“Because he’s lookin’ to change her mind,” Casper spat. “Or is willin’ to look past it.”

  “Just thought I’d give you a heads up,” I said. “I’m here all day so there’s not much I can do.”

  “And you’re still answerin’ to a parole officer,” Casper replied knowingly.

  “That, too.”

  “I’ll take care of it,” Casper said firmly, then he shot me a small smile. “You keep your ass on the outside if you can.”

  “I’m tryin’,” I replied with a sigh. “I pretty much go to work and go home.”

  “Finish out your time,” he said, nodding. “Sucks, man. I get it. But your pretty ass doesn’t wanna be inside without someone at your back, and we don’t have any men in county at the moment.” He paused for a moment. “I’ll take care of this. You just worry about gettin’ those kitchen counters my woman wants installed.”

  “I don’t work with granite,” I said with a laugh. “But I’ll keep an eye out and make sure they do shit right.”

  “Good man,” Casper replied.

  As I walked away, I felt a little better about the Charlie situation. At least now her pop knew what was going on and I was sure within minutes the rest of the club would, too. It wasn’t ideal—I wanted to take care of it—but it was the best I could do under the circumstances.

  The day went by quickly because there were always a thousand tasks to get done, and by the time I said goodbye to Harry and the guys, I was dragging ass. Farrah hadn’t ever shown up to chat and look through the place, so we’d actually gotten a lot done. I wondered if she realized how much she slowed things down when she made her unexpected visits and then decided that she probably just didn’t care. She wanted to be involved in every step—which was a new experience for most of us. I’d spent a lot of time building new places in developments that hadn’t even been sold yet. You get a set of plans, the shit you need is ordered, and you get to work building a few cookie cutter houses on each block. It’s easy and pretty routine—which wasn’t the case with Casper and Farrah’s place. They continually thought of new shit they wanted or made changes and it slowed everything way down.

  I couldn’t really complain though. I was pretty sure that Casper was the one who’d convinced Harry to hire me. Construction jobs weren’t hard to get, but my felony record made things a bit tricky. I was grateful for the opportunity, and Harry was a good guy. I liked working for him. He didn’t put up with any bullshit, but he was decent and he spelled out exactly what he expected from you so there weren’t any misunderstandings. I appreciated that.

  When I got home Kara and Draco were in the kitchen, a pile of books and random papers spread out all over the table.

  “Hey, Bishop,” Kara said happily. “I’m glad you’re home.”

  I stopped on my way to the fridge. “Why’s that?”

  “Because she’s been wantin’ to take a break for an hour,” Draco said dryly, stretching his arms above his head.

  “School’s goin’ well, huh?” I joked.

  “It’s fine,” Kara said, pushing her fingers through her hair. “I’m just tired. I have to get all this done because I have to work early tomorrow before class.”

  “You workin’ with Charlie in the mornin’?” I asked, finishing my walk to the fridge.

  “I’m always working with Charlie,” Kara said, rolling her eyes. “Everyone’s always working with Charlie. She’s always there. I can’t believe she took the weekend off.”

  “She surprised me,” Draco said. “I figured she’d be checkin’ in all weekend, but I didn’t notice her doin’ it.”

  “Tough bein’ the boss,” I said, taking a drink of my soda.

  “It’s beyond that,” Kara replied, leaning forward like she was grateful someone else had brought the subject up. “She’s always there. She’s always working. It’s like she never takes a break or lets anyone else take the shifts.”

  “She always been like that?” I asked curiously. “She takes shit pretty serious when she’s focused—”

  “She’s never been like that,” Draco said with a huff. “Yeah, she takes shit seriously when she gets her mind set on somethin’.” He shook his head. “But she’s about the last person I’d expect to work nonstop. The girl used to finish her homework in class so she wouldn’t have it at home and she could fuck around whenever she wanted.”

  “Work to live, Kara,” Kara mimicked. “Don’t live to work.”

