Saving Toby Read Online Free PDF Page B

“‘Mrs.’ makes me sound so old. If you guys don’t have
plans, my girlfriends and I are having drinks out back around the fire pit. You
can join us if you want.” She might have meant the invitation for all of us, but
her eyes were only on me.
    “No, thanks, Mom,” Ray jumped in. “We’re going into town.”
    “Oh, okay. Maybe some other time.” She batted her eyes at
me.
    When she left the room, Dev let out a low catcall.
    “What’d you think of that rack? She took out a loan for
those puppies.”
    I raised my eyebrows and smiled. “Impressive.”
    I could see Diane with her two friends through the back door
outside drinking and laughing around a small, steel-bowled fire pit. I eyed the
prospects. “I don’t know, guys. There are three experienced cougars out there
all primed to pounce—one for each of us, but I call dibs on your mother, Ray. I
think she’s hot for me.”
    “Shit, with the way she was all up on you, you could
definitely get her,” Dev nodded and grinned. “In fact, you’d be my motherfucking hero if you did.”
    “G-guys, come on, that’s m-my mother,” Ray protested weakly,
more concerned with rolling and lighting the next joint.
    “Come on, Ray. I haven’t gotten laid since Florida,” I continued,
just to bust his chops. “If I hook up with your mom, you can call me ‘Daddy.’”
    Ray’s eyes grew wide. “Screw you, Faye!” he roared. Dev and
I broke up.
    We settled down, but Dev still eyed me with a smirk.
“Seriously, dude, you’re not hitting that hot little number hanging out in your
kitchen?”
    “I told you she works at the house with Julia.” Playing it
casual, I leaned back against the counter and took a sip of my beer.
    He leaned forward. “If you’re not interested, I’d like a
crack at her.”
    “Man, you are delusional if you think you have a shot with
her.”
    Dev smiled. “Not delusional. Not with these,” he pulled out
a baggie with a couple of pills in it. “I’ll mix her a cocktail that will
ensure a night of sizzling interaction.”
    I choked on a mouthful of beer, and it dribbled down my
chin. I wiped my face with the back of my hand. “You’re fucking crazy if you
think I’d let you slip any of those to her.” Just the thought of him touching
her pissed me off.
    Dev gritted his teeth and squinted at me. Just as quickly as
it came, the anger slipped away, and he leaned back coolly and smiled.
    “Ah, you just want her for yourself.” Dev threw his hand in
the air. “And you’ll probably get her, too. Girls like you. Shit, Ray’s mom was
practically ready to blow you.”
    “Goddamn it, Dev!” Ray was suddenly on his feet. “Don’t talk
about my mother like that!” Totally out of character, with his face twisted in
anger, he punched Devlin in the arm.
    We all became quiet. Dev’s eyes flashed. I considered
intervening. Provoking Devlin was a death wish. Understanding that he’d
overstepped, big time, Ray dropped his arms limply at his sides as his face
went blank. Without another word, he sat back down.
    Dev’s nose twitched followed by tight moment of uncertainty.
He seemed to calm down … and then he lunged towards Ray, quick as a shot. I
thought he might hit the kid after all.
    Instead, he reached forward with a giant hand and swiped the
joint Ray was holding. He took a hit and held it out to me. I waved it off.
    Dev slowly exhaled a stream of heady smoke. “Come on, let’s
get stewed and rip up the town like we used to.”
    “Not me, man. I told you I’m not interested in repeating
that stuff. Besides, I can’t get wrecked, not while Julia’s sick.” The smoke
wafting around the room was already creeping into my mind. “But we can still
get out of here for a while.”
    “Ye-yeah, let’s go to Murphy’s. They have the Yankee-Red Sox
p-pre-season game on the big screen. And free wings during the g-game,” Ray
said.
    “I’m not going anywhere with you unless you freaking put on
a clean pair of pants and brush