BooksBarbecue
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Chapters (88)
  1. Cover Page
  2. Front Flap
  3. Title Page
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. Dedication
  6. Contents
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. 75
  82. 76
  83. 77
  84. 78
  85. 79
  86. 80
  87. Back Flap
  88. Back Cover

I’ll deposit the check, then turn the car around and get back across the bridge before rush hour. He’d made plans to go to the house his grandfather had owned in a rural area of western New Jersey. As a kid, Scott enjoyed visiting his grandparents at their big, old house and playing in the barn out back. Grandpa had died last year and the family was fixing up the place before they put it on the market. Because his grandfather had never wanted to move out, and was running out of money in his later years, he’d taken out a second mortgage on the property. By the time it sold and the family paid the taxes, there’d be nothing left. He tried to call Jillian but she didn’t pick up. She must be tied up at that other garage sale, he thought.

He looked down. I’m going to need gas soon, he realized. I certainly rack up the mileage on this car.

His cell phone rang. It was Trevor.

“Trev, how are you doing?”

“I’m bored, Dad. I can’t believe I’ve been stuck up here since July Fourth weekend with nothing to do!”

“Sorry, Trevor. But it was your mother’s decision to vacation in Maine, away from all your friends. Where is she?”

“Out on the beach with the old guy.”

Scott smiled. No love lost there, he thought. Good. “I really wish you could be here right now, Trev, I really do. We’ll have to wait until next Friday. Then we have two weeks together.”

“No, Dad, get this. Mom is sick of listening to me complain. She said I could fly down tomorrow. Isn’t that great? After you pick me up at the airport, maybe we could take my friends to dinner. I’ll call the guys. On Saturday there’s a Yankee game …”

Scott’s stomach dropped. “Oh, Trev, I don’t know …”

“What, Dad? You don’t want me to come down early?” Trevor asked, both hurt and incredulous. “You just said you wished I could be there right now!”

“I do! But this weekend I’ll be out at Grandpa’s house. We still haven’t sold it. I’ve arranged to have workers come and do more repairs. It never ends!” he said, trying to laugh. “Why don’t you get a flight on Monday night or Tuesday? We’ll—Trev?”

His son had hung up.

Scott redialed but Trevor didn’t answer. No sense trying to make up more excuses, Scott thought. I’ll make it up to him next week.

If I get the chance.

47

Horace was speeding toward the Garden State Parkway.

“What’s wrong with you?” Ronnie asked, as he pounded the dashboard. “Look what you did! My reputation is ruined. All the years of hard work in this business and it comes to this. I can’t show my face anymore.”