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“Bro, you gonna quit for the night?”
I looked up at Remy. I was sweeping out the trailer thinking I should have texted or called Delaney today. “Just cleaning up.”
“It’s ten fifteen. We’re all going to be up in eight hours just to make it a mess again.”
I reached for the dustpan. “Doesn’t mean we need to start messy.”
“Who in the hell are you and what did you do with Jay Perez?” Remy hitched his thumb over his shoulder. “You know there is a party going down over the Brent Spokes’ trailer, right?”
“There’s always a party going on over there. Nothing new.” I crouched down to sweep the dirt into the dustpan then dumped it in the trash.
Remy clutched his hand to his chest. “Bro, what in the hell is going on? I think we need to check your temperature or something.”
I rolled my eyes and rested the broom and dustpan against the wall. “Nothing is going on.”
“I call bullshit. Ever since you found out you’re gonna be a dad, you’ve turned into a ninety-year-old man who can’t have a lick of fun.”
“Lick of fun?” I laughed. “I may be acting like a ninety-year-old but you’re the one who’s talking like one.”
Remy flipped me off. “You know what the hell I mean. You’re acting like the damn world is ending.”
“The world ain’t ending, but my life sure as shit just changed, Remy.”
“You’re having a baby, Jay, not having your leg cut off or something.”
I leaned against a workbench and folded my arms over my chest. “What would you do if Harlyn came up to you and told you she was pregnant.”
“We’d have a baby and then maybe she’d finally agree to marry me.”
I shook my head. “She won’t marry you now because every time you ask her, she thinks you’re joking.” Remy had asked Harlyn to marry him four times in the last two months, and each time, she just laughed.
Remy scoffed. “I’m not even going to talk about that. Nothing like asking the woman you love to marry you and she just shakes her head and walks away.” Remy may act like he was joking, but I knew he was somewhat hurt by the fact Harlyn laughed him off.
“You’re telling me if Harlyn got pregnant, you would be okay with it?”
“I’d be an asshole if I wasn’t okay with it.” Remy leaned against the workbench next to me. “Look, bro. You gotta know each time you have sex, there’s a chance you can knock the chick up.”
“Are we having a Sex-ED. class right now?” I hadn’t missed the day the teacher told us how babies were made.
“No,” Remy laughed. “I’m just saying, you can’t really be that pissed off or upset because every time you take your pants off, you’re taking a risk.”
“What in the hell are you two talking about in the race trailer at ten thirty at night?” Frankie stood at the entrance to the trailer with her arms folded over her chest. Brooks stood behind her with a shit-eating grin on his face.
“I think they were talking about Jay’s pants,” Brooks guessed. “Maybe you should put some caution tape on your dick, Jay, if it’s a risk.”
I closed my eyes and dropped my chin to my chest. Of course, Frankie and Brooks would walk in right then.
Remy pushed off the bench. “We were having a man-to-man talk. Maybe you should head back to Brooks’ cushy trailer.”
Frankie rolled her eyes. “You’re a dick. Like I’m going to sleep in the damn car hauler with you assholes when forty feet away, I can sleep in a trailer that is nicer than our duplex.”
She had a damn point. God knows, if I had the chance to sleep in an actual bed when we were at the track, you bet your ass I would. “Why don’t both of you go to bed and leave me alone?” I suggested.
“Because I like reveling in your misery.” Frankie stepped into the trailer. “Besides, I was headed to Brooks’ trailer when I saw the lights still on in here. I was surprised to hear you two talking about pants coming off.”
“That wasn’t all we were talking about.” I cracked open an eye and saw Remy point at me. “Jay thinks the world is ending because his chick is having a baby.”
“She’s not my chick,” I insisted.
Remy wrinkled his brow. “Baby mama?” he suggested.
“She’s totally Jay’s chick. He may not remember her, but I know why he’s so quiet.” Frankie cocked her hip out and rested her hand on it. “I saw her. She’s way out of his league, and I’m sure that is driving him insane.”
“She’s not out of my league,” I insisted.
Frankie laughed. “You remember that one girl he dated who he brought out to Red Lobster with us?” she asked Remy.
