All the Secrets of the World is written by Dear Sugars podcast cohost Steve Almond.
Molly Stern’s Zando Projects is barely a year old and already one of the buzziest companies in publishing.
EW is exclusively revealing the book’s cover and sharing a first excerpt.
‘All the Secrets of the World,’ by Steve Almond.Zando
She got Rosemary, who promised to have Jenny call her back.
Lorena knew this would never happen, but the next weekendunder orders, no doubtJenny did call.
Maybe Lo wanted to come over for, like, a swim or whatever.
They would have the place to themselves.
“Cool,” she said.
Tony emerged from the room they had shared, which he had commandeered.
“Who the f–k is that?”
Lo covered the receiver.
“None of your business.”
“I need the phone.”
“Who’s that?”
“Nobody,” Lo said.
“My brother.”
“The Latin King?
I thought he was in the navy.”
“He’s on leave.”
“Does he still look like a chihuahua?”
Tony, now aware he was being talked about, hollered, “Off the phone.Now.”
“Oooh, an angry chihuahua!
I’d spank his little butt if he yapped at me like that.”
“I’d like to see that,” Lorena whispered, curling away from Tony.
“Maybe I’ll bring him.”
Jenny let out a squeal.
“I totally dare you.”
The line went dead and Lorena turned to find Tony grinning, his thumb on the hook switch.
“I warned you.”
“Don’t you got work today?
Ma doesn’t want you skipping work.”
“It’s my day off.”
“Look at you.
Putting on your whore paint.
You got some kind of hot date?
I’m serious,gordita.
Where you going?”
“I’m not fucking around.”
“To a friend’s.”
“What friend?”
“You don’t know her.”
Is it that little Vargas slut.
What’s her name?
Where’s she live?"
Tony wasn’t going to let up until he got an answer.
With a pride that was almost vengeance, Lorena murmured, “The Fabulous Forties.”
“Bullshit,” Tony said.
You hanging with some richie rich now?
Lorena knew she was best to ignore Tony, let him work off his tedium.
“it’s possible for you to drive me over if you don’t believe me.”
“F–k that,” he said.
But a few minutes later he was insisting on it.
Tony drove the Mercury Bobcat he’d borrowed from one of his burnout friends.
It had chrome hubs and a busted muffler that roared.
“Ma says you’ve been f–king up in school,” Tony said.
“You’re one to talk.”
“Starting to get an attitude, too.”
Tony had a beer jammed between his legs.
His right hand rested lightly atop the steering wheel, which was composed of welded chain links.
“Don’t f–king smirk.”
“I’m not smirking.”
“You grew some titties and lost a few pounds and you’re big s–t now?
A big-s–t ninth grader.
Just because mom won’t crack down on you don’t mean I won’t.”
“Right,” Lo said.
“You’re in the navy, so you get to be my dad now.”
Tony slammed the brakes.
Right in the middle of the Alhambra.
“What did you just say to me?”
He swung just to watch her flinch.
“Look at me,gordita.”
She glanced down at a small nicked pistol.
“What the hell?”
“Don’t back talk me, Lorena.
I’ll f–king end you.”
Lo stared out the window.
So Tony was doing coke again.
Maybe he’d never stopped.
“You’re acting crazy,” she said quietly.
“You’re gonna get busted again.”
“That’s registered.
I own that s–t.” He gunned the engine.
Lo had messed up.
But asking Tony to drop her off on the corner would only infuriate him.
He whistled when he caught sight of the mansion.
“That’s someMasterpiece Theaters–t right there.”
Mr. Stallworth’s Jeep gleamed in the driveway and Tony’s eyes locked onto it.
“Thanks for the ride,” she said.
He grabbed her arm.
Don’t just f–king jump out of the car."
The car’s idling felt out of place, lewd.
She looked down at the rumbling car and waved.
“Let go of me,” Lo muttered to Tony.
“You’re not going to introduce me to your little friend?”
“c’mon.”
He released her arm and snatched up the gun and tucked it into his waistband.
Then he got out of the car and waved at Jenny, who was still squinting.
“She’s a pretty littleflaca, ain’t she?”
Lo got out of the car and walked around to where Tony was.
“like,” she said again, and her voice was quavering.
I’m not going to mess with your rich b—h friend.
She’s a f–king little kid.
No tits and braces on her teeth.
S–t." Tony snapped into his military posture and swung his boots together so they smacked.
She stood canted against the railing, her legs radiant with tanning oil.
“Hey,” she sang out to Lo.
“Hey,” Lo said, then, to Tony, “Thanks again.”
“Are you Lo’s brother?”
“You’re in the navy?”
“Right again.”
“Lo told me about you.”
“Don’t believe everything you hear.”
He glanced at Lorena.
“You going to introduce us?”
“This is my brother, Tony.”
Jenny descended to the sidewalk.
He wasn’t tall or handsome or rich or suave.
He was nineteen, though.
“You’re, like, launching missiles from a submarine.”
“How old are you?”
“How old areyou?”
“Old enough.”
She folded her arms across her chest.
“And you’re back on leave or whatever.”
“What are you doing hanging around with my sister?”
Jenny smiled carefully to avoid showing her braces.
“Did you go to Sac High?
Maybe you knew my brother, Glen?”
Tony shook his head like it didn’t really matter.
“You shouldn’t be walking around in a bathing suit.”
“Why not?”
“You got neighbors.
They might talk.”
“It’s summer,” Jenny said.
“We have a pool.”
All three of them were sweating.
Lo had moved to the steps.
Next door, some old lady was watering her roses.
“You’re welcome to come inside if you want to cool off,” Jenny said.
Tony took a few seconds to mull this offer over.
Then he glanced at Mr. Stallworth’s Jeep, the rear door of which was ajar.
He strolled over and leaned against it in a way that showed the faint outline of his pistol.
“Nice ride.”
“That’s my dad’s.”
“I thought he was at work,” Lo said.
“What do you care?”
She was playing to Tony now.
“He wouldn’t want some stranger touching his car,” Lo said softly.
Always the good girl."
Why drive when it’s possible for you to Jeep?
Danger is my compass.
Jenny laughed like it wasn’t that funny but whatever.
“What’s that in your belt?”
“What’s what?”
“That bulge?”
“Listen to that mouth.
What do you know about bulges?”
“More than you think.”
“That so?”
Tony let his eyes roam over her body and Jenny reddened.
An awkward desire jellied the air between themsudden, racking, almost hostile.
Then the front door swung open and Mr. Stallworth appeared at the top of the stairs.
An oversized backpack hung from one thick arm.
She had come over hoping to see him.
In a way, his reaction confirmed this; he had been waiting for her, too.
“Get some clothes on,” he snapped at Jenny.
Mr. Stallworth couldn’t see Tony, who was off to his left in the driveway.
But Tony saw him and sauntered back toward his car.
“Have fun with your littleguera,” Tony muttered to Lo.
He swung into the driver’s seat and slammed the door and gunned the engine.
Mr. Stallworth arrived at the bottom of the stairs just as Tony peeled away from the curb.
He was darker than the last time Lorena had seen him.
Golden hairs shone on his forearms and the backs of his hands.
“Who the hell was that?”
“Lo’s brother,” Jenny chirped.
“He’s in the navy.”
“What kind of person drives like that?
Is he training to be a getaway driver?”
Lo stared miserably at the chipped remnants of her first and only pedicure.
“He was just dropping me off.
I’m sorry.”
Mr. Stallworth stalked toward his Jeep, then turned and waited for Lo to look him in the eye.
She could feel the heat of his scorn, his disappointment.
“Tell your brother to show some respect.”
