your time is more precious than anyone else’s.” Jack gives him the side-eye.

“Yes, it does.” Wade slides his hand over the top of Dylan’s dark hair while Jack rolls his eyes.

I shove the paper across the counter at him. “I’m guessing you both got the same one,” I say, disgusted, interrupting the argument I can see coming. My eyes bore into the paper as if I could make it spontaneously set on fire. A fucking lawsuit from Bobby Hanson for a scuffle. It’s ridiculous. We were defending Jack’s daughter, Hayley, from this creep.

“This asshole sues us over a black eye,” I scoff.

“He’s lucky it was only a black eye,” Jack glares. “If security hadn’t come…” he doesn’t finish the sentence. Instead, he grabs the paper, balling it up in his fist.

“You can’t do that!” Wade tries to grab the paper from him and smooth it out.

“The fuck I can’t.” Jack grabs it back from him and crunches it in his hand, tossing it across the counter.

“That is a legal document,” Wade says, concerned.

“Does it look like I care?”

Wade rolls his eyes, clearly annoyed with Jack. “I hate to know what you did with your letter.”

Jack gets a cold smirk on his face. “There were bodily fluids involved.” He narrows his eyes with satisfaction.

Wade opens his mouth in disgust. I can only imagine what he thinks Jack did.

“Ipissedon it, Wade,” Jack clarifies, annoyed. “Holy fuck, and you’re a dad?”

Wade throws his hands up in the air. “What was I supposed to think?”

Jack shakes his head and laughs darkly.

“What is Erin doing about this?” I interrupt and grab the crumpled-up paper, throwing it in the trash, which I’m sure causes Wade’s blood pressure to rise.

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