Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 145088 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145088 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
“Sorry. And no, not everyone has a house.”
Hammer sat down in front of a newly added plate and called Dex over with a gesture.
“That’s where Mommy sits,” Wolfie said, but before Dex could have ran away again, Peter put his index finger to his lips.
“Our guests can sit wherever they want. Today, you can sit in my place, and I will sit next to Mom. Now go and see if she needs help.”
Wolfie’s lips stretched in a smile, and he ran off like a young colt let into a new pasture.
“He’s very opinionated,” Hammer said once Dex settled next to him to face a deep plate with a colorful fabric napkin arranged inside.
When Hammer took it and placed it in his lap, Dex followed his lead, glad to notice Hammer’s dad do the same thing.
“I remember you always speaking your mind as well,” Peter said dryly. “We can only hope he won’t change his name to Scissors once he grows up.”
Dex frowned. “Wouldn’t that have to be Scissor?”
“It’s good to know when to speak up,” Hammer said.
“And even better to know when to keep quiet,” Peter said, keeping his eyes on the plate, but Dex knew the words were aimed at him, and he sank into the chair, full of guilt.
He hadn’t meant to be rude. The words just popped into his head.
“So you’re staying out of trouble?” Peter asked after a long, heavy pause. “I am glad to see you alive and well.”
Hammer stretched, sitting more upright. “I’ve done well for myself. Both in terms of jobs and relationships.”
“Oh? What is it you do?” Peter asked entwining his hands and leaning forward to rest his chin on them.
“I am a bounty hunter.”
That was the first time Dex heard of this, but he didn’t know everything about Hammer yet, as proven by this visit at his parents’ place, so maybe he really did do that on the side. He smiled at Hammer mentioning a good relationship. Because that would be him. He could only hope that wasn’t also a lie.
Peter stared at him as if once more assessing the width of Hammer’s shoulders. “I guess everyone has their talents. And you were always smart with puzzles and the like, so that might be helping you with the detective part of the job?”
Hammer exhaled, and his hand found Dex’s under the table. “I like the challenge of it, and bringing justice to people who deserve it.”
“Doesn’t it feel like hunting down your own?”
Again, that weird tension in the air, but Hammer shook his head as two sets of footsteps resonated down the hall. Moments later, Wolfie ran in with a large bowl of salad, and his mother followed, holding a steaming pot, which smelled both fishy and tart. When she placed the dish on the wooden board in the middle of the table, Dex saw it was filled with long ribbons of pasta with bits of broccoli, strips of red, and small fish mixed in.
“I love anchovies!” Wolfie exclaimed, taking his place at the table.
“It smells amazing,” Dex said. “Noodles are my jam, Mrs…” He only then realized he hadn’t caught the last name. Or he’d forgotten it, which would have been even worse.
“Cullen,” Cynthia said, sitting down with a smile.
Dex had to bite the inside of his lip not to burst out laughing, but he still squeezed Hammer’s hand. Cullen. Like the vampires from Twilight. He couldn’t wait to tell Hammer all about it once they were on their own again.
Cynthia used tongs to place a generous portion of food on each of the plates. “It’s good I chose this dish. I had more of all the ingredients in my pantry,” she said, smiling at Hammer, who cleared his throat.
“It smells delicious.”
“I’m actually trying to put together a cookbook,” she said and picked up a paper-wrapped block of cheese, which she then grated above her dish. “Now that Wolfgang is more independent, I have more time to myself, and our new neighbor works for a big publisher.”
“We invited her and her husband over, and she encouraged Cynthia,” Peter added with a smile. “Who knows, maybe I’m living with the new Martha Stewart?”
Dex watched them, amazed. Even if he didn’t fit in all that well, wasn’t this connection worth fighting for, for Hammer’s sake? At the best of times, his family had never been put together like this. His sister had always been out with friends, and before his mom got ill, she was barely home, always busy at her high-stress job.
He drank some wine, then started cutting his pasta to make it easier to eat without making a mess. He was happy to just listen and be a part of the conversation in a passive way, because he didn’t want his mouth to get him in trouble as usual.
“You’re all grown up and don’t know how to eat pasta?” Wolfgang asked, and it was as if an invisible string had pulled Dex’s head up. Hammer’s whole family was staring at his plate with long ribbons of noodles wrapped around their forks. One glance at Hammer’s plate told him he was the only one who’d made this mistake.