“Finish it!” he demanded, circling his fork at me.
I finished the story.
Then Tex said, “You don’t gotta be on the run from that ass**le. One word to Lee and he’d fix his sorry ass and good.”
No way. No way in hel .
“No, Uncle Tex, no words to Lee, to Hank, to Eddie, to Indy, to anybody.”
“Lee’s one badass individual. Lee’d make Hitler shake in his sil y, shiny boots, even with the whole German army standin’ at his back.”
“No.”
“Roxie, darlin’, your plan is shit.”
“I’ve been working on this plan for years!”
“It’s stil shit.”
I scowled at him.
“Uncle Tex, I got myself into this mess. I’m getting myself out.”
He shook his head.
“Not gonna f**kin’ happen. I’m talkin’ to the boys,” he said like that was final.
I slammed my palm on the table to get his attention and Uncle Tex’s eyes locked on mine.
I took a deep breath and said, “I appreciate your concern and I need your help but I’m fixing this my way.”
“Roxie—”
“No!” I closed my eyes and tilted my head to the table.
Then I looked up again. “Uncle Tex, I have to look myself in the eye in the mirror every morning. After I f**ked up seven years of my life, do you honestly think I can just hand over my problems to some guys I barely know and be able to wake up and look in those eyes?”
He stared at me.
Final y, he said, “Jesus Jones, but you’re a MacMil an.”
“Damn right I am,” I told him with more than a little bit of pride.
He stared at me some more.
“Fine,” was al he said.
I felt my body relax. “Thank you.”
“One thing, darlin’ girl. I get even the niggliest f**kin’
inklin’ that this shit plan o’ yours is goin’ south, and mark my words, it’s gonna go south, I’m cal in’ in the boys.” I felt my body get tense again.
“No,” I said.
“That includes Hank.”
“No!” I shouted, now ignoring our gawking neighbors.