No Memes of Escape by Olivia Blacke

Author:Olivia Blacke [Blacke, Olivia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2021-10-05T00:00:00+00:00

14

Untapped Books & Café @untappedwilliamsburg ∙ July 14

Don’t sweat it! We’ve got cold A/C and hot, hearty meals. You know you want to see what Parker’s got cooking in the kitchen today! #Breakfastchili #yummy #Williamsburg

Parker crossed his arms over his chest. “We’ll figure something out. No way can you leave on Wednesday,” he said. Like me, Parker had a slight build. He did not look intimidating, even when he scowled and brandished one of his enormous chef’s knives at anyone who wandered into his kitchen if they didn’t belong.

“I know, it sucks.”

“It more than sucks,” he replied. “Wednesday’s my birthday. I’m planning a little get-together and I thought you’d join us. There’s a new Italian café over on Montrose that I’ve been dying to try. I heard they have a terrific crab and goat cheese ravioli, and they make a divine Limoncello cake.”

“Oh no, Parker. I didn’t know your birthday was coming up. My aunt could not have worse timing.”

“Can’t you convince her to let you stick around for a few more days?”

“I already tried,” I told him. “She’s not used to having someone sharing her space. I think she wanted me out yesterday but is too Southern to say so. If I can’t find something fast, I’m not gonna have much of a choice.”

“Come crash with me until you can find your own place,” he urged.

“Thanks for the offer, but you’ve told me horror stories about your apartment, remember? The cockroaches the size of dinner plates?” I held my hands out a foot apart. “What did you name them, again?”

“Randy and Jose,” he said.

“And don’t you have like a dozen roommates?”

“Two. Only two. But Suz is hardly ever home and Tony’s real quiet. Sometimes I forget he’s even there.”

“You’re awful sweet, but I’m pretty sure your roommates don’t want another person in the apartment. Besides, what would Hazel think?” It broke my heart to have to leave Brooklyn, but I couldn’t imagine putting up with the kind of living arrangements all my friends seemed to take for granted.

“Hazel wouldn’t mind. But you’re right, my roomies would,” he assured me. “We’re packed in like sardines as it is.”

“Nothing is set in stone yet,” I assured him. “I’ve still got a few days to come up with something, and Izzy said she could find us something. I don’t know if she can do so on such short notice, but she’s surprised me before.”

“That’s the spirit,” he said with a wide grin. “Hey, how about we go try that Limoncello cake right now? We can pretend it’s my birthday today.”

“I’d love to, but you’re working, and I’ve got plans with Izzy. Another time. Promise.”

I had seventy-two hours to come up with an affordable place to live in Brooklyn, not to mention solving Vickie’s murder. I had enough on my plate, but Parker’s birthday celebration needed to be more than a dinner with a few friends. Who didn’t love a surprise birthday party? I could arrange the whole thing, with Izzy’s help. She was the absolute bomb at throwing parties.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.