Page 24 of Hooked on Trouble

“You can fuck off. This is about Raven.”

I sit straighter. “What about her?”

“I was at the station because I maybe ran out of hair gel and had some in my locker. Turns out her wallet came in with a bust. Some student at UBC has been busy picking pockets. Her cash and cards are gone, but her ID is intact.”

“That’s great.” I get to my feet and dust the sand from my sweaty ass. I just got myself another excuse to see my dark-haired beauty.

Alessi clears his throat. “Yeah, there’s just one thing…”

I pause mid-swipe. I know that tone. “What’s wrong?”

“Probably nothing. But the guys had put her name into the system before they realized you knew her, and she has a record. Thought you might want to know.”

With the upbringing Raven had, it’s not surprising she rebelled. Josh and Nikki aren’t exactly saints. “Give me the Cliff notes.” When he doesn’t answer, I jam my toe into the sand. “Spit it out already.”

“Typical teen vandalism, but there’s also an arson charge that got settled out of court, and a charge for heroin. Possession.”

The briny air lodges in my throat. “You sure?”

“Positive. Sorry, man.”

All I can do is grunt my thanks and hang up. Arson? Heroin? That’s not your typical teen stupidity. That shit screams danger and tosses up a massive red flag. I’m falling for Raven. Falling fast and likely hard. And having a woman in my life means she’ll be around my family, including my sister, who’s still recovering from her own heroin addiction. Raven might be right for me, but if her past has lingered into her present, she could be trouble for my family.

I chew on that unwelcome possibility as I jog home.

Seven

Raven

My walk to meet the girls for brunch is a hazy blur of tattooed muscles. Sweaty, tattooed muscles. Straddling a half-naked Nico—the sky above us bleeding passion, his hands on my hips, his lips devouring mine—nearly short-circuited my brain. And that wasn’t just any kiss. It was an apology and a promise and a prelude. Another second and I would have licked every inch of salt from his body.

Instead he shared an intimate fear with me.

There’s just something about Nico. His quiet presence maybe. His deep voice and sincere questions. He’s trying to ease the gap between us. A gap I’m nervous to close.

I step into the cramped café and squish my elbows to my sides. This place is beyond tiny. Tables are crammed together, barely enough room for servers to get around. The walls are covered with picture frames of newspaper articles and celebrity photos. There’s no sign of Shay or Lily, but I spot a free table in a back corner and try to catch someone’s attention. Both waitresses glance my way…and ignore me. When a group of four push into the place, I take matters into my own hands.

Two strides toward the table, someone says, “Those tattoos don’t scare me. Seat yourself, and I’ll have you doing dishes.”

I spin around, squinting at the waitress with the snarky tone. “Excuse me?”

Her hair is in two blond braids, her ripped jeans and faded Mickey Mouse shirt not exactly professional. She winks at me. “I don’t like it when girls rush me. I’m all about the slow burn.”

The patrons laugh, as if it’s just another Sunday and I wasn’t propositioned by their server. I stand my ground, unsure if I should return to the door or take a seat.

Shay pokes her curly head through the waiting customers and waves. “Rave!”

Mickey Mouse Girl says, “Stop taking up space. Sit your asses down already.”

More laughter. More confusion from moi.

Lily and Shay join me, neither of them fazed by the nutty service. Once we’re seated, I cross my arms. “The food here better be insane, or I’m leaving.”

Shay waves a hand in the air. “It’s what they do, like their shtick. They harass the customers.”

“And people pay for this?”

Lily slings her purse over the back of her chair. “Sawyer brought me here my first week. When I ordered sausage with my eggs, the waitress asked if I could handle all those inches. Sawyer, of course, told her I’d had lots of practice.” She blushes so pink telling the story, I can’t imagine how she looked that day.