Total pages in book: 198
Estimated words: 186242 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 931(@200wpm)___ 745(@250wpm)___ 621(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 186242 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 931(@200wpm)___ 745(@250wpm)___ 621(@300wpm)
No fucking wonder why Amos and Rhodes hadn’t told me to leave when I’d come running over.
The complaining and criticizing started before we even got into Rhodes’s Bronco, with Mr. Randall sniffing and suggesting, “We can take my Mercedes to be more comfortable.”
I had kept my mouth shut, but Rhodes—who I’d bet later on had heard this argument before—said, “The Bronco is fine.”
It was only the beginning.
I’d watched Mr. Randall out of the corner of my eye as he got into the front seat, and I climbed into the back with Amos. Five minutes later, it started up again with him saying, “I don’t think any of us would complain if you drove over the speed limit some.”
Rhodes didn’t even glance over. “I’m not speeding. I’m a peace officer. What would it look like if I got a ticket?”
“A peace officer?” he scoffed in this way that said he didn’t think very highly of his son’s occupation. “You’re a game warden.”
In my mind, it was time to tag myself in, so I piped up from the back, “A great game warden. One time, Amos and I were in the garage, and you would never guess what came up to us.”
Silence. And that silence continued even after I slapped my hand over my mouth and made a face at Amos, who glanced up at the ceiling and pressed his lips together to keep from cracking up.
“Okay, you don’t need to guess. I’ll tell you. We thought it was a hawk, but it was not.” And then I rambled on for a good five minutes, telling him about the golden eagle and Rhodes laughing at me and how the eagle was still in rehabilitation but would hopefully get released soon.
I’d just asked about my majestic friend, and he had found out for me.
Eventually, Rhodes parallel parked off the main street and we got out, following him into the Mexican restaurant overlooking the river that I’d met Johnny at. Randall Rhodes sighed when we had to wait two whole minutes to get a table, while I asked Amos about school—careful not to bring up his music because I didn’t want the old man to criticize him about it. I might be the one to bury his body somewhere if that was the case. The two men just stood there, each purposely looking around and not speaking to each other, the tension suffocating.
On the way to the table, I spotted a few customers from the shop and greeted them, Amos hanging back with me. By the time we made it, Rhodes and his dad were standing there, and I knew for a fact I didn’t imagine Am pushing me toward his dad before grudgingly sliding into the seat closest to his grandpa and earning a “The lady sits first, Amos. How did Billy not teach you that?”
“My cousins would say I’m not really a lady,” I tried to joke as I stopped beside Rhodes since that’s where his son had aimed me. I smiled up at him, not sure if I’d done the right thing.
He pulled my chair out.
All right then. I took it.
None of them said a word as we looked at the menu. I snuck a glance at Rhodes, and he must have sensed it because his eyes flicked toward me. His mouth twisted just a little.
I took it as a sign. The more I talked, the less chances Mr. Randall had to be rude.
And that’s what I did for the next hour.
I told them one story after another about something that had happened at the shop. Amos was the only one who chuckled, but I did catch Rhodes’s mouth twitching a time or two. His dad, on the other hand, settled for focusing on the chips and salsa and looking at me like he wasn’t totally sure what to think. I didn’t think he meant for me to catch him, but his gaze bounced back and forth between his son and me way too often as well, like he wasn’t sure about us.
Mr. Randall got up to “find the facilities,” but I caught him actually paying the bill when I got up to go too. To avoid arguing with Rhodes? I didn’t know, but I thanked him on the walk to the car, and he simply nodded.
The ride back to the house was quiet, and I felt talked out, so I didn’t say anything. Amos was on his phone the whole time, and I took the opportunity, since there was cell service off the main highway, to finally check mine for the first time all evening. There were messages from Nori and my aunt waiting. I opened my friend’s first.
Nori: Nailed it [picture of arroz con gandules]
Me: 🤤 Please come cook for me.
She texted me back immediately.
Nori: Come visit me first. Yu’s still talking about how much fun she had.