Hood River Rat (Hood River Hoodlums #1) - K Webster Page 0,84

counts. Roan isn’t thrilled that Dad writes to me, but he stays tight-lipped about it. Inside the card are seventeen wrinkly dollar bills. So silly, but it makes me smile.

I love you, Roux.

Dad’s writing is messy, but I can make it out. I’d hoped he would have written a little more, but I’m still happy. I’m just tucking away the money back inside the card when I notice another letter from Oregon State Penitentiary.

I expect Dad’s messy handwriting.

Not his.

Neat. Precise. Edgy.

Jordy.

My heart stammers in my chest. I haven’t spoken to him since the incident. It’s like he closed himself off from us. Just took the punishment like it was his alone to bear. I know it kills Roan, even almost three years later.

Why is he writing?

Because of my birthday?

I rip open the letter, eager to see what sort of birthday card he got me. A simple white card with a hand drawn kitten on the front. Inside, his neat writing looks like art. So beautiful.

Before I can read his letter, the thump of a bass on a car rattles every window in the near vicinity. Flutters erupt in my stomach. He’s here. Oh God. I stand quickly and watch the black Dodge Challenger cruise down our street and into the driveway. A second later, the car shuts off and he climbs out.

Kayden Ramirez.

He’s no longer the tall, lanky, shy boy from middle school. Somewhere along the way, he filled out and grew into this man. At seventeen, he’s every bit as big as my brother. Kayden works out a lot with his brother, so he’s super cut. I drool over his biceps all the time. Char likes to tease me that I’m more in love with Kayden’s biceps than I am with him.

“Hey, Roux-Roux,” Kayden says, his deep voice warming me in all the right places.

“Oh, hey, Kay,” I chirp. “How’s it hangin’?”

How’s it hangin’?

Lame.

I am so lame.

Where is Char?

I need her coolness to save me right now.

He smirks as he saunters over to me and pulls me to him for one of his friendly hugs. I try not to sniff him like a creep. “I think you grew taller since you turned seventeen,” he teases, patting the top of my head.

“Ha. Ha.” I roll my eyes at him. “I seriously doubt I grew in two days.”

“I think you did.” His eyes roam down my front, lingering on my breasts. “Yeah. You did.”

I’m shocked at his words and can’t formulate a response.

He’s kidding. He has to be. No one flirts with me. Especially not Kayden. He’s my best friend aside from Charlotte.

Before I can figure out what to do or say, his phone rings. He answers and then walks away as he speaks lowly on the phone. My hands are shaking. I need to calm myself down before he comes back over here and I do something stupid like throw myself at him and beg him to give me my first kiss.

I sit back down on the bottom step and pick back up Jordy’s card to read it.

Little Hoodlum,

I know you still hang out with that kid.

Well, don’t.

He’s bad news. His brother is fucking Renaldo Ramirez.

So end your little friendship. It’s better this way. Safer.

If I find out you’re still his friend, I’ll have to deal with it.

You do not want me to deal with it, Roux.

Later,

Jordy

I read his letter again to make sure I’m seeing this right. He doesn’t speak to me for years. Years! And this is what he finally says to me. Hot tears burn my eyes as I crumple up his stupid card.

How dare he!

Kayden has been nothing but nice to me. He’s one of my best friends. Jordy doesn’t get to make assumptions about my life and try to control it from freaking jail. I want to scream at him, but he refuses to take visitors.

I hate him.

I hate him so much.

“Everything okay?”

Standing, I nod rapidly and avoid eye contact. “Great. I should call Char and see what’s taking so long.”

Kayden gently grips my chin in his fingers and tilts my head up so I’m looking at him. Dark brown eyes. Messy black hair. Perpetual smirk. God, he’s so hot.

“I told her not to come.” His grin widens. “Thought the two of us could hang alone for a change.”

I blink at him in confusion. “What?”

“Don’t act surprised, Roux,” he says, lowering his face to mine. “We were always inevitable.”

His lips press to mine and I gasp in shock. He tastes like his energy drinks and Chapstick. All I can do is part my lips and let him kiss me with his eager expertise. When his hand slides to the side of my neck, shivers run down my spine.

Kayden Ramirez just kissed me.

Oh my God.

I should be enjoying this moment, but all I can think about is Jordy’s angry scowl. He wrote to me to tell me to stay away from him, and yet here I am doing the exact opposite.

Pushing thoughts away from Jordy so I can enjoy this moment, I smile up at Kayden.

“Inevitable, huh?”

He pecks my lips. “Yep.”

“What now?”

“I’m going to take you upstairs and kiss you some more, Roux.”

“Oh.”

He laughs. “You’re cute.”

“So are you.” My cheeks burn at my bold statement.

Together we walk up the stairs, but my mind is once again back on Jordy. He’s bullying me through a stupid letter. It’s ridiculous. Why does he even care who I date? It shouldn’t matter to him. He’s in prison.

Breathe, Roux.

He’s. In. Prison.

There’s nothing he can do from there.

Right?

The end...for now. Little Hoodlum is up next!