  “It probably hits different when you’re in charge,” I said. It almost felt like I was defending her—which was stupid since Draco and Kara were a couple of her best friends in the entire world. I felt protective but mixed in with that was a little concern. Charlie seemed to be burning the candle at both ends.

  We all startled when the front door slammed.

  “Beauregard Augustus Bishop!” Charlie yelled. “Where the fuck are you?”

  “Oh, shit,” Draco muttered, getting to his feet. “You wanna run out the back, we’ll tell her we never saw you.”

  “Why the fuck would I do that?” I asked, staring at him.

  “Bishop,” Charlie yelled again. We could hear her stomping toward us.

  She stepped into the kitchen and I knew exactly why Draco had given me the option to run. Charlie was furious. Her hair was a tangled mess, her jaw was tight, and her hands were hanging in fists at her sides. She looked ready to deck me.

  “What’s up, Charles?” Kara asked easily, still sitting at the table.

  “Did you go to my dad today?” Charlie yelled, pointing at me. “Are you out of your fucking mind?”

  “I—”

  “You know what,” she said, still yelling. “Don’t answer that. I already know you did, you little rat fink.”

  “Did she just call him a rat fink?” Draco asked Kara, trying to hold back a laugh.

  “I’m at work all day—”

  “Apparently, spilling your guts to my dad,” Charlie said, cutting me off. “Did you also tell him about the sex we had while you two were braiding each other’s hair?”

  “Ooh, burn,” Kara said quietly, grimacing.

  “Someone needed to know about it,” I replied, glancing at Draco, who all of a sudden seemed very interested in the conversation.

  “I told you that in bed,” Charlie snapped. “In confidence—or at least I thought it was. How dare you go to my dad.”

  “I didn’t know it was a damn secret,” I replied. Suddenly, I wasn’t feeling confused or defensive. I was starting to get angry too. Who just came in yelling at someone without asking about the situation? I didn’t deserve that shit.

  “What the hell is she talkin’ about?” Draco asked.

  Charlie stared at me, daring me to reply.

  “That cop who was messin’ with Kara is going to the coffee cart a couple times a day, every day.”

  “The fuck he is,” Draco spat.

  “Not every day,” Kara said, turning to look at us. “He doesn’t go when I’m there.”

  “He knows better,” Charlie replied.

  “But he doesn’t know better than to stay away from you,” I pointed out through my teeth.

  “And you thought you needed to clarify that?” Charlie asked, letting out a derisive laugh. “Who the fuck do you think you are?”

  “A friend,” I replied, instantly. “Your friend.”

  “You’re a fucking narc,” she said, shaking her head. “That’s what you are. I told you I could handle it.”

  “You weren’t handling it,” I countered. “You were just accepting it.”

  “He hasn’t done anything wrong!”

  “Why the fuck is that asshole goin’ to the coffee cart at all?” Draco asked furiously. “I know he was told to stay the fuck away.”

  I looked Charlie over as she tried to formulate a reply to Draco’s question, and I was suddenly furious.

  She was wearing a tank top with a pair of cutoff jean shorts that were so short and frayed that the pockets hung out the bottom. On any other day I would’ve taken a moment to appreciate the beauty of those shorts, but I couldn’t see past the massive bruise that took up her entire thigh.

  “Why the fuck don’t you have a bandage on your leg?” I asked, my voice level.

  Charlie’s head turned slowly in my direction and I knew it was the wrong thing to say.

  “Because I had to take a motherfucking shower and Molly said that letting the wound get some air was totally fine,” she said, talking slowly like I wouldn’t be able to understand her otherwise. “Not that it’s any of your goddamn business.”

  “Damn, Charles,” Draco said with a hiss. “That looks painful.”

  “You know what’s painful?” Charlie asked through clenched teeth. “Having your father pull up on his Harley and sit outside your work, watching. All fucking day. Not visiting or getting coffee or making himself useful—watching.”

  “Bet that asshole didn’t show up, did he?” I asked.

  “No,” Charlie snapped. “He didn’t. Which was two sales less than I had yesterday and it doesn’t even fucking matter because my dad can’t sit outside the shop every goddamn day!”

