Page 106 of Rough

She wiped the silly look from her face and got in the Jeep.

“I have no idea why,” he said. “but I like that girl.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“Hard to fucking hide it,” he said. “With you two always shoving your tongues down each other’s throats.”

I shrugged. “If it works, it works.”

“She’s not afraid to be herself, that’s for sure.”

“I know,” I said. “She’s got spunk.”

“I thought Peyton was an ornery little bitch, but Crash might have her beat.”

“Wanna hear a story?” I asked.

“Not particularly,” he said dryly. “But I’ve got a few spare minutes. What’s up?”

I considered telling him, hesitated, and thought of changing the story I was going to tell to a different story. After going back and forth for a minute, I decided to tell him what I intended to.

“On the first day? The day she showed up to watch pop? I about shit. She looked at me and her eyes went bug-eyed, and I looked at her and said where’s my fuckin’ money? She had no idea he was my pop, and I had no idea she was gonna be the nurse. So, anyway. She’s standing there tellin’ me how bad she needs the job, and I said get off my porch, bitch.”

“Good way to a girl’s heart, right there.” He chuckled. “Hell, Peeb, even I know not to do that.”

“Wait, it gets better.”

“I’m listening,” he said.

“So, the instant the word bitch comes out of my mouth, and I hear this screech. Sounds like an eagle’s coming in for a landing. I look up, thinking some wild animal is in the yard, and then it hits me. Like a fuckin’ lightning bolt.”

“What was it?”

“Her foot. Caught me in the shin. Doubled me over, but that ain’t all.”

His eyes went wide and he grinned. “She kicked you?”

I nodded. “And then, she squealed again, and kicked me in the knee. And then, another loud yelp, and, the other knee. And then--”

“You let that little shit kick you three times? Idda picked her up and tossed her in the yard.”

“Didn’t see even one of ‘em coming. That’s the funny part. She’s quick. Been practicing karate since she was six. She’s a tough little fucker. Anyway, there’s more. So, I’m all bent over and out of breath, and feel like I been in a car wreck--”

“She get your bad knee?”

“She sure did. Hard. But, anyway, I’m about to try and stand up straight, and she knees me in the nuts.”

He winced. “Oh god damn. Seriously?”

“Yep. And, that was it. I was done.”

“That little shit kicked your big ass?”

“She sure did.”

He let out a laugh. “That’s funnier than shit.”

“Wait. I ain’t done yet.”