Back to You: Bad Boys of Red Hook by Robin Kaye Read Free Book Online Page A

Taylor?”
    “Everyone remembers Patrice—she was the hottest girl in school.”
    “Yeah, well, I married her.”
    “No shit! And you still live in Red Hook?”
    Francis smiled. “Where else would I live?”
    “I don’t know. I just thought with kids you’d want to live somewhere safer.”
    Francis downed the rest of his coffee. “You’ve been gone a long time, my friend. Red Hook isn’t the same place we used to terrorize when we were kids.”
    Storm finished his coffee, and Francis pushed the bottle of water toward him. “This is for you. Drink up; it’ll make you feel better.” He stood. “Come on, I’ll give youa ride home. If Patrice can find a sitter, maybe we’ll see you tonight at the bar. If you’re lucky, I’ll even let you dance with her.”
    Storm tossed his coffee cup and took a swig of the water. “Don’t you think you should see how Patrice feels about that?”
    “I’m pretty sure she won’t have a problem with it. Hell, I always thought she had a thing for you. Why do you think I beat on you so regularly back in school?”
    “And all this time I thought it was just my personality—I had one, unlike someone else I knew. But you’re wrong about Patrice. She never knew I existed.”
    “Oh, she knew. She was just shy. It took me a lot of years to figure it out.”
    The music for
The
Twilight Zone
repeated in Storm’s head as he followed Francis to a black Jeep Liberty.
    Francis unlocked the car and climbed in as Storm followed suit. “How’s Nicki handling Pete’s being sick?”
    “I can’t really say. I just met her.”
    “Nicki’s a tough kid; she’ll be fine. She’s great with my two rug rats. She has a way with them. She’s incredibly empathetic for a kid so young, but then she’s been through a lot.”
    “She’s also a real smart aleck, but she seems like a good kid.”
    “Any kid lucky enough to be taken in by Pete is a good kid. Just look how well you and your brothers turned out.”
    “And you. It seems like Pete’s got a magic touch when it comes to juvenile delinquents.”
    Storm was glad Francis laughed. “That he does.”
    He pulled up in front of the Crow’s Nest and waved away Storm’s thanks. “Bree has my number. Give me acall if the jet lag gets to you and you want to meet up with me and Patrice another night.”
    “I should be fine.”
    “Good. I’ll probably see you later, then. Tell Bree I said hi.”
    Storm shut the door, and while Francis pulled away, he looked at the bottle of water in his hand. Maybe he’d be better off replacing it with a beer and a shot. Maybe then things would start making more sense.
     * * *
    Storm walked into the Crow’s Nest and was tempted to step back outside to make sure Francis hadn’t pulled a fast one on him. The only thing he recognized other than Bree was the bar itself.
    The antique carved-mahogany bar had always looked out of place beside the cheap vinyl-covered, metal-runged barstools Pete had favored. The ones that fronted the bar now were the high-backed swivel kind, and if he wasn’t mistaken, the deep hunter green seats were leather, or at the very least pleather. The stained, drop-tile ceiling had been replaced by what looked like antique tin, trimmed with matching carved crown molding. Cracked plaster walls had been ripped down to show off beautiful exposed brick, and the other walls were painted a deep, rich gold. Small round tables were positioned between the bar and high-backed booths with deep maroon cushions. Tasteful art and Tiffany glass lighting gave it warmth and richness.
    Bree stuck a pen behind her ear and walked away from the woman she’d been talking to at the bar. “You’ve come back.”
    “Disappointed?”
    “Not disappointed, Storm, just wary.”
    “Yeah, that’s coming in loud and clear, but thanks for spelling it out for me.”
    “My pleasure.”
    “And mine too, I hope.” The tall woman Bree had been talking to had somehow snuck up on him.
    It was hard to believe,