Partners in Crime-Eddie Munson x OC

Chapter 3

The next day I turned in my application at Family Video. I had a pretty good feeling about that. I also picked up the movie E. T. to watch with Max later, but I wasn't completely sold on her watching it. That left only one more item on my list. It was time to take Eddie his record.

I pulled in Max's driveway and decided to just walk over. As soon as I exited the car, I could hear music coming from Eddie's trailer. Well, it would've been more accurate to say I could feel the music. I had no doubts that he received noise complaints regularly.

It was after five loud knocks that Eddie came to the door.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Harriet." He folded his arms and leaned against the doorway.

I shot him an irritated look. "Helena."

"Yes, that's what I said, now what brings you here?"

He earned himself an eye roll courtesy of me. "After you ran off yesterday, one of the workers came out and gave me an extra copy. Here, since you let me take the other one." I held the record out for him to take.

A brief look of surprise flashed across his face before disappearing behind a mask of playfulness. "For me? I'm honored, princess."

"Sounds like you really didn't need it anyway. Was that 'Shoot to Thrill' I heard you playing?"

"Oh, you caught that?" Eddie's eyes lit up and he gave me a small smile. That was possibly the sweetest expression I'd seen him make, which caught me off guard.

A small chuckle escaped me. "Yeah, it would be hard not to. You were, like, playing that yourself too right? Like with an instrument?"

"Yep, me and my pride and joy. Come on," He waved me inside.

After a moment's hesitation, I stepped in Eddie's trailer and followed him down the hall. He stopped in what was definitely his bedroom and I decided it was best to wait in the hall.

"Here she is!" Eddie held up a guitar with great care. It was gorgeous, one of the coolest guitars I'd ever seen.

"Holy shit that's metal! How long have you been playing?" Unable to help myself, a huge grin broke out on my face. It only grew when I remembered how I told Max that he looked like someone who probably played guitar.

"Ah, it's been years. I actually have a band. Corroded Coffin. You should come see us sometime." Eddie ducked his head and shrugged casually.

"Oh I definitely will. Eddie, that's cool as shit. I always wished I could play." My dad had promised lessons when I was younger, but then he got a new job and forgot about that.

"It's nothing really, I could probably teach you. I bet you'd pick it up in no time." Eddie put his guitar back on its stand and stuck his vinyl on a pile of others.

"Would you actually?" I couldn't help the excitement that crept into my voice.

He turned back around, almost as if he didn't expect I'd respond to his statement. He straightened quickly and gave me a smirk. "Yeah, why not?"

I grinned back at him. "I have to admit, you're pretty cool, Eddie."

"Me? No, you must have the wrong guy."

•••••

I'd spent the rest of fall break doing boring things like getting that job at Family Video and cleaning up around Max's house. I hadn't seen Aunt Susan for more than twenty minutes since I'd arrived, but I had Max to keep me company. Sort of.

Max would go in spurts of talking to me and then preferring to stay silent and by herself. I didn't want to push her too much, but I was worried about her. I wasn't sure that she was really finding ways to cope with Billy's death. While they had a rough relationship, she was still really struggling with what happened. It almost seemed like guilt to me, but what did I know? I never really got the full story of what happened, and it's honestly probably not something I needed to know.