The Fix (Carolina Connections #1) Read Online Free Page B

touring schedule. And we all forge ahead. But at night when I lie in
bed and rehash all of the parenting decisions I could have handled differently
that day – not to mention all the calories I shouldn’t have eaten and all the
chores I should have completed – I often wish to the bottom of my soul that our
story of mother and son had begun differently. That instead of a duo we were,
instead, some incredible kick-ass trio.
    I
set the oven to preheat and attempted to ease into a group discussion so I
could covertly interrogate Gavin about his job. I began with Rocco. “So Rock,
did you and your new friends do anything fun at school today?”
    “Nah.”
    “What
do you mean, ‘nah’? You were there all day.”
    Another
change since we’d branched out on our own, Rocco was attending a new school –
otherwise known as daycare – for the full day, instead of the half day of
preschool we’d done while living with my parents. Once I’d pushed past the
guilt, I could appreciate that this was actually a positive change for him.
He’d spent the majority of his time around adults before and it was high time
he made some friends his own age.
    I
moved to the half wall between the kitchen and the living room to find Rocco
mimicking his uncle as he lay on my favorite cushy armchair, hand to his gut
and head thrown back.
    “I
dunno,” was his complete response.
    “Well,
what did you do all day?”
    “Don’t
‘member.” He shrugged and twitched his nose.
    Well,
how do you respond to that? I guessed it was time to move on to the next topic.
    “Okay.
How about you, Uncle Gavin? Did you do anything fun with your new friends
today?”
    Gavin’s
head came off the couch to fix me with narrowed eyes. “Am I allowed to say I
don’t remember either?” Taking in my look he said, “Yeah, I thought not. It was
okay, I guess. They all treated me like the newbie, as expected. Most of the
guys were okay, some of them were dicks– I mean, jerks.” He glanced Rocco’s way
but the little guy was un-phased. “It was mostly a lot of lifting things and
holding this or that while somebody secured it.”
    “That
doesn’t sound so bad,” I commented. “Where were you working?”
    “I
was at some apartment complex off New Garden but the boss said they might move
me to the grocery store on Friendly or maybe even the commercial building going
in at the end of our street. I told him I lived here so I think he might try to
put me on that one which would be cool.”
    “What
commercial building?” I asked, unfamiliar with anything being built by our
neighborhood.
    “I
don’t know, some building they’re putting up with rental spaces – right at the
entrance.”
    That
was odd. “There are houses on either side.”
    “Don’t
ask me – it’s my first day. Nate said the houses were in foreclosure so they
got the properties at a really good price. They’re gonna tear them down and put
something else up.”
    Apprehension
speared my gut, but I pushed it aside. “So it sounds like you met a lot of
people for your first day. That’s good,” I led.
    “I
guess.”
    What
was it with guys? Would it kill them to share a little?
    “Well,
since Mom and Dad aren’t here, someone has to say it. I’m proud of you, Gav,” I
told him. “I know this isn’t your dream job but I’m glad you’re moving on.”
    His
sudden frown had me regretting my last statement. Stupid!
    He
inhaled and then sighed. “It’s no major league game, but whatever. It is what
it is.”
    “What’s
a commercial building? Is it a store to buy toys from TV?” asked Rocco as the
oven dinged – time to put in the pizzas.
    “Uncle
Gavin will explain.” I turned back to the kitchen to make dinner for my guys. Baby
steps , Laney, baby steps .
    ***
    My
phone rang an hour later. Gavin was busy holding a giggling Rocco upside-down
in the living room and shaking him to get the pizza to reappear. I was adding
the dishes to the growing pile in the sink telling myself