Remy immediately laughed his ass off.
Frankie smirked and looked at Brooks. “The chick struggled reading the menu. Jay ended up having to order for her. When the food came, she freaked out until Jay ordered her mac and cheese off of the kid’s menu. That girl is in your league.”
“Yuck it up, assholes,” I mumbled as they all laughed. “She said she was dyslexic.”
Frankie tilted her head to the side. “Right,” she drawled. “I think she was also barely eighteen and had the appetite of a hungry twelve-year-old. I’m sure if there would have been pizza rolls on the menu, she would have ordered those too.”
Frankie was right on point. The chick’s name had been Monica, and on the way home, she had asked to stop at the store. She came out with a plastic bag that had two cans of Fanta and pizza rolls. It hadn’t been the best date, but sex and pizza rolls ended up being a good combination. “Did you three come in here to be assholes?”
“No. At least, that wasn’t my initial plan, but sometimes, you just need to go with the flow.” Remy smiled wide and reached out to bump his fist with Brooks.
“Delaney is not out of my league,” I insisted.
“She’s a med student. She’s going to be doctor.” Frankie sighed. “She’s out of my league too.”
Brooks grabbed Frankie and pulled her into his arms. “Didn’t know you were into girls, baby.”
Frankie rolled her eyes. “You’re such a guy.”
“That’s what you like about me.”
She pressed a kiss against his lips then socked him on the arm. “I’m just with you for your motorhome and race team.”
“That’s not what you said last night.”
“Okay!” Remy shouted. “Enough of that talk. We’re discussing Jay’s train-wreck right now. Keep it in your pants, Frankie.”
I walked to the door of the trailer and flipped off the lights. “Nope, sorry. We’re not talking about that either. I’m headed to bed.” I didn't even know where my head was at when it came to Delaney and the baby. I sure as hell wasn’t going to discuss it with Frankie, Remy, and Brooks.
“Come on, man. You gotta talk about it,” Remy insisted. “This whole you actually working and being a good employee is boring.”
Frankie scoffed. “I gotta say, it’s nice to finally see you do some work. Who knew the walls would hold themselves up without you leaning on them?”
I flipped her off and grabbed my phone from the workbench. “I’m headed to bed where I don’t have to deal with you guys being assholes.”
“How the tables have turned,” Frankie called.
I walked out of the trailer and hung my head. Everything was changing, and I didn’t have a fucking clue on how to deal with any of it. I was acting differently, but how else was I supposed to act? I had just found out I was going to have a kid.
I had thought of going to the party at Spokes’ trailer but had turned around when I was halfway there.
Getting drunk and finding a chick to hook up with didn’t sound fun anymore.
I stopped halfway to the trailer and looked down at my phone. It may be too late to call her, but I could always text her.
Hey, it’s me. How are you doing? I sounded like a complete idiot, but I didn’t know what else to say.
Hey, it’s the guy who got you pregnant but doesn’t even remember having sex with you.
Yeah, that would be more accurate.
She surprisingly answered right away.
Doing fine. Just working.
She was working? It was almost midnight. You’re working? Right now?
I picked up a shift at work.
Where the hell was work? I thought she said she was in school to be a doctor. What the hell possible work could she be doing right now? I was just checking on you.
I’m good.
She really didn’t give much away in her texts. That’s good.
I waited a bit to see if she would reply, but she didn’t. I had never had a more awkward text conversation in my life. I should be back in town Monday. I was grasping at straws here. Something made me want to talk to her. I needed to know more about her.
Okay.
“Jesus Christ,” I mumbled. I had never met someone who could text so little with so much meaning. Ten words, and she had made it clear that she didn’t really want to be talking to me. At least, that was what it seemed like. I’ll text you tomorrow.
Okay.
I shoved my phone in my pocket and put myself out of misery.
Delaney was a tough chick to figure out. While every girl I had been with before her loved to talk and be around me, Delaney seemed to be indifferent and couldn’t get far enough away.
I didn’t know what I wanted from Delaney, but I knew it was a whole hell of a lot more than what she was giving me.
*
