The Guy on the Right (The Underdogs 1)

“Can’t say that I have.”

“Alright, so you’re supposed to stuff yourself full of these on New Year’s Day. It’s kind of a hope or wish for your fiscal year. The more you eat, the more you’ll earn. Peas stand for coins, greens for bills.”

Laney piles them on taking up the whole of my plate, and I try to hide my groan. “That’s good. Thanks.”

“Trust me, man, they look like baby shit, but they taste pretty amazing.”

“Chase Hart, grown and married or not, you curse one more time at this table, all that tongue of yours is tasting is soap.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Chase says as Devin belly laughs.

Once we’re all seated, Deidra grabs the girls’ hands, and Chase and I follow suit.

“Laney, you say grace.”

“Dear Lort, I just want to thank you for Dorito Tacos.”

“Laney!”

“Fine. Good bread, good meat, good God, let’s eat.”

I press my lips together to keep from laughing while Deidra sighs in annoyance.

Laney shrugs. “Hey, it was good enough for Gran.”

After an exhausting marathon at the table, I’m sitting on the porch with my tomboy astride me resting her head on my shoulder. We’re both in a food coma barely able to move. Patsy Cline croons through the screen door along with Max’s snore. We’re bundled up beneath one of Gran’s old quilts, as the sun slides past the horizon between the trees highlighting a sea of bare branches.

“I like this song. Fittin’ don’t you think?” I

grin and run my fingers through her hair. “Crazy.”

“It’s Gran’s favorite. She listened to it all the time.”

“Well, I like it. And I love it here.”

“Mmm,” Laney replies, her voice laced with sleep.

“I’m serious. It’s like a different world.”

“Yep.”

“I envy you got to grow up here.”

She pulls away and brings tired eyes to mine. “Really?”

“Yeah. It was so chaotic at my house.”

“It is nice.” She says, scanning the trees. “Thinking you might be a little bit of a country boy after all?”

“Maybe,” I pull her tighter to me. The smell of freshly brewed coffee fills my nose.

“I’ll be the first in the family to graduate and leave this house.”

“You don’t sound very excited about it.”

“I don’t know. What’s good enough for them is for me too. I just feel like I’m expected to do great things, you know? I’m sure if I land a job somewhere else, I’ll be happy not to be so damned broke all the time. It’s just…”

I lift my knees to nudge her closer to me. “What?”