Bad to Be Worthy (Bad to Be Good #2) - Andrew Grey Page 0,11

going to allow it.

Daniel sat next to him, Richard and Terrance taking turns making Coby laugh. “Sometimes I don’t want to be around other people either.”

Gerome shrugged. “Sometimes I wish….” He let his voice trail off because it really didn’t matter what he wanted.

“I know. You want your life back,” Daniel said softly. “But did you ever stop to think that if you got your wish, that your life, the one you had before… wouldn’t fit now. You can’t tell me that Gerome Meadows could return and seamlessly fit into those shoes again? You aren’t that same person. And do you know how I know that?” Daniel had this way of asking a few questions and making Gerome seem really stupid.

“You’re going to say because of what I did yesterday in helping Tucker and Cheryl. But it isn’t like that. There’s something going on that could affect all of us, and we need to find out what it is.”

Daniel patted him on the shoulder. “You keep telling yourself that.” He stood and went back over to Coby, who climbed off his stool and hurried over before plopping himself down next to Gerome.

“Mr. Gerome…,” Coby said with a grin.

“Hey….”

“I saw your penis,” Coby said in a singsong way and then broke out into a fit of giggles.

Gerome looked up at the ceiling and then broke into an embarrassed smile. God, flashing a four-year-old hadn’t been intentional at all.

“Coby, we don’t talk that way. Now come back over here and finish your breakfast. Gerome and Terrance need to talk to Richard, and we’re going to go to the park to play.”

Coby bounded down, and Richard lifted him back onto the stool.

Gerome ate a few bites of eggs and realized how hungry he was, then finished off the food in a hurry. He put his dishes in the dishwasher and gathered the rest of them as well. Daniel and Coby said goodbye. “We’ll be back in about half an hour.” Daniel left with Coby, and Gerome turned to the other two.

“Let’s talk about what you saw last night,” Richard said.

“It was an offshore meeting.” He left and returned with the plastic-encased bundle. “I heard them yelling, and later I found this in the surf. I’ve been able to put together that Tucker, the guy staying in your old place, was supposed to try to find it. He didn’t. I did.”

Richard picked it up, peering through the wrapped layers. “I can’t tell what it is.”

“Terrance thinks it’s cash,” Gerome supplied.

“Too light for drugs. That much would weigh a lot more.” He reached over and tilted the block. “You can see a head right there.”

Richard nodded. “Okay. So we believe what we have is drug money. What do we do with it?”

Gerome picked up the block and carried it to the other room, hiding it once again.

“Nothing. That isn’t our problem right now. Drug running right off the key is the problem. Now, we did see someone who’s involved. The guy you kicked out of the bar last night. Anyone recognize him?” Gerome asked.

“No. I got a good look at him and I’d know him again, but he wasn’t familiar. But you’re right. We need to try to find out who he is and who he might work for so we can get them the hell out of here.” Richard slowly began to pace the floor. “We can’t let on to our friends across the hall who we are. But we have to find out what we can.” He turned to Gerome. “You saved this guy, so he has to feel some sort of gratitude. Be nice to him and see what he’ll tell you. Find out where he met the guy and what exactly he was supposed to do. There may be some sort of information we can use.”

“Is that all?” Gerome asked.

“What do you want to do?” Richard had definitely changed after meeting Daniel. He seemed much more settled and calm. The angst and longing that Gerome felt, that he used to see in Richard, were gone. “Be honest, do you like this guy?”

Gerome shrugged. He wasn’t sure what he felt, or what he had a right to feel.

“You know it’s okay to like someone. We have to be careful, but there’s no reason why you can’t try to be happy.”

Gerome wanted to scream. “I don’t know how to be happy here. I’ve tried, but it’s so damned boring. I spend every day helping boring tourists pick out the same boring geegaw, and