CHAPTER 36
Declan
Finn barges in, followed by Special K.I really need to put a lock on this cabin door.
I try to think of an excuse for why I might be buck naked in Summer’s living room, but all I can come up with is: “Allergies.”
I stand with my hands on my hips.“This is what I do to air out my psoriasis.Standing in front of the fire helps clear it up.It’s a known cure.I read it on the Mayo Clinic website.”
“All… er…gies,” Special K repeats, rolling the syllables around in his mouth like he’s tasting them.“Is that what the young people are calling it these days?”
“Since when do you have psoriasis?”Finn asks.“Since when do you read the Mayo Clinic website?Since when do you readanything?Andsincefucking whenare you just hanging around, casually airing out your inflamed junk in Summer’s house?”
“My junk is not inflamed.”
“I think we’re missing the point,” K says, smiling at me.“We’re not acknowledging the elephant in the room.”
He gestures toward my half-flaccid dick and I go scrambling.Their laughter echoes through the cabin as I search around for my boxer briefs, relieved to find them under the couch.I put them on.
Finn shakes his head.“K said he hadn’t seen Summer since yesterday, so we came to make sure all is well.”
“Looks like Declan’s been taking care of business around here.”Special K wanders over to the coffee table and picks up one of the grilled cheese plates to inspect the crumbs.He sets it down again and nonchalantly strolls into Summer’s tiny galley kitchen and opens her fridge, looking for food.The man’s always looking for food.
Bro’s outta luck today.
“It’s not what it looks like,” I insist.
Hey, it’s the truth.It probably looks like I’m banging Summer.They have no clue that I’m banging my wife.And those are two very different things.But I’m not sure I’m allowed to say anything about having a wife.
“I want to sit somewhere, but I don’t know where it’s safe to sit,” Finn says.He scans the front room.“The couch?The armchair?”
“I’d stick to a dinette chair if I were you,” I say in a sheepish voice.
Finn looks disgusted but sits, and I watch as his face takes on a shell-shocked expression.He looks as disturbed as he did the day Jasmine asked him where babies come from.
Special K is just fine, however.He appears the same as he does on any given day.He’s totally unperturbed.He sits on the couch and puts his feet up on the coffee table.It seems he’s found an old chicken leg in the fridge, and he’s salting it generously, then takes a bite.
“I have no idea how old that chicken is,” I warn him.
“Smells fine,” he says, snarfing it down.
“Is Summer here?”Finn asks.
“Yep,” I say.
He nods, processing this information.“Is she hiding?”
“Duh,” Special K says.“I’d hide too if I found myself in the same house as this naked, itchy motherfucker.”
“I don’t really have allergies,” I say, thinking it’s time for them to stop speaking ill of my junk.
“No shit,” K says, shaking his head.
“So, is this going to be a thing from now on?Or is it just a one-time thing?”
Finn looks nervous when he asks me this.I think he’s worried about Summer.I’m glad he’s got her back, but I’m pissed that he thinks I’m some no-good dirty dawg.
Fine.Maybe I deserve that label.It’s all my brothers have seen from me, isn’t it?I’m going to have to rehabilitate my reputation around here.
