Bucked (The Invincibles 6)

“You mad at me?”

“I am.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Why didn’t you tell me your dad was sick? I thought we were…Forget it. Anyway, I’m sorry for your loss.”

“You thought we were what?”

“Friends,” she mumbled. “Pretty stupid, huh?”

I realized then that Stella had had a few. “Not stupid at all, darlin’. I’m more than just your friend.”

“Don’t lie to me, Cope.”

“Buck.”

“What?”

“You called me Cope. I’m Buck and I don’t lie, TJ.”

“Don’t call me that.”

“You gonna tell me your real name?”

She laughed. “That is my real name, but I prefer Stella.”

“You know what I mean, darlin’. The name you were given when you were born.”

“Oh. That. Well, I swore I’d never tell a soul. You’re a soul, so…”

“I miss you.”

“You do?”

“Damn right, I do.”

“I miss you too,” she whispered as though, if she said it quietly enough, it wouldn’t count. “I’m sorry about your father,” she repeated.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about him.”

“Why didn’t you?”

I shrugged even though she couldn’t see me. “He was sick for a long time.”

“My mom was sick for a long time before she died too.” She paused, and I heard what sounded like ice in a glass.

“Whatcha drinkin’?”

“Bourbon.”

“Could use one of those myself.”

&nbs

p; “Go pour yourself one so I’m not drinking alone.”

I walked into the kitchen, reached up to the cupboard over the fridge, and pulled down the bottle of Jack I knew I’d find there. I sloshed some of the brown liquid into a glass, tucked the bottle under my arm, and went back down the hallway.