Cash (Glendale Magic #2)

Chapter 18

CASH

He didn’t want to leave her house. He wanted to be in the bed with her cuddling her. Fuck. He can't remember the last time he was disappointed he couldn't cuddle, but here he was. And after some game winning cuddling, they would have sex again. Then he would get her a snack and take her to the shower and fuck her again. It could have been a glorious night, but instead he was climbing into his truck heading home because he had agreed to let River stay there.

He wasn't mad at River. He had never grown up with an alarm system and it can be tricky, so no hard feelings. Just fighting disappointment at the thought of what could have been. But there would be other nights with Evie. He was hoping for many nights, endless nights. That was a thought that should have terrified him, but it didn't. He blamed Conner and Wes for turning all lovey-dovey and making it look so fucking good.

As he pulled up to his house, he could see a cop car sitting in his driveway. His gate opened and he pulled in.

"And you're allowed on the premises?" asked the cop.

"Yes,” answered River, seeming irritated.

"Cash Hawthorn doesn't have any kids," said the other officer, his hands crossed over his chest.

"I know he fucking doesn't. I'm his nephew. I've told you that. I told you the fucking safe word or whatever."

"Watch your tone, son, or we will take you in."

"For what?" River exploded.

"Watch it, ya punk kid," the other officer said, reaching for his cuffs.

"What's going on here?" Cash said, strolling up to the front door. He had his game face on because someone coming at his nephew like that felt the same as when the other team came after his teammates on the ice. Being an enforcer was in his blood.

"Mr. Hawthorn.” One of the officers glanced at him with a surprised look. “Do you know this young man?"

"Yes. As he said, he's my nephew. He is staying with me this summer. Why the fuck were you reaching for your cuffs?" His voice remained even, but stern.

"It was a misunderstanding. We just wanted to make sure your house was safe."

"Making sure my house was safe by threatening my nephew? I'm not following."

"If everything is good here, we’ll be on our way," said one of the officers. The other seemed to still be sizing up River.

Cash stepped between his nephew and the officers. "Have a good night," he said as he gently nudged River back into the house and shut the door behind them.

"What the fuck was that?" Cash asked.

"I don't know. I tried to tell them I belonged here, but they wouldn’t believe me," River spat out.

He looked pissed. Cash would be pissed if he was in River's situation as well, he was pissed now, and he hadn't been the one the cops were intimidating.

"Were the tacos good at least?" Cash said, trying to lighten the situation.

River just glared at him.

"No harm done man, let's just try and forget about it," Cash said following him into the house.

"I don't know what happened. When I went to the gate to get the tacos the code worked fine, but then I got in and the alarm went off and I tried the code, but it wouldn't work. I didn't even know it was on."

"They are two different codes and if you enter the code for the gate the house alarm automatically sets. I should’ve shown you better. Don't worry about it."

River made his way back to the kitchen table to finish his tacos.

"Fuck it, get your shoes on," Cash said.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

River got his shoes on, and they headed to Cash's truck. Once he was in, he made his way down to the arena. He spent a lot of time here in the winter, but in the off season he didn't have much reason to be here. He pulled into the parking lot he had a pass for, which he was glad it still worked because it was packed.

He glanced down at his watch. It was already ten. They would have missed the opening band and the first half of the set, but he didn't think River would mind.

"No way! Scarlet Addiction is playing?" River shouted as he saw the sign above the arena.

"Yeah, I have a box the team uses. We missed part of it, but I thought you might want to catch the end."

"This is amazing. Thanks Cash."

Cash made his way in through the back door and wound his way through a maze of concrete hallways until he came to an elevator. They took it up to the floor with the sky boxes. Cash made his way to the box the players shared and found it empty. He wasn't too surprised. He glanced over at River, who looked ecstatic.

"Go on in and watch. I'll get us a drink." He knew the box's waiter would come soon, but he decided to head out. Some of Glendale's best tacos were served here.

When he returned with tacos, a beer and a soda, he found River down at the big window in the box moving to the beat. This music wasn't what Cash preferred, but they were good. Goth metal wasn't his thing, he wasn't sure it was River's thing either, but he knew music was River's thing, and tacos were everyone's thing.

"What do you think?" he asked, setting the drinks and taco's down at the table next to where River was standing.

"This is incredible. I may prefer punk, but the guitarist for Scarlet Addiction is amazing." River yelled over his shoulder at him.

"Tacos if you want them," Cash said as he sat down and took a taco.

River stayed glued to the window. Cash was glad that he seemed to be enjoying himself. It had been a crazy week for the two of them. He pulled out his phone to see if Evie had texted him. The thought of her alone in the bed did give him a twinge of regret, but then River joined him for a taco.

Cash - Good night, baby girl. I'll talk to you tomorrow

"Damn, these are good tacos," River said around a mouthful of tacos.

Cash nodded. "The band was only part of the reason I brought you," he said as he picked up a second taco.

The concert only had about an hour left and River spent the rest of it at the glass watching the band. He may have wished he was down on the floor, experiencing the band rather than observing it, but it was the best Cash could do on short notice.

As they took the stage for their encore Cash pulled out his phone.

Evie - Good night Cash. Are we really doing baby girl?

Cash smiled. He didn't know why he had started calling her that, but he kind of liked it.

Cash - With ice queen off the table, I had to go with something.

Cash's stupid heart fluttered at the dancing dots. He should be ashamed of that, but he wasn’t. There was something about this woman who just had him throwing all his old rules out the window.

Evie - It is so off the table. Call me ice queen and you might get a nut punch

Cash almost spit out his beer as he read the last message.

Cash - That's a pretty intense reaction. I think there is more to the story.

Evie - Good night

Cash - I feel like I should tell your mother you threatened to nut punch me.

Evie - Do that and you'll get a nut punch

He laughed again. This was a new side to her, and he was here for it.

Cash - Noted. In an effort to protect my nuts, I'm going to go ahead and say good night.

Evie - Good idea

Cash - Good night baby girl

Evie - Good night Cash