by E. L. Todd
RAY OF
HOPE
(Ray Series #2)
E. L. TODD
This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this novel are fictitious or used fictitiously. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher or author, except in the case of a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review.
Fallen Publishing
Ray of Hope
Editing Services provided by Final-Edits.com
Copyright © 2017 by E. L. Todd All Rights Reserved
Chapter One
Rae
The second I walked in the door, Rex was up my ass.
“Damn, do you live there now?” He stood in the kitchen near the front door, clearly waiting for me to get home. He was in jeans and a sweater, ready to get out of the apartment and go downtown.
Zeke sat at the kitchen table behind him. He lifted up the beer he was drinking then rolled his eyes, admitting his best friend of twenty years was as much of a pain in the ass to him as he was to me.
“Rex, it’s called a job.” Safari came down the hallway, his tail wagging and excitement in his eyes. He greeted me much better than my brother ever did. “I know you don’t know what that is since you sit on your ass all day and talk to a dog, but it’s something us adults do every day.” I kneeled down and kissed Safari before I scratched him behind the ears. “How’s my favorite man?”
Rex watched us, his arms crossed over his chest. “I’m telling Ryker you said that.”
“Go ahead.” I patted Safari’s head before I stood up. “I was sleeping with Safari long before I was sleeping with him.” I headed down the hallway so I could stop this mind-numbing conversation. “I’m going to change.”
“Ugh.” Rex turned back to Zeke the moment I was gone. “It’s like she wants me to throw up in her kitchen.”
I went into my bedroom and changed into a pair of old jeans and a t-shirt. My favorite blue sweater hung on the edge of the bed, and I threw that on. It was covered with pieces of thick dog hair.
I looked at Safari with accusation.
He lowered his head in shame and wouldn’t look at me.
“Safari, I told you not to lie on my clothes.”
He whined.
I couldn’t stay mad long when I looked at those mocha-colored eyes. He was such a sweetheart, the greatest dog a girl could ask for. “It’s okay. Just don’t do it again.”
His ears perked up.
***
The bowling alley had been under reconstruction for the past month. The outside walls had been given a new coat of paint, a brand-new sign that said GROOVY BOWL was installed, and a large neon peace sign flashed in bright pink on the roof.
The three of us stopped on the sidewalk and admired it.
Rex stood in the middle, his arms over his chest and his neck craned so he could get a good look at the top of the building. “Damn, that looks pretty cool.”
“It looks hip.” Zeke took a few steps with his hands in his pockets, his t-shirt hugging his muscular chest as he moved. The veins in his forearms were obvious even from a few feet away. “I’d totally bowl here.”
“Me too.” Just a month ago, the place was the biggest dump in the city. Instead of looking like a cool place to hang out, it was the place to meet your dealer if you wanted an ounce of weed. Or it was a litter box for all the strays to pee. I had no understanding how Rex kept it open as long as he did. Maybe high school girls came to prey on him. His good looks were the only thing saving his ass. “It looks legit.”
“Let’s go inside.” Rex pulled the keys from his pocket and unlocked the front doors. They were made of solid hardwood, looking like something from the 60s. An assortment of beads hung on the other side, and they brushed against us as we walked inside.
Rex got stuck, the long trail of beads wrapping around his neck. “What the hell?”
“On your neck.” Zeke pointed to his right shoulder.
Rex turned around, only making it worse and getting another string stuck around his arm. “Agh!”
I dragged my hand down my face. “I can’t believe this is happening…”
Rex twisted his arm and yanked but the beads bit into his forearm. “Help me!”
“Just unwrap them,” Zeke said. “They’re around your arm.”
“How the hell are people supposed to get through this death trap?” Rex yanked and nearly pulled them out of the wall. “This is the stupidest idea ever. Did Rae think of this?” His face turned beet red, and when he tried to turn, he got even more wrapped up in the string until he could barely move. “I’m gonna die here.”
I covered my face with both of my hands and took a deep breath so I wouldn’t scream.
“Dude, are you gonna help me?” Rex stared at Zeke with a look of betrayal on his face. “Your best friend is dying and you don’t even care?”
“You aren’t dying.” Zeke gave in and helped him pull the beads off. They were wrapped around both of his arms and his neck, and one by one, he pulled them away. When he was finally free, Rex took off so fast he tripped and fell onto the tile.
“I’m free!” He crawled back to his feet and brushed off his clothes like they were infected with a disease. “We need to get rid of those. They’re a hazard.”
“I can promise you, no one is going to get stuck in there.” Not even a five-year-old would have struggled walking through. “You’re just an idiot, Rex.” Plain and simple.
“Whatever.” Rex stuffed his hands in his pockets and eyed the beads like they were the gateway to hell. “Someone is gonna die because of those things.” He turned to Zeke, the person he always looked at when he needed backup. “Right?”
Zeke cringed and shook his head slightly.
“Oh, come on.” Rex stomped his foot like a child. “I’m not the only person that’s going to happen to.”
