“Dad, it’s okay. Relax. Everything’s covered.”
I saw her mouth to Bruce, ‘You didn’t clean the toilet?’ and he shrugged his response. Jake, Casey, and I exchanged amused glances. Apparently I wasn’t worth a clean toilet, but Jake certainly was. Maybe Kenzie should have thought through her surprise visit.
“Thanks for having us.” I stepped in, in an attempt to stem the awkwardness.
“Oh, yeah, yeah. Of course. It’s great to see you again, Kyle. I hear you’re a fan of Udder’s Day?”
“I am, and I hear you own a cow costume.”
“I do.” He grinned, looking more relaxed. “Just say the word and it’s yours.”
“Ooh, wow, such a nice offer. Actually, I was thinking Jake could wear it.”
Jake whipped his head around. “Wait, what’s a cow costume?”
“Pretty much exactly what it sounds like,” I answered, and then turned to the others. “Sorry, he doesn’t get out much.”
I got a good laugh at my brother’s expense. Always my favorite kind.
“Why shouldIwear it?” he complained.
“So no one will recognize you.”
“I’d actually rather take a thousand pictures with fans than wear a cow costume.”
“And so you will,” Kenzie patted his shoulder. “It should be a fun day for you.”
“As long as we can pull him away from the crowds long enough so I can get a picture of him milking a cow,” Casey said.
“Okay, I don’t understand how Kyle’s special day has suddenly become my nightmare.”
* * *
Since noneof us had showered in two days, Kenzie and Casey went off to clean up first, and something told me my embarrassed girlfriend would be doing a quick toilet scrub while she was at it. Bruce hung around talking to us for a few minutes and then excused himself to go pick up lunch. That left Jake and me to fend for ourselves with the three C’s. Caroline talked non-stop and would just randomly snap photos of us and send them off right in the middle of the conversation. Not to be outdone, Cooper and Colton were one-upping each other in an attempt, apparently, to impress us. Moments later the argument started. First came the f-bombs, and then came the fists. The boys tumbled their way through the living room, knocking over a side table in the process. Jake and I watched wide-eyed and entertained as the boys went at it. I’d never seen anything escalate that quickly.
Kenzie, her hair wet and tangled, rounded the corner with an angry look on her face. She got right between the two boys, grabbed their arms, and, without saying a word, marched them to the front door and pushed them both outside. Then she turned around and walked back to the bedroom without even glancing in our direction.
Caroline, who’d been forced to stop talking during her brothