Free Super Series (Book 4): Supervised by Princess Jones Page A

phone. “I know. I had a little. . . moment there. It’s just that it’s a big thing, Audrey. You wouldn’t understand,” she said, echoing Mom from a few days earlier.
    “Apparently.” I didn’t know what else to say so I just changed the subject. “How’s Din-Din?”
    “Pregnant,” Ella deadpanned. “Rodney put a flyer up at his gym about adopting them out. We already have three leads. Of course, we’ll do due diligence, on these people. I have a few interviews this week.”
    I sighed. I’d assumed that she was over the Rodney thing since she’d talked to Mom but I guess I was wrong. “Tell me you’re not getting back together with Rodney.”
    “I can’t do that.”
    “Why not?”
    “Because I like him. Even after we broke up, I kept going to the same gym so I could see him. I broke up with him over superficial things. I was worried about what my colleagues would think about him if I brought him to the staff Christmas party. I wanted you to stop making fun of me.”
    “Oh, so it’s my fault?”
    “No. It was my fault for not just enjoying the fact that he’s a good guy who likes me a lot and makes me feel happy. I’m not going to waste my time dating guys just because they look good on paper. I like Rodney. He likes me. That should be enough. I don’t know if this is going to end in marriage and kids but I’m too old to not be happy.”
    She was still getting on my nerves with this old shit. “You’re not old! You’re only three years older than me!”
    “And you’re getting old, too. Don’t let the fact that you live like a teenager fool you. One day you’ll feel the same way I do.”
    A part of me envied how simple it was for her. It was that simple for Mellie, too. Why wasn’t it that simple for me? Was she right? Was it just a matter of time? I didn’t know, but I did know one thing. “Ella?”
    “Yeah?”
    “If you get married, I can not be your bridesmaid. I know I’m supposed to but I just can’t do it.” I told her about Mellie getting married and recapped the bridesmaid night to her.
    Ella laughed and continued to laugh for a full two minutes. Finally, she said, “Oh, Audrey, I wouldn’t ask you to be in my wedding. I want my wedding to be good.”
    Chapter 12
    I got the text message right after I got off the phone with Ella. Nathaniel had a way of popping up just when I’d forgotten how messed up things were.
    Be at St. Jude at dawn. No excuses.
    I knew texting back that I hadn’t seen dawn in a long time wouldn’t be met very well. So I just went to bed as soon as I finished my pizza and dragged myself out bed as early possible the next morning. 
    I took the train over to St Jude and arrived at the parking lot just as the sun crested over the horizon. Rocky, Frankie, and Nathaniel were already there. Frankie was hopping back and forth from foot to foot, trying to use his abilities to keep himself warm. Rocky had on last night’s makeup, wore a pair of sunglasses, and held a Starbucks cup she was nursing. Nathaniel wore his early morning best scowl.
    “We are fucking this whole thing up,” he announced. He used the word “we” but he was looking at me. “Monday night was a complete failure. All we succeeded in doing is driving El Gato further underground. The Noches are laying low. It’s going to be that much harder to do this now.”
    Now, I was pretty damn sure that everyone was looking at me. Well, that’s just fucking ridiculous. I wasn’t even allowed to go inside. Why am I being blamed for everything?
    Nathaniel went on. “Our numbers are on the line here. Our reputations are at stake here. The time for half-assing it is over.”
    I shivered in my coat and rubbed my gloved hands together. It was freezing. And this Bravehart moment could have been done over text.
    “All of us work this district. All of us have contacts. I want you to reach out to everyone you know and get something on the Noches and El Gato. Somebody knows something and I want that