There’s only one thing to do here.
I angle in my dash toward him, feel the heat growing as I get right up next to him, and I use all of my momentum to shove him into the water.
Unfortunately though, that’s not where my momentum ends.
And when his eyes go wide and he realizes he’s falling backward, he reaches for the nearest thing.
Me.
And that’s how I, too, end up tumbling into the pool.
2
Theo Monroe, aka a guy who does his best to not get himself into these situations when it’s important, but who generally has zero regrets
Uncle Owen’sdares aren’t usually quite so lit. They’re normally more low-key, like the time we left a bunch of mice all over the park.
Taxidermy mice. Just so we’re clear on that.
Once people were done freaking out, we went viral on Instagram as the Colorado mouse town. Even had those national news people in to interview everyone, who pretended they had no idea where so many taxidermy mice would’ve come from.
This one could end with similar attention. Decker Sullivan was recording it.
Not that setting a flamingo costume on fire and being shoved into the pool by my sister’s straight-laced best friend was myintention.
Funny shit happens when I’m around.
It’s pretty awesome being me.
Or so I’m thinking as I surface.
And then I shake the water out of my eyes, slick my hair back, and spot the look of utter grief on Emma’s face as she tries to nudge Chandler further away from the pool. And me.
Fuck.
Lucky Sullivan, another of the Sullivan triplets, is apparently oblivious to the bride and groom’s reactions. He’s grinning while he offers me a hand to help me out of the pool. “Can’t just set yourself on fire, can you? Have to get yourself rescued by the last person I’d ever guess would go into a pool fully clothed to help your ass. Classic, man. Classic.”
I grin back at him, actively choosing to ignore the horrified looks from everyone behind him. It’s not just Em now. It’s pretty much everyone in Chandler’s extended family who are down here with us. “What can I say? Trouble likes me.”
He snorts.
I grin bigger and almost fall back in the pool while I try to pull myself out.
This blow-up costume’s awkward when it’s wet. Who knew?
“Careful next time,” Jack Sullivan, triplet number three, is saying as he pulls Delaney Kingston out of the pool a few feet away. “That thing’s battery-operated. Not enough juice in a couple double-A’s to shock the pool, but you definitely don’t want to take a chance with electricity and water.”
“Well, when my options were electrocution with double-A batteries or watching Emma’s brother explode in flames, I went with the lower risk.”
“Stick in the mud,” Lucky mutters.
“Which one?” I reply.
He chokes on another laugh while I drag the rest of my flat, dead costume out of the pool.
I start to chuckle too, but then I catch sight of Emma again.
Tossing another frustrated frown my way like this is one more thing I’ve done on purpose to make her fiancé miserable.
