My Twist of Fortune by Rayne, Piper (little red riding hood read aloud txt) 📗

“I’ll pay you back,” Marla says.

I wave her off and head to a table in the back big enough for all of us but far enough from the football team.

“Thanks.” She takes off her jacket, and I’m rewarded with the sight of a sweater that’s snug around her breasts. She peruses the restaurant and sits down across from me. “So is this place new?”

“Newer. Built after you guys left.”

It’s an old barn that was converted into a pizza place. Everyone loves it, and it’s so big it easily handles a lot of people, especially on Friday nights.

“It’s huge.” She looks around, giving me the opportunity to really look at her without her knowing.

A waitress comes by, and after much discussion about what every kid eats, we order pizzas.

“Wine or beer?” I ask Marla.

“I’ll just have beer.”

“A pitcher then,” I tell the waitress.

She leaves, and my eyes linger on the team table. Cade’s not even socializing, and Jed is being the life of the damn party. Cade’s gotta snap out of this.

Marla follows my line of vision and huffs before turning around. “I think Jeff taught him he always has to be on. Like he can’t relax and just be himself. I try to tell him to tame it down a little, that people will like him for him, but you remember Jeff.”

The one thing I hate about this situation is Jeff is always a topic of conversation. Will this be how it is if something were to happen between us? I have to be okay with that because he’s their dad regardless.

“What are the plans between you two? Are you here permanently?”

The waitress comes over, dropping off the pitcher, and I pour our beers.

She leans back, crosses her legs, and takes a sip. “Jeff won’t leave Arizona. His business is there. He tried to keep me there, but in the end, I said I couldn’t do it anymore. We lived in a town where I was constantly reminded of his affairs. My friends who, let’s admit it, probably weren’t really my friends, looked at me with pity afterward. Other people would give me advice like ‘sleep with the pool boy’ or ‘hire the best lawyer and hit him where it hurts.’ But I just wanted to move on with my life. So I told Jeff he didn’t have a choice, and since he doesn’t have time to raise our kids, he eventually agreed and signed papers for me to move the kids.”

“And will he come and visit?”

She shrugs. “You know Jeff. Work and money are at the top of his list of priorities.” She puts up her hand. “Then probably his new girl.” She lowers her hand. “Jed’s here.” She lowers it more. “Then the girls.”

“Whoa, the girls are lower than Jed?”

She laughs. “Yep. He says it’s just because he has more in common with a son, but they’re not blind. I guess I’m not really sure what the future will bring or how much he’ll be involved. Once Jed finishes football, I can almost see Jeff disappearing.” She frowns, sadness filling her eyes.

Fuck, that’s sad. Jeff’s an asshole, but these are his kids. I would’ve followed an ex to the ends of the earth if she was taking my kids somewhere. Jeff and I might’ve been cut from the same cloth, but we couldn’t be more different in shape.

Finally a night to myself. I left Jed and Nikki in charge of the kids, and I’m sitting at the coffee shop, The Grind, in downtown Sunrise Bay, looking up jobs. Although I get child support and alimony, I need extra income in order to move out of my parents’ house. Plus, I want to show my kids that Mom can stand on her own two feet.

A knock on the window startles me, and I turn to find none other than Hank Greene’s smiling face.

It’s been two weeks since we’ve had to interact. Both football games since then were away, and we seem to be on opposite schedules, him not attending the one I went to and vice versa.

He walks in, and the barista waves as though they’re familiar with one another.

“Hey.” Hank takes off his Greene & Sons hat—the company he took over from his father. “Can I sit?”

I shut my laptop. “Sure.”

“Want a refill?” He points at my cup.

“No, I’ve had enough caffeine.”

“How about one to go? It’s a great night. Wondered if we could go for a walk?” He sits on the edge of the chair next to me without taking off his coat.

“It’s cold outside.”

He laughs and nods. “True, but the coffee will keep you warm.”

I playfully narrow my eyes and put up my finger. “Okay, you have once around the block.”

His knuckles tap on the table and he stands before going over to the barista, who talks to him about his kids and what they’re up to. She’s older but not as old as us. The ease of their conversation says they know one another outside of customer and server.

Once he pays for our coffees and brings them back, I shrug on my coat, hat, scarf, and gloves. I pick up my laptop bag to swing it crosswise over my body, but Hank grabs the strap.

“We can keep that here. You can trust Zoe.” He steps over and Zoe takes the bag from his hands before storing it behind the counter. He chuckles when he registers my expression. “Promise it’s safe.” He makes a cross over his heart.

Marla, you’re not in Arizona anymore.

The bell rings as we exit. A few loose flurries fall from the sky, the streetlight making them glow.

“So how do you know Zoe?” I ask.

“Is that jealousy I hear?” His tone is playful, but he’s not completely wrong.

“No. Just curious.”

“I own The Grind. Well, I mean, it was Laurie’s and after she died, I didn’t want to sell it even though I know nothing about running a coffee shop. Zoe is the manager