The Rebel (Red's Tavern 2)

I picked up, starting on my walk as my brother’s and Mom’s faces appeared on my screen. They both lived a few hours away, closer to Kansas City, and I loved when they video called me.

“Honey—can you see me?” Mom said, squinting down at the camera. “It’s so bright.”

“My video is going to be bright. I just walked outside, Mom,” I said, starting down the road.

“I’ve got Rocky on here, too. He told me we could do a three-way.”

My brother and I both laughed at the same time.

“Ma, please do us a favor and don’t call it a three way?” Rock said, grinning.

“Yeah, I guess that means something else these days, doesn’t it?” Mom said, laughing. “In my day, we called it a menage. They were always a boatload of fun when I was in my twenties.”

“Jeez, Mom,” I said. “I’m happy to hear you had a good time, at least.”

“I might be older now, but I’ve lived plenty of life,” she said. Rock laughed.

“You caught me just as I was heading for a run with Anna and Elsa,” I said.

“Both of you are too obsessed with your fitness routines,” she said. “Rocky was just getting back from pumping iron at the gym.”

“Hey, I have to stay in shape for my job,” Rock protested. “I can’t fight fires if I’m not in top fitness.”

“Very true,” I said.

“I guess Red wants to stay in shape for his job, too,” Rock said. “He does get up on the bartop sometimes to dance shirtless for his customers.”

“Now that’s something I don’t need to know about,” Mom said.

“I only do that on very special occasions,” I said.

Mom was clamoring around in the kitchen as she spoke. Half the time the camera was pointed up at the ceiling instead of at her face. “I wanted to call to say both of you need to come over this Sunday for dinner. It’s been too long since I had both my boys at the kitchen table.”

“And I already told her yes, so you have to come now, Red,” Rock said, pointing a finger at me.

“I can do Sunday,” I said.

“Fabulous,” Mom said. “Linguine is on the menu. And I’ve got eggs I need to use up, so I think I’ll make Red’s Velvet cake.”

My mom had been making red velvet cake for us for our whole life. Whenever she made it, she called it Red’s velvet, and whenever she had Rocky Road ice cream, she called it Rocky’s road.

“Good thing I’m going for a run now, then,” I said. “Because I’m going to have at least three slices.”

“Rock, are you bringing your girlfriend?” Mom asked, peering down into her camera.

My brother’s face twisted into a frown. “You’re not going to like the answer to that.”

“Don’t tell me—” Mom started.

“We broke up.”

“Oh, what am I going to do with you two?” Mom said. “Red, honey, do you have anyone to bring over?”

“Ma, you know the Tavern is Red’s only boyfriend,” Rock said. I was always grateful when my brother stepped up to the plate for me with my mom. We both had been hounded for years about finding our “true loves,” and both of us had disappointed Mom. She was proud of everything we’d accomplished, but relationships were the one thing we could never make her happy with.

“Rock said it best,” I said, guiding Anna and Elsa on their leashes as we made our way down the rolling hill past my property. “And my bar is a way better boyfriend than any human could ever be. The bar doesn’t hurt me. The bar is loyal. The bar is all I need.”

“Bull dickey!” Mom said, slapping a big pan onto the stove. “I don’t want to die before either of my kids finds love.”

“Well, I’m trying to, even if Red isn’t,” Rock said, smiling sadly. “I just keep failing.”

Suddenly Mom’s expression softened. “I love you boys. You’re not failing at anything.”

“I’ve got good news for you guys, though,” I said. “You’ll never guess the email I got this week.”

“I’m intrigued,” Rock said.

“Two producers from a TV show called Boozy Destinations want to interview us at Red’s. They’re doing a tour of US bars to scout for their show.”

“Oh my,” Mom said, her eyes going wide as she turned her attention back to the camera. “Boozy Destinations? I’ve seen so many commercials for that show. That’s great.”

“It is,” I said. “This would be an incredible opportunity for the bar.”

“Dude, that will give you tons of exposure,” Rock said. “I’ve heard some of the boys at the firehouse talking about that show.”

“Have you really?” I asked. “I don’t watch much TV, so I didn’t know how popular it was.”

“It’s popular,” Rock said. “That’s the one where they help renovate the bars, right?”

“Yup,” I said. “They foot the bill for repairs, paint, remodeling, all of it. And god damn it would be nice to have that. The place sure as hell needs a makeover.”