  “Why didn’t you say something?” Kara asked, watching Charlie with her arms crossed over her chest. “You know what a menace that guy is. You should have told someone.”

  “I told Bishop!”

  “And now you’re bitching him out because he told someone else,” Kara pointed out. “When we all should have known to begin with.”

  “That’s rich, coming from you,” Charlie replied shortly.

  “Careful,” Draco warned her. “You’re not even mad at Kara.”

  “You’re right,” Charlie replied. She looked at Kara. “I’m not mad at you.”

  “Well, I’m mad at you, you idiot,” Kara shot back. “You should have said something. That asshole lost his job. You know he isn’t going to take that lying down.”

  “He hasn’t acted like it affected him at all,” Charlie replied.

  “Just because he hasn’t done anything yet, doesn’t mean he won’t,” Kara said. “You know that. You remember when my parents were kidnapped. You know shit doesn’t always happen right away. Sometimes it festers first.”

  “He’s not going to fucking kidnap me,” Charlie said, throwing her hands in the air. “He’s annoying and a blowhard and he asks me out constantly—he’s never once done anything that freaked me out.”

  “Stalking me wasn’t enough?” Kara asked.

  “I’m not you,” Charlie replied stubbornly.

  “What does that mean?” Kara said quietly.

  “You’re soft, Kara,” Charlie replied, not unkindly. “You’re quiet and kind and—”

  “An easy target,” Kara said flatly. “Is that where you’re going with this? Because I don’t tell the world to fuck off constantly, I’m an easy target for assholes.”

  “Kara,” Charlie breathed, her voice apologetic.

  “You’re my best friend, Charles,” Kara said flatly. “And when he couldn’t get to me anymore it sounds like he went to the next best thing.”

  “Ouch,” Charlie replied.

  “Don’t act offended,” Kara snapped. “You know what I mean. What better way to continue fucking with us than to start bothering you?”

  “He’s not bothering me,” Charlie replied. “That’s what I’m saying! He’s just coming through for coffee and then he leaves.”

  “He doesn’t come when Kara’s there,” Draco said, his voice low. “He come when anyone else is working?”

  Charlie paused. “Well, no,” she replied. “But—”

  “You’re not stupid, Charlie,” Draco barked. “Don’t act like you are.”

  “Fuck off.”

  “Jesus,” Kara said quietly. “I thought we were done with this asshole.”

  “It’s never done with guys like that,” Draco muttered. “They just get quiet for a while before popping up again like herpes.”

  Charlie opened her mouth and Draco lifted a hand to stop her from speaking. “No, I don’t have herpes and you’re not funny.”

  “I don’t even know why we’re having this conversation,” Charlie said, looking over at me. “I came home to rip Bishop a new one.”

  “Why aren’t you at work?” Kara asked.

  “I closed up for the day because I didn’t have any customers.”

  “What? None?” Kara asked. “Not even the after-school crowd?”

  I saw something flicker over Charlie’s expression, but it was gone in an instant.

  “No one was coming in with my dad glaring at every car that passed by,” she said, without missing a beat. She looked at me again. “I have you to thank for that.”

  “If you’re expectin’ me to apologize, it’s not gonna happen.”

  “Of course it isn’t,” she said, shaking her head. “Because you’re a man and it doesn’t even occur to you that I didn’t fucking ask for your help and you ignored the fact that I told you it wasn’t a problem.”

  “Have you not heard a word I fuckin’ said?” Draco asked in admonishment.

  “Have you not heard a word I said?” Charlie countered. “You’re overreacting to nothing.”

  “Charlie, he’s a bad guy,” Kara said, clearly frustrated with her best friend.

  “I don’t ask for references when I’m serving fucking coffee,” Charlie replied. She shook her head tiredly. “I’m going to bed. I’m tired as fuck and I’m opening with you in the morning.”

  She left the room a lot quieter than she’d entered, and we all just stood there, wondering what the fuck had just happened.

