The Broken by Ker Dukey Read Free Book Online Page B

behind us, and we
all turn to see Stevie, his heavy boots carrying him down the hall
towards us.
    “Stevie! You
still alive and kicking, then?” Sammy laughs, putting his hand out
as Stevie gets close enough to grasp it. He pulls him into his
chest and pats his back.
    “How are you,
son? Been a long time! You get the fancy college degree or what?”
he asks in his deep, gravelly tone.
    “Yeah, a
business degree like I planned.”
    “So, have you
come to relieve Twinkle Toes of her duties so she can wow the
dancing world?” He grins and my heart misses a beat.
    I watch as
Sammy drops his eyes and shakes his head. “Plans change, Stevie.”
Stevie clicks his tongue. “Always thought you’d get married, you
two. You were smitten with each other.”
    My eyes bulge
and so do Sammy’s.
    Stevie laughs.
“Don’t look at me like that. I may be old but I’m not blind. You
two were joined at the hip.”
    I cough to
cover up the embarrassing meltdown I’m about to have. I feel the
burning of tears in my eyes because Stevie is hitting too close to
home. The thought of what might have been is agonizing.
    “We were
friends. She’s with Danny now.” Sammy laughs, but it sounds as
awkward as I feel.
    Stevie’s face
darkens. He hasn’t liked Danny ever since Danny lost control of his
temper at one of the mechanics for calling me gorgeous.
    “Yeah, well
maybe she shouldn’t be,” Stevie grumbles.
    “So,
lunch?”
    Jasper cuts
into the tense atmosphere and I could kiss him - after I bleach
Chelsea off him, of course.
    “Yes, let’s.” I
smile.
    “Did you put
the parts order in, darling?” Stevie asks, as I push the glass door
open and exit the building.
    “Yes,” I call
over my shoulder before following Sammy and Jasper to the diner
across the street.
    We settle into
a booth and Maggie, the waitress, comes over to give us menus.
“Hey, sweetheart. Can I get you drinks?” She smiles, her red hair
hanging loosely from her messy bun.
    “Coffees all
round, please,” Sammy says.
    I pick up my
menu, knowing what I want but needing a distraction from Sammy’s
intense gaze.
    “Burgers still
good here, Twink?”
    I lower my menu
and nod.
    “Here you go,
do you know what you want to eat?” Maggie asks, placing cups in
front of us and pouring the coffee. I notice Jasper’s eyes glued
shamelessly to my cleavage, and when Sammy follows his gaze, he
tugs on his earlobe pulling his attention to him.
    “They’re not on
the menu, Jasper! What’s wrong with you? Can you not be around
women without being a pervert?”
    I bite my lip
to stop the giggle that wants to escape watching Jasper rub his ear
and pouting like a child being scolded by a parent.
    “I’m sorry.
They’re just there, staring at me.”
    I glower.
“Well, they’re not going to speak to you, Jasper, so keep your eyes
up top.”
    “Oh, they’re
speaking to me alright!” He smirks, earning him a slap from Sammy
and an exhausted sigh from Maggie.
    “Do you want to
order?” Maggie asks, tapping her pen against the pad she’s
holding.
    “Burgers all
round please, hold the fries on one of those.”
    My eyes find
Sammy’s; he’s remembered I don’t like fries with my burgers. Too
many carbs makes me too lethargic to dance.
    “So, Chelsea.
Didn’t take her long to get back on the scene.”
    Sammy’s grin
and the sparkle in his eyes tell me he knows I’m fishing. “I bumped
into her at the store. She wanted to come over to catch up.”
    I grasp my
coffee cup to stop myself from pounding the table. I gulp my drink,
wincing from the burning sensation it leaves on my tongue.
    “Hot,” Sammy
says, with a smirk.
    “Hot? She’s a
slut, Sammy. Everyone’s playing in that playground.”
    He chuckles.
“You sound a little bitter there, Twink. I was actually referring
to the coffee.”
    My cheeks
flush, heat building all over my body. They both laugh at my
embarrassment.
    “You don’t need
to be bitter. There’s plenty of me to share.” Jasper