The doorbell rang. She smiled as she walked to the front of the apartment. Opening the door, she said, "Are you bored already?"
A middle-aged man stood on the other side. The hair on the back of her neck prickled. She'd expected Jess or Travis.
"Can I help you?" she asked.
"Ms. Farran?" The man fidgeted from one foot to the other.
"Yes."
"I'm Chuck from Leibel's Appliance. We've got a delivery on the truck for..." He pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket. "Apartment A1."
"Oh, yes." She stepped out and closed the door behind her. "The fridge actually goes to A5. I'll show you."
"Ground floor?" he asked, following her.
"No. There are stairs." She glanced at him. "I told them when I made the order. They were supposed to have two men deliver it."
"No worries, ma'am. My co-worker is unloading the fridge, and we'll both be installing it."
She climbed the steps, knocked on Mrs. Peterson's door. After informing the tenant about the arrival of the fridge, she let them go ahead and do their job. Since she'd already paid for the replacement, she returned to her apartment.
Checking the time, she grabbed a hairband and put her hair in a high ponytail and went to the rec center. She arrived as Jess set down a basket of dirty clothes in front of the machine.
"You made it." She opened the closet, reached up on the top shelf, and took the key out of an empty Nestle Quik container. "Put the clothes and soap in, and I'll show you a trick."
Waiting to the side, she put the key in the front of the machine, turned the knob, and then pulled out the key. The machine started filling.
"What?" Jess laughed. "Does that mean I don't have to spend the fifty cents?"
"Sh." She winked. "Top secret."
"Coolio." Jess slipped the money into her pocket. "Thanks."
Changing her clothes from the washer to the dryer, she started the machine. "I'll see you in a little bit."
"Okay." Jess waved over her shoulder without turning around.
Happy that Jess got out of her bad mood after she and Wyatt left earlier, she planned to go prep for tomorrow when the tenants would pay their rent.
Chapter 20Wyatt
OUTSIDE THE APARTMENT, Travis threw a tennis ball against the brick wall. Wyatt backed his Harley up into the parking spot. It was the last Saturday he'd need to work for a while. Carr Construction signed off on the new construction today, and on Monday, they'd be working on a forty percent addition up in Rocky Butte.
He got off the motorcycle and grabbed his tool belt
"Dad!"
He looked at Travis, spotted the yellow ball flying through the air, and caught it. "Go long."
Travis took off jogging. Wyatt dropped his belt and bag, brought his arm back, and let the ball fly.
His son caught it on the run. He gathered his things and walked toward the apartment. Travis ran up to him. He slung his toolbelt over his son's shoulder, letting him pack the weight.
"Why are you home early?"
"Carr Construction finished the house, and we have plans for the night." He slung his arm around his son. "Where's Jess?"
"In the apartment with Joey."
"Let's hustle them up so we can go."
"Where?"
"Damn, son. Don't you know what people do on a Saturday night? I'm taking Joey out, and you and your sister are going to a party with a bunch of other kids." He opened the door.
Joey's head turned, and he caught the moment happiness settled on her face and she smiled at him. He reached out for her. She ignored his hand and walked right into his embrace.
"Good day?" she asked, stretching to her toes and puckering her lips.
He kissed her. "Yeah, better now. We're all going out."
"Where?" piped Jess.
"You and Travis are going to a party, and we're going over to the Tarkio Motorcycle Club clubhouse." He patted Joey's ass. "If you want to change, go get ready. I want to leave in a half-hour."
"Uh, what does a person wear to a biker clubhouse?" Joey headed toward the door. "What are we doing there? Is it a party? A dinner? A bunch of bikers standing around?"
He chuckled at her curiosity. "Jeans or shorts, a shirt. Whatever girls wear."
"Oh, my God, Dad." Jess spread her arms. "A party? If this is a little kid's birthday—"
"It's not. A guy named Banks opens his house for the kids of the Tarkio members. He swore it was people thirteen years old to twenty years old. Nobody there needs looked after, so I expect you guys to be cool and not do anything stupid." He whipped off his shirt. "I'm jumping in the shower."
"Okay, okay. I'm going home to get ready." Joey blew a kiss and went out the door.
Leaving his kids to get ready, he showered. Putting on clean clothes, he toweled off his beard and hair, sweeping his hands through the strands. The ride there would dry everything.
"Let's go," he shouted, walking out of the bathroom.
"Wait." Jess walked past him, putting on mascara and holding a small mirror. "I don't know where my thongs are."
"Wear your sneakers," he said.
She snorted. "No way. It's hot out, and I'm wearing shorts."
Travis stood by the door, wearing the same clothes he had on all day. A minimalist, his son wasn't at the age where he cared what he looked like. Though he got a whiff of deodorant when the kid walked past him, maybe his son was starting to realize there would be girls at the party.
"Let's go get Joey. You guys will go with her, and we'll drop you off. I expect you to stay there until we show up." He ushered them outside.
"Will there
