“This is about me, isn’t it?” Hope asked. “You think I won’t grow up if you’re constantly strangling me with advice.”
Trust Hope to turn this into a mother-daughter battle. “Hope, shut up,” Gavin growled. “Mom, explain.”
Van quietly left the table, and Gavin’s heart started pounding.
“It’s just…your father and I…” She sighed, then pointed at Landon. “Ha! I got you. I am now queen of the prank wars!”
Gavin blinked, blew out a breath, and forced himself to relax. One crisis averted.
“That was low.” Hope scowled.
“Yeah, Mom.” Theo glared.
Landon shook his head. “And here I thought at leastyouwere above it all.”
Linda grinned, an older, meaner version of Hope. “Please. I reign victorious! Do you really think your father and I can’t work out our issues after thirty-five years? If we even think about a hiccup, we deal with it then and there. And now we have even more assets at our disposal able to help.” She looked to Ava.
Ava shook her head when Gavin raised a brow. He’d asked her for therapeutic help not long ago, and she’d referred him to a colleague. His current shrink. Something about a conflict of interest because she was doing his brother. Though she hadn’t put it exactly like that.
“I know people who can help. The only person I can shrink here is Landon.” Ava nodded at the bonehead. “Except I would never do that, because that conflicts with keeping my relationship stable. Right, handsome?”
Landon nodded, fat and happy with a woman who understood him and loved him anyway. “Exactly, Doc.”
“Wait. I’m still confused.” Gavin held up a hand. “How is it that our parents are even aware of the prank wars?” Everyone gradually looked at Theo. “You told, didn’t you? Twenty years old and still running to Mom and Dad.”
Theo flushed. “I did not. Dad coerced it out of me. He’s some kind of freak interrogator.”
“Oh? Did he rip out your fingernails?” Gavin snorted.
“No.” Theo looked mutinous. “They kind of figured it out from the orange hair.” Ah, the prank to end all pranks, the forced dye job.
“Theo isn’t the type for Oregon State orange,” Van said as he came out of the kitchen, a large grin on his face. “I knew it had to be Landon.”
“Ha.” Theo pointed at their big brother. “I knew it was you too.”
Landon shrugged. “My idea. His execution.” He nodded at Gavin. Figured he’d dime out his coconspirator. The traitor.
Theo turned a hurt gaze Gavin’s way. “Seriously? You’re ganging up on me withhim?”
“Oh please. It was either gonna be me or Hope. Sac up, boy.”
“Gavin.” His mother didn’t like rude or crude language. Even at thirty-two, he wasn’t immune from the wrath of Linda.
“Sorry.” He grinned. “But Theo, you really rocked the mohawk. And hey, it’s all grown back. Mostly.”
Theo had shaved his head, leaving it longer on top, going for more of a flattop look. Unsurprisingly, he wore it well.
“You look regulation,” Landon added. “USMC all the way.” He smiled.
Theo flushed. “I’m still kicking that around.”
Baby Brother wanted to join the Marine Corps, to follow in Landon and Gavin’s footsteps. But he hesitated because Landon had been medically discharged due to injuries sustained during battle. And Gavin…Gavin was all messed up. A bullet in the ribs had healed well enough. As had that punctured lung and torn quad. But the bombs that had killed his friends had brought on some god-awful nightmares and shakes he hadn’t been able to subdue on his own. Made his job as a sniper difficult.
So like his brother, he’d been medically discharged, but without the primo retirement payMajorDonnigan had earned. Instead Gavin, now a medically retired master sergeant, had a tiny-ass pension, medical benefits, some spiffy medals, and a GI Bill he had yet to put to use.
“Well, I for one think you’d look good in green,” Hope said.
Linda frowned. “Theo, take your time. The military isn’t for everyone.”