  “I’m gonna call my pop,” Draco finally said, kissing Kara before striding out of the room.

  “On a scale of one to ten,” I asked Kara.

  “Fourteen,” she answered before I’d finished the sentence. “If you’re going to try and talk to her now, wear a cup.”

  She turned back to her schoolwork and picked up a pen so I figured I should probably leave her to it. I went upstairs slowly, taking my time to make sure that I didn’t cross paths with Charlie again, at least not until I figured out what I was going to say.

  Honesty was generally the best policy, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to get into it all when she was still so pissed. I understood why she’d been frustrated. She hadn’t asked me to go to her dad and I’d probably crossed a line there—but had she really expected me to do nothing?

  I stripped off my shirt as I walked into my room, closing the door softly behind me. I was covered in grime from working, but I wasn’t about to shower in the bathroom I shared with Charlie…even though it had worked out pretty well for me the last time she was angry. A change of clothes was going to have to be enough until I could shower before bed. I’d just changed my underwear when my door swung open and Charlie stepped inside.

  “Look,” she said, brushing her hair out of her face in frustration. “I think we need to take a step back from whatever this is.”

  “A step back,” I replied dryly. “Did we ever take a step forward?”

  “I was so clear,” she said, shaking her head. “I told you I didn’t have time for this. You know I don’t.”

  I just stood there. It had become such a common refrain that I wasn’t even surprised. She was busy as fuck. I got it. We all got it. We fucking saw it.

  “The drama is too much, alright,” she said tiredly.

  “Drama?”

  “Going to my dad, Bishop?” she said with a scoff. “Really?”

  “Someone needed to know what was going on.”

  “I have it handled,” Charlie replied through her teeth. “I told you that and you ignored it and now I’m going to have the entire club on my ass, just adding on to the shit I was already dealing with.”

  “What shit?” I asked, frustrated. “If buyin’ a fuckin’ coffee cart makes you this overwhelmed then maybe you need to think of another life plan.”

  She looked like I’d just slapped her and I was immediately sorry.

  “I’m just—”

  “No, I know,” Charlie said with a sad laugh. “The thing is, it shouldn’t be. The numbers were good. Everything was good when I bought the place, and now it’s tanking. No one is coming through. We barely have any customers and I can’t figure out what the fuck is going on.”

  To say I was shocked was an understatement. Yeah, I’d known that she was stressed—but by the look on her face it was so much more than that. Charlie looked defeated.

  “If I can’t turn it around—I’m toast,” she said calmly. “All those savings, gone for nothing.”

  “Holy shit, Charlie,” I mumbled, unsure of what to say.

  “I’d appreciate it if you kept this conversation to yourself,” she said tiredly. “My parents already know.”

  “Hasn’t Kara noticed?” I asked in confusion.

  “I only put Kara on the morning shifts,” Charlie replied with a rueful smile. “We still get a steady stream of cars then. It’s just not enough to sustain the business without the afternoon traffic.”

  “What are you going to do?” I asked, dropping my ass to the bed.

  “I don’t know,” she said softly. “But I’ll figure it out.”

  “Let me know if there’s anything I can help with.”

  “That’s sweet,” she replied with a laugh. “I’ll expect you shirtless and waving a sign in front of the shop tomorrow.”

  I glanced down at myself, sitting in my damn underwear.

  “I’m joking,” Charlie said. “Mostly.”

  “If I didn’t have to work,” I replied with a shrug.

  “This was good,” Charlie said, gesturing between us. “It could be really good. End of the line, white picket fence kind of good. I just don’t have it in me right now.”

  “Alright,” I said.

  “I’m sorry,” she said hoarsely. She tapped on my doorframe. “I’ll see you later, okay?”

  She left the room and I got a sinking feeling in my stomach. When I’d thought she was dodging me before, I’d been pissed. This wasn’t that. Charlie wasn’t playing games—she was being honest. She was into me. She knew we’d be good together. She just didn’t have the time or inclination to start something real with me.

  She had time to fuck me when it fit into her schedule, but beyond that, she was out.