Road to Peace Read Free Page A

she snapped.
    “Hello. Summer break. Soon,” he retorted.
    She groaned. “I don’t want to work in a dirty shop, Hatch. I want a real job.”
    “It is a real job. A real payin’ one. And we need the help. You know it helps to have a woman working the front counter. Makes other women feel more comfortable.”
    She sighed. “Well, I guess I don’t really have a choice now that you’ve blown up the one good job I’ve had in a while.”
    “You ever gonna not be fuckin’ drama?”
    “You ever gonna stop messin’ with my life?” she countered, and then smiled. “Not every woman’s drama, Con.”
    “Yeah, ’cause you’re proof a that,” he droned sarcastically.
    “I’m hardly drama,” she countered.
    He raised his eyes to the ceiling and shook his head. He did not want to have this conversation with his sister… again.
    “Jana was a bitch, granted. But you’re too good of a guy—”
    “Time to go,” he said, interrupting her grumbling.
    She sighed. “Katie’s meeting me here to check me over. We can’t leave yet.”
    Katie Jameson was Flea’s sister and a registered nurse. She was also Cricket’s best friend. The two of them were trouble alone, but when they got together, might as well prepare for something to burn down.
    He dropped his head back and stared at the ceiling again. “Fuck me.”
    “Have a drink, big brother,” Cricket ordered with a snarky grin. “I can make you something.”
    “You stay put.” Resigned to the fate of a sexless, shitty night, especially now that he had to deal with Cricket’s ex, Hatch nodded at Flea. “Whiskey’s good.”
    Flea handed him the bottle and a shot glass.
    Hatch ran his knuckles gently down his sister’s face. “Booker said you were freaked.”
    She nodded, leaning into his hand. “I’m okay, Con.”
    “You sure?”
    Cricket smiled. “Why do you think I’m here? My big brother always makes everything okay.”
    He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head and then sat beside her. “Yeah.”
    Two of the club women walked their way, Lila breaking away to sidle up to him. “Hey, honey.”
    “Hey babe.” Hatch took a shot as Cricket slid off the stool and walked over to the pool table.
    “You got some time?” Lila asked.
    “Not tonight.”
    He’d slept with Lila a handful of times. She was good… up for anything, but he could tell she wanted more and he wasn’t interested in that, so he’d backed off in a big way.
    She leaned against the bar. “It’s sweet how you take care of your sister, Hatch.”
    “Yeah?”
    “Yeah. But you’ve been kinda distant with me lately.”
    “Been busy,” he said, and poured another drink.
    “You brushin’ me off?” she asked.
    He cocked his head. “Didn’t make promises, Lila.”
    She tapped her fingers on the bar. “Got it.”
    “Good.”
    She walked away and Hatch watched as his sister sent him a questioning look before talking to Lila for a minute and then heading back to Hatch and sit back on the stool.
    “What was that all about?” she asked.
    Hatch leaned forward to study his sister’s lip. “Get the ice back on that.”
    “You’re not going to tell me?” She huffed. “Really?”
    “Ice, Cricket.”
    She lifted the baggie to her mouth. “I don’t want to give up my job at Blush, Connor.”
    “I heard you.”
    “Will you at least reconsider?”
    He frowned. “We’ll talk about it on Sunday.”
    The family had made a pact as kids that no matter what, no matter where, Sundays would be their days. They’d never missed a day to debrief about the week and even when they moved up from San Diego, they came as a group. Even though his brothers didn’t agree with his decision to leave, no one chose to stay in Southern California.
    “That’s a no,” she grumbled.
    “It’s a, we’ll talk about it on Sunday.”
    “Why are two of my favorite people glaring at each other?” Katie asked as she breezed into the main room of the compound. Cricket faced her and Katie