I’m not sure how long I stood dumbfounded on Rae’s back porch. This rejection stung in a different way than her others, and I wasn’t just talking about my blue balls. Things had been changing emotionally between us, and I couldn’t help being annoyed at her for cutting me off the same way she had before she even knew me. Okay, if I were honest with myself, I would say I really felt hurt more than I did annoyance. My dick felt the annoyance that it hadn’t gotten to come buried deep inside Rae’s tight, wet pussy, but my heart was hurt by her dismissing me so quickly and once again alluding to the idea that I was just some self-centered prick. You’ve done plenty. What did the hell did that even mean?
Even though she’d told me I’d done enough, there was no way in hell I was letting this one go. As I started down the porch steps, I dug my phone out of my pocket. After scrolling through my contacts, I hit dial, and I wasn’t too surprised to hear Cumbia music blaring in the background when AJ answered. The drummer for Runaway Train, AJ Resendiz, always spent some of his down time in Mexico where his family was originally from. He and his wife, Mia, had a house in Puerto Vallarta.
“Hey Gabe, what’s up?” AJ yelled over the music.
“Not much. Listen, I know you guys are out of the country, but I need a favor.”
“Anything for you, my man.”
“Do you think Mia could get me the hookup for about fifty to a hundred cannoli from Mama Sofia’s?”
With a chuckle, AJ said, “You back on the weed and have the munchies?”
I snorted. “Not quite.”
“Then what the hell do you need that many cannoli for?”
“It’s a long story.”
“If I’m going to have my wife call back to her dad’s restaurant in Atlanta to request a shit-ton of cannoli, I think I’m owed an explanation.” After he said something in Spanish, the loud music cut off in the background.
Inwardly, I groaned. The last thing I wanted to do was tell AJ what had happened with Rae—he and the other guys would rag my ass for days. “Fine, there’s this woman named Rae, and I was—”
AJ sucked in a breath. “You’ve fallen for her.”
“Whoa, whoa, I didn’t say that,” I protested.
“You didn’t have to. I can hear it in your voice.” Even though he was all the way in Mexico, I could picture the shit-eating grin on AJ’s face. All the married Runaway Train guys were on Eli and me to settle down.
“You do realize we sound like two chicks on the phone right now, don’t you?”
With a chuckle, AJ replied, “I couldn’t give a shit less. I want to hear more about this Rae.”
I could have found a million ways to describe her, but I merely replied, “She’s my muse.”
“Oh yeah, you’re in deep.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Then why are you calling me?”
In a rambling mess, I said, “We just burned up the brownies when I was going down on her on the kitchen counter and now I need a replacement dessert for her son’s school bake sale tomorrow so she doesn’t hate me for distracting her with sex!”
Silence came from the other end of the phone. “Did you just say something about burned brownies?”
“Yeah, we were baking together…among other things.”
“Yep, you’ve fallen big time.”
“AJ, could you please cut the shit.”
“I will after one more thing. You said she has a kid.”
“Yeah. Lincoln’s nine—well, he likes to be called Linc.” I was rambling again.
“You don’t do kids.”
I scowled at the phone. “I’m aware of that.”
“Then what the hell are you doing baking with a woman who has a kid?”
“I made a deal with Linc to give him a guitar if he would get his mom to hang out with me.” Feeling like an old gossiping woman, I filled AJ in on everything that had transpired with the Jeep and the songwriting inspiration.
“I seriously do not have words right now, man.”
“I doubt that.”
“Okay, I have plenty but let me just ask you this: are you wanting to get the cannoli just to make it up to this Rae chick, or do you also want them so her kid will like you too?”
“What kind of question is that? This isn’t about the kid—it’s about Rae. If she stays pissed at me, my songwriting will get shot to hell again.”
“I’m not buying it. You could have thrown some cash at Rae to help the situation, but instead, you’re going to drive all the way to Atlanta tonight to pick up some desserts that are sure to be wildly popular at the bake sale, which in turn will make not only Rae but also Linc look good, not to mention that saving his mom’s ass will make you look good in his eyes.”
I remained silent for a few moments, processing what AJ had said. Surely he had to be out in left field with what he’d said about me wanting to impress Linc. This wasn’t about him at all; it was about staying on Rae’s good side. The only thing AJ was right about when it came to me and Linc was the fact that I didn’t do kids. “You’re full of shit, man,” I finally muttered.
“You keep telling yourself that. The truth is, you like the kid.”
“I never said I didn’t. You’re the one saying I’m trying to impress him, which I’m not.”
“And just like the kid told you it would mean more to go out of your way for the breakfast, you’re going out of your way for him.”
I growled in frustration. “Fine. I want the kid to like me, okay? And not just because I’m giving him a guitar as part of this hair-brained plan of ours.”
“There. Now was that so hard to admit?” AJ teased.
“Be glad you’re in Mexico right now, or I’d be kicking your ass.”
“Ha! Bring it on.”
“So, you’ve got my back?”
“As long as you’re aware that these cannoli are going to cost you a fucking fortune.”
With a laugh, I replied, “I don’t care.”
“Fine. I’ll call Duke and tell him to start an emergency batch. They should be done by the time you make the trip from Bumblefuck to Atlanta.”
Duke Martinelli was AJ’s father-in-law. When he had retired from the NFL, he’d opened an Italian restaurant in the heart of Atlanta and named it Mama Sofia’s, after his mother. “Tell Duke I’ll owe him big time.”
“Oh, I’m sure he’ll let you make it up to him,” AJ joked.
“Whatever, man.”
“All right, I’m hanging up and calling him.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it. I owe you, too.”
“The only way I want to be repaid is for things to work out with you and this girl.”
Rolling my eyes, I protested, “But you don’t even know her. She could be a real bitch or a gold digger.”
“I know what you’ve told me, and from that, I know she’s someone worth pursuing—someone like my Mia.”
I jerked a hand through my hair. “She could be. I just don’t know.”
“Then find out.”
“Okay, I’ll try.”
“Talk to you later, man. Thanks.”
“Yeah, later.”