This conversation was making all of us dumber by the second. “Let’s get a look at the rest of the place…”
Rex looked over his shoulder and eyed the beads like they might chase after him. He shivered noticeably and kept walking.
Zeke and I shared a look that clearly said, “Wow. That really just happened.”
***
The bowling alley was a completely new place. There were no hints of the dump it once was. Everything had been remodeled, from the lanes themselves to the bathrooms. An arcade had been added, along with pool tables, a food cart, and a respectable bar.
Zeke hit the lights and the stereo, and the bowling alley came to life. The entire room was dimmed until it was nearly black then the lanes popped with the groovy lights. Images of peace signs and old Volkswagens moved across the walls, a brilliant light show. A popular Beatles song played on the sound system, taking us back in time.
Rex eyed everything in awe, finally recovered from his near-death experience. “This place is so fucking sick. I can’t believe it.”
“I can’t either.” Zeke stood beside him and took in everything. “This place is going to be a hit. I can tell.”
Zeke and I put a lot of money down for this place, and anyone would have told me it was a stupid idea but I didn’t have any regrets. Even if it didn’t work out, it was okay. I regretted the things I didn’t do more than the things I actually did do. I would rather take a chance and hope Rex succeeded than accept his immediate failure. “It’s perfect.” Pride rushed through me as I stared at the transformation. I could already picture families coming here every Sunday night as a tradition.
Rex turned in a circle and examined everything. “You know what? We’re missing something…”
Zeke m
et his look like he knew exactly what he was doing. “The dancers?”
“Yep.” Rex snapped his fingers. “I really think that would pull everything together.”
I rolled my eyes. “Maybe they can dance under a string of beads.”
Rex’s face immediately contorted into a look of pure torture. “That’s not funny. They could die.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and shook my head. “Rex, they wouldn’t die.”
“I almost did!” He pointed to the entrance. “Those things have got to go. Otherwise, we’re going to have an arson case on our hands.”
Zeke and I both exchanged a look when neither of us understood what he meant.
Zeke was the one who addressed it. “Arson?”
“You know, when someone is murdered.” Rex said it with such confidence it seemed like it could be true.
“Rex, arson is when you set property on fire.” Why was I even bothering explaining this to him?
“No, it’s not,” Rex said. “I learned about it at college.”
“You mean traffic school?” Zeke asked without rolling his eyes. “Sorry, man. That’s not college.”
“And if they said that, they’re the worst traffic school in the country.” And I should be scared next time I was on the road.
“I know you brainiacs are just trying to mess with me,” Rex said. “And I’m not falling for it.”
“Yeah…we’re trying to mess with you.” If he wanted to go out and tell someone murder was called arson, then he could be my guest. Maybe it would stop him from bringing those strange women back to the apartment.
“Guess we didn’t fool you.” Zeke looked at me, his jaw tensed and his lips pressed tightly together as he suppressed a laugh.
“I guess the joke’s on us.” Sometimes it was better to let Rex think whatever he wanted. When it came around and bit him in the ass, it was always fun to watch. “Should we get something to eat?”
“Yeah,” Rex said. “I’m starving.”
“Me too.” Zeke hit the lights and we walked back to the entrance.
Rex stopped before the beads, his feet planted firmly on the carpet. He eyed them like they were made from venomous snakes.
Zeke and I shared a look.
“You know what…” Rex took three steps backward. “I’m going to go out the back way.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” He was going to come to work and leave every day through the back entrance?
Rex had already turned around and was headed to the opposite end of the bowling alley.
Now that he was gone, Zeke laughed. “Just let him be. He’ll conquer his fear someday.”
“How are you his best friend?” Zeke was smart, funny, and he wasn’t an annoying pain in the ass.
He shrugged. “I consider it community service.”
I smiled because it was a great answer. “Then I’ve been doing community service my whole life.”
***
I took Safari outside then hopped in the shower. I was supposed to be at Ryker’s an hour ago, but we were at the bowling alley a lot longer than I expected. Plus, we got hot wings and that took another thirty minutes. Since I was starving, I didn’t skip out.
After I finished getting dressed, my phone lit up.
Why is my bed empty and cold? Ryker’s irritated voice came through the text message.
Maybe you need a dog. Oh, I loved being a smartass.
Maybe I need to chain you to the headboard.
That didn’t sound so bad. Nah, I’d get hungry. And you know I pee around the clock.
I’d give you bathroom privileges.
How generous. This could go on all night, so I needed to wrap it up. I’m heading out now. See you soon.
Run.
I shoved my phone into my pocket and gave Safari a kiss.
Like every night I slept at Ryker’s, he looked at me like I was the worst parent in the world. He gave me a guilt trip with those mocha-colored eyes. When he released a quiet whine, he just made it worse.
“I’ll be back tomorrow.”
He bowed his head then lay on the ground, looking like the most depressed dog in existence.
