Before I could take a single step, the doorbell rang.
“Are you expecting anyone?” I whispered to Presley.
“No,” she whispered back and shook her head.
“Stay there. Check the cameras,” I said and moved toward the door with one hand on the handle of the gun tucked into the back of my jeans. I vaguely heard a phone ringing somewhere in the distance.
Peeking out the window, I audibly sighed with relief when I saw Presley’s parents standing on her front porch. “It’s your parents,” I said and opened the door.
“How often do you stare at your phone while we’re calling?” Alice asked, her voice slightly echoing.
“Mom!” Presley gasped. “Are you live streaming?”
“Yes,” she said as if Presley should have known. “But I’m beginning to think you forgot.”
“No, I didn’t forget,” Presley said and gestured for her parents to come in. “I assumed we weren’t doing it, you know, because your leg is broken. Why didn’t you say anything yesterday?”
“Becausesheforgot,” Eugene chuckled and moved to the far side of the room. I assumed he was the one live streaming by the way he was holding his phone.
“I didn’t forget about the class,” Alice huffed. “But I did forget to remind you yesterday. You know I recently bumped my head on the side of a mountain while I was fighting off a coyote.”
“Yes, I do, which is why I thought you’d want to reschedule our self-defense class.”
“No, this is the best time to learn. When I’m injured and vulnerable,” Alice explained.
“Sorry to interrupt,” I said. “Where are you taking this class?”
“The new gym off of Harrison Street,” Presley answered.
“I can’t promise anything on such short notice, but if you can give me a few minutes, I might be able to arrange a private self-defense class taught by professionals who train MMA fighters,” I said. “If not, me and some of the brothers will teach you. Wecan use the gym at the clubhouse. I promise it will be better than anything you’ll get from a commercial facility.”
“Oh! Yes, please! Take your time,” Alice said excitedly. “It’ll take Presley more than a few minutes to get ready.”
“Mom!” Presley sounded slightly horrified as she stared at her phone. “Who’s monitoring your comments?”
“Miles is. Why?” Alice asked and looked down at her phone. “Oh! He’s been trying to call. What’s going on?”
“Nothing major,” Presley said. “Just Ink’s new fan club is starting in my living room.”
“I’m sorry, what?” I blurted.
“Might want to put a shirt on,” Eugene said. “I learned that one the hard way.”
Alice nodded in agreement. “One time, I was showing my followers my garden. Well, I didn’t know Eugene was out there putting up my new trellis. Shirtless. I’m telling you. I had to make my claim known. I don’t know what your generation says. But I had to threaten to spray mine with the water hose if they came knocking on my man’s door.”
Presley clapped her hands together. “Okay. So, Ink is going to put a shirt on and make some phone calls while Ariel and I get ready. Please refrain from sharing additional stories about my dad and the women lusting after him until we’ve left the room.”
“Right. If you’ll excuse me, I think I have an extra shirt in my truck,” I said.
“What happened to the one you were wearing?” Alice asked.
“Sir Pickles got out of his enclosure and pooped on Ink’s chest,” Ariel told her.
Alice’s nose wrinkled in disgust. “Say no more. Welcome to a club no one wants to be in.”
“Awesome. We should make shirts,” I said.
“We should,” Alice agreed. “A Bearded Dragon Pooped on Me, or something like that. We could put a picture of Sir Pickleson it, since he’s the one responsible for this idea.” Alice looked down at her phone. “Miles says we’re getting a lot of comments from followers wanting to buy a T-shirt. I suppose we could do something like that and donate the proceeds to a bearded dragon rescue. What do you guys think?”
