Page 22 of Let Me Keep You

“Good, good. Jerry wouldn’t have been able to handle my wrath if he didn’t hire you.”

Grandma can be scary, especially when she gets her entire knitting club together to wreak havoc on shady people. They’re basically a mob in Lawton Ridge.

Mimi checks the time. “You hungry? Want me to make you some breakfast before you go?”

“Nah, that’s okay. Hopefully, it won’t take too long to update my license.”

She snorts. “Are you kidding me? You obviously haven’t been to the DMV here in ages. It’s an unorganized disaster. People line up at six in the morning and wait all day to be seen. Let me make you something, I insist.”

“I drank a protein shake for breakfast.”

“Then I’ll make you a sandwich for later.” She opens the fridge and pulls out some chopped rotisserie chicken and mayo. Mimi makes the fattest sandwich I’ve ever seen. It won’t fit even in a sandwich bag, so she places it in a gallon Ziploc, then stuffs cookies in another one before handing me a giant glass of sweet tea.

“Better get going if you want to make it out of there before dark.”

After I take her gifts, she pulls her keys from her purse, then hands them to me. Before I go, I kiss her on the cheek and tell her I’ll be back as soon as I can.

On the way across town, I can’t get Gemma off my mind. She looked at me like she wanted to murder me, and as far as I know, she might. I begged her to come with me, but I knew it was best to leave on my own. I needed to protect her from the emotional baggage I bear. Considering I’m a felon now, it seems like it was the right decision after all.

After I arrived at the DMV, I realize Mimi wasn’t joking. There are no empty spaces in the lot, so I parallel park on the street, then walk inside and grab a ticket. Every seat is taken.

Hours pass, and I eat my sandwich and cookies, grateful Mimi packed me a lunch. I swear sloths are working the counter. An hour before close, someone finally calls my number, and I take my photo. By the time I leave, I’m annoyed as hell I spent my entire day waiting there.

When I show up to Mimi’s after five with two empty Ziploc bags, she smirks. The “told you so” is implied, and I grin. She offers to drive me home, but I tell her I want to walk. After she sees my face and how frustrated I am, she doesn’t argue.

“Please make sure you call me when you make it home. Love you, kiddo.”

“I will, Mimi. Love you too,” I say, walking out the door.

On the way home, I call Liam. He’s two hours behind me, so I hope he’s home, but he usually answers unless he’s doing a stakeout.

“Tyler! I was just thinking about you. How are things going?”

I tell him about my interview yesterday, but we don’t chat long. “Fine, I guess.”

“Uh-oh, what’s wrong?”

I talk about my shitty day, and how I’m so fucking sweaty I can barely stand it. The humidity here is smothering compared to Las Vegas. I explain how stressed I am and how I’m still paranoid as fuck. It’s gonna take a little while for me to get settled and feel back to normal.

“I guess I’m second-guessing coming here,” I admit. “Everything feels wrong, like I’m living in the twilight zone or something. It’s more awkward than I thought it’d be, and I already feel like the town outcast.”

“I’m sure it’s not that bad. You’re just not used to being in public. Give it time.”

I huff out a laugh. “It’s this place and these people. While I waited at the DMV, everyone looked at me like I was a chained-up dog ready to bite one of them just because I’d been in prison.”

“I bet it’s just in your head. I remember when all that stuff was going down with Victoria, I swear everyone was watching me. Even older ladies in the grocery store. I trusted no one. I think when you go through a lot of shit, it fucks with your head. And you’ve had your fair share. Honestly, they can fuck off. You’re doing the best you can, and you’re a good guy, Tyler.”

A small smile meets my lips. “You’re right. It puts me in a shitty mood, though.”

“Probably the heat. Just remember you didn’t do time because you’re a criminal. You went to prison because Victoria is a vindictive bitch. You wanted away from the O’Learys and leaving gave you the freedom to move on from your past. I’ll always be grateful for you, and if you change your mind, my home is always available to you. Maddie would be overjoyed if you came back.”

“Means a lot, man.” My voice trails off as I think about Victoria and all the hatred I have for that woman. I have over five years’ worth of pent-up rage waiting for her. If she knows what’s best, she’ll leave me the fuck alone and forget I ever existed. “I wish I could find a way to get revenge without getting my ass back behind bars. She’d deserve it.”

“Wait, huh? What’re you talking about?”

“Victoria. I want to get even.”

She ruined my life, and now, I want to ruin hers.