I’d been staying at Ryker’s a lot lately, at least half of the week, and Safari slept alone in my room. He didn’t sleep with Rex because he preferred my bed, probably because it smelled like me. Thinking about that made me feel even worse. I pulled out my phone and texted him. Don’t get mad, alright?
Too late.
I’m gonna stay here tonight.
I’ll break down that door.
I knew he wasn’t kidding. Sorry…
What’s the holdup?
When I told him it was my dog, he would be more annoyed. Safari. I haven’t been sleeping here, and he’s so miserable.
You’d rather sleep with a dog than me? I could hear the sarcasm through the words.
Not rather. I feel like I’ve been abandoning him.
He’s a dog.
So are you. I didn’t see too many differences.
He ignored the jab. Then I’ll sleep over there.
I didn’t want that either. I don’t want you staying here too often. It’s just weird with my brother next door.
Are you dating me? Or your brother and your dog?
Keep it up and I won’t be dating either of you.
The dots disappeared, and he went radio silent.
Yep. He was super pissed now. I understood his frustration, but he also needed to understand he wasn’t the only person in my life. I had a lot of friends and a brother who needed me right now. Ryker was used to getting what he wanted at the drop of a hat, and he never got his way with me. Good night. I tossed the phone on the bed then looked at Safari. “Thanks to you, I’m not getting any tonight.”
Safari somehow knew I was staying home, and he rose on his hind legs and placed his paws on my chest. His tail wagged, and his tongue popped out of his mouth and jiggled back and forth. Whines of happiness came from his large mouth.
“But at least I’ll have someone to cuddle with.” I gave him a good rubdown and then a hug, knowing I loved my dog as much as I loved everyone else in my life. I saved him from traffic in the road, but he saved me too.
***
“I thought you were going to Ryker’s?” Rex sat on the couch with a beer on his thigh. A game was on but he was only partially watching it. His elbow was propped on the armrest, and he rested his temple against his open palm. With sagged shoulders and an attitude of misery, he looked depressed.
I stood at the opposite end of the couch, Safari at my heels. “I decided to stay with Safari. I’ve been neglecting him.”
Rex didn’t make a jab like he normally would. He sat there in complete silence.
I knew something was up. “Everything alright?”
“Yeah.” He drank his beer to mask his unease at the question.
Something was definitely wrong. “I know something is on your mind. So save me the fishing trip and just tell me.”
He put his beer on the coffee table and leaned forward. “I’m just worried about tomorrow.”
“The grand opening?” I sat down, keeping several feet between us.
“Yeah…”
“What’s there to worry about? Everything is ready to go. You just have to unlock the doors.”
“What if no one shows up?”
Zeke and I had done extensive marketing for this bowling alley, everything from taking out ads in the paper to handing out flyers and hitting up people on Facebook. I wasn’t worried it would be a soft opening. I knew it would be a hit. “Rex, it’ll be fine.”
“But what if it’s not?”
“If it’s not, we’ll figure something out. Don’t worry about it.”
He shook his head like I didn’t understand something. “I don’t care if the bowling alley goes under and I lose the money I invested. That’s a destiny I accepted a long time ago. But I don’t want to lose the money you guys put into it. That’s what I’m worried about.
”
“Not gonna happen, Rex.”
“But you don’t know that.”
“I do.” I wasn’t a businessman, but I knew this would be a success.
“How?”
“I just do. And even if it isn’t, Zeke and I will be fine. Neither one of us put all our cash into this.”
“That doesn’t matter.” His voice thickened, turning angry. “You guys worked your asses off for that cash. Zeke already opened his own office and took a risk. You had to pay back student loans. I don’t want to blow your hard-earned cash.”
Nothing I said was going to make him feel better. “No matter what happens, worrying about it isn’t going to change anything. And no matter what happens, we have our health, food on the table, and somewhere to live. Money is just money, Rex. Remember the important things in life.” I remember when Rex and I had nowhere to live. He couldn’t hold down a job, and we struggled for a while. We were lucky when Zeke took us in until Rex could find his footing.
He didn’t have a comeback when I put everything in perspective.
“Just chill, alright? Drink more beer. Eat more food.”
He finally released a chuckle. “You act like I’m a mindless caveman.”
“Because you are.”
He chuckled again. “I guess I can be.”
“I just know—”
A knock sounded on the door, and Safari immediately barked at the intrusion. Like the watchdog he was, he went to the front door to investigate who the intruder was.
“Zeke?” I asked.
He shrugged. “I don’t think so.”
I went to the door and spotted Ryker through the peephole. Both of my eyebrows shot up, and I opened the door. “Uh, hi.”
After Safari cleared Ryker, he walked away and returned to the living room with Rex.
“Hi.” He wore his sweatpants and sneakers with a gray hoodie. Even dressed down in lounge wear, he looked unbelievable. He could walk into a bar and pick up any woman he wanted.
“Everything alright?” When he didn’t text me back, I assumed he was in a bad mood. But I figured it would blow over by the following morning.
“I’m picking you up. Go grab your stuff.”
“I said I was staying with Safari.”
