Ace-High Flush Read Online Free
Author: Patricia Green
twelve, Gabby had been doing the cooking and cleaning, the shopping and financial management. Her mother had been too depressed to do any of it, and her health had been deteriorating steadily. Gabby knew she was going to have to hire a day nurse to attend to her mother while Gabby was away at work. And it was going to have to be soon. But where would the money come from?
She made no excuses for herself. She wasn't great at modeling and didn't get the plum jobs because she didn't like it much. It was all she knew how to do to make decent money, though, and no other options presented themselves.
It wasn't long after her mother was coiffed and reseated in her chair Ace arrived. Gabby rang him in and waited on the stairs.
* * *
The inside of the apartment building was little dingy. He had not forgotten the bill collector comment from his brief conversation with Gabby's mother.
Seeing Gabby all dressed up in a black sheath dress and high heels pushed mundane financial issues out of his head. Her hair was silky-looking, dark and shiny, held back by rhinestone combs. Her curvy figure was enhanced by the fabric of her dress, and she hadn't been afraid of giving him some cleavage to look at. A bright silver cross hung above her breasts. Ace grinned from ear to ear with delight. He'd be mighty proud to take her out on the town.
"Aren't you the prettiest thing?"
Her cheeks went pink and she smiled. "Thank you."
He walked up a few steps toward her and offered his hand. "Ready to go?"
She didn't take his fingers. "Um, not quite. My mother wants to meet you."
Not unexpected. "Ah. Well, that can be arranged."
"I'm sorry." Her eyes went everywhere but to his face.
"Don't be sorry, li'l girl. I don't mind meetin' your mama."
Gabby turned and started to climb, her gait measured by the treads. "Try to keep an open mind, please. My mother has some...issues."
He followed her up the stairs. "I'm sure it'll be okay."
Sighing, she went down a dimly-lit hallway, stopping at a door marked 330. She paused with her hand on the knob. "If you don't want to do this—"
"Don’t worry, sweetheart. I'm fine with it."
It was a small apartment, barely big enough for two people. An unpleasant smell like a combination of camphor liniment and women's perfume hung in the air. A few bookshelves lined the walls and an older-model TV took a prominent position. There was a cheap pedestal in a corner, with a statue of the Virgin Mary on it, and a small votive burned nearby. In the center of the room, sitting bundled up in a throw-blanket, with an expression reminiscent of a queen bee, sat Gabriella's mother. She was overweight and round-faced, with slightly sagging jowls, and dark hair turning gray. A smile formed and unformed as she looked Ace over.
Ace tipped his hat politely. "Good evenin', ma'am. I'm Ace Journey." He strode forward to offer his hand, but she peered at him through watery brown eyes and a sneer formed on her face. He withdrew his hand.
"Ace, this is my mother, Anita Appleby."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Appleby."
"I'm not a missus anything, Mr. Journey. And you're not welcome here."
Tension pinched his shoulder blades together. He must have heard wrong. No one would be that rude. "I'm sorry?"
"Get out." Her voice had a nasal quality and a New Jersey accent. "Gabby, you're not going anywhere."
"Mama, you're embarrassing me."
The woman's dark eyes turned to her daughter. "You should be embarrassed. What were you thinking to get mixed up with a man so much older than you? He's got to be old enough to be your father."
"That's not your business, Mama."
"If it concerns you, it is my business." She turned back to Ace, who watched the exchange with growing ire. "Are you still here? Cradle robber! You should be ashamed of yourself, you pedophile. Find someone your own age!"
Ace didn't quite know what to say, faced with Anita's viciousness. He felt sorry for Gabby and had greater understanding of the pressures the young
She made no excuses for herself. She wasn't great at modeling and didn't get the plum jobs because she didn't like it much. It was all she knew how to do to make decent money, though, and no other options presented themselves.
It wasn't long after her mother was coiffed and reseated in her chair Ace arrived. Gabby rang him in and waited on the stairs.
* * *
The inside of the apartment building was little dingy. He had not forgotten the bill collector comment from his brief conversation with Gabby's mother.
Seeing Gabby all dressed up in a black sheath dress and high heels pushed mundane financial issues out of his head. Her hair was silky-looking, dark and shiny, held back by rhinestone combs. Her curvy figure was enhanced by the fabric of her dress, and she hadn't been afraid of giving him some cleavage to look at. A bright silver cross hung above her breasts. Ace grinned from ear to ear with delight. He'd be mighty proud to take her out on the town.
"Aren't you the prettiest thing?"
Her cheeks went pink and she smiled. "Thank you."
He walked up a few steps toward her and offered his hand. "Ready to go?"
She didn't take his fingers. "Um, not quite. My mother wants to meet you."
Not unexpected. "Ah. Well, that can be arranged."
"I'm sorry." Her eyes went everywhere but to his face.
"Don't be sorry, li'l girl. I don't mind meetin' your mama."
Gabby turned and started to climb, her gait measured by the treads. "Try to keep an open mind, please. My mother has some...issues."
He followed her up the stairs. "I'm sure it'll be okay."
Sighing, she went down a dimly-lit hallway, stopping at a door marked 330. She paused with her hand on the knob. "If you don't want to do this—"
"Don’t worry, sweetheart. I'm fine with it."
It was a small apartment, barely big enough for two people. An unpleasant smell like a combination of camphor liniment and women's perfume hung in the air. A few bookshelves lined the walls and an older-model TV took a prominent position. There was a cheap pedestal in a corner, with a statue of the Virgin Mary on it, and a small votive burned nearby. In the center of the room, sitting bundled up in a throw-blanket, with an expression reminiscent of a queen bee, sat Gabriella's mother. She was overweight and round-faced, with slightly sagging jowls, and dark hair turning gray. A smile formed and unformed as she looked Ace over.
Ace tipped his hat politely. "Good evenin', ma'am. I'm Ace Journey." He strode forward to offer his hand, but she peered at him through watery brown eyes and a sneer formed on her face. He withdrew his hand.
"Ace, this is my mother, Anita Appleby."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Appleby."
"I'm not a missus anything, Mr. Journey. And you're not welcome here."
Tension pinched his shoulder blades together. He must have heard wrong. No one would be that rude. "I'm sorry?"
"Get out." Her voice had a nasal quality and a New Jersey accent. "Gabby, you're not going anywhere."
"Mama, you're embarrassing me."
The woman's dark eyes turned to her daughter. "You should be embarrassed. What were you thinking to get mixed up with a man so much older than you? He's got to be old enough to be your father."
"That's not your business, Mama."
"If it concerns you, it is my business." She turned back to Ace, who watched the exchange with growing ire. "Are you still here? Cradle robber! You should be ashamed of yourself, you pedophile. Find someone your own age!"
Ace didn't quite know what to say, faced with Anita's viciousness. He felt sorry for Gabby and had greater understanding of the pressures the young
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