“He’s a…” more low murmuring, “dickheadwho broke Gigi’s heart and treated her like garbage.”
“I wouldn’t say he broke my heart.” I try to laugh, but it sounds weird. “He did treat me pretty bad, though.”
“He’s the guy you told me about.” I glance up to see Owen’s jaw is tight. “Where is he? I’d like to block him.”
Exhaling another weird-sounding laugh, I take my phone from Haddy. “He’s nowhere. Nobody’s going to find him, and we’re all done talking about it.” I make a very dramatic show of tapping my phone screen. “Blocked.”
“They always come back.” Haddy shakes her head, going to the door. “Jerks.”
“I have an idea!” I bend my knees, so I’m on Maddie’s level. “Why don’t we take Ladybird out back and see what we can teach her before dinner? Want to?”
“Yes!” Maddie yells, tossing her dad’s calendar onto the table. “Come on, Ladybird! Let’s be fancy!”
Straightening, I look from Owen to his sister. He’s clearly still angry, but Heather’s eyebrow is arched like she just collected some valuable information.
I’m wobbly from the shock, but I manage to play it off. I think. “Let’s see if we can make Ladybird fancy!”
14
OWEN
Maverick stops me in the kitchen with a beer. He’s standing in front of the sink shaking a container of chicken breasts in hot sauce.
“Can you get over my cousin?” He laughs.
“No, I can’t.” My brow is down, and I’m seething.
How dare that fuckface text Gina out of the blue? She tried to hide it, but the shock was clear on her face. Her cheeks flushed, and she actually looked ashamed. As if she has anything to be ashamed of.
I’m going to find that guy, grab him by the neck, and…blockhim. With my fist.
“Whoa, who burned your biscuits?” Mav holds up a hand laughing, and I realize he wasn’t in the room for the text.
“Sorry.” I try to shake off the rage and take a cooling sip of beer. “What were you talking about?”
“I was talking about Haddy not changing poopy diapers. The real question is what wereyoutalking about?”
“It’s nothing. Just some guy texting Gina.”
Mav’s brow furrows. “A guy texted Gina…” He nods slowly. “And that bothers you.”
It’s not a question, and I realize I’ve shown my hand. “It’s not like that… It’s because?—”
“Because I wasright at the wedding!” He laughs, slapping my shoulder. “And you tried to play it off. I knew there was something going on there.”
“It was a text from Baxter.”
“The asshole?” Mav sets the container down hard. “He’d better not be sniffing around here again. I’ll punch him right in the nose.”
“I’ll help you.”
Mav nods, grabbing my shoulder. “You’re a good man, Sly. Have you seen the wedding pictures of you and Gina?”
“No…” I think about walking with her down that aisle, how beautiful she was, how she tried to pull away from me. How I found her crying. How she ran…
“They’re really good. I’ll send you the link.”
ARoooo!from the backyard breaks the tension, and I nod at my friend. “Thanks, now let me see what these ladies are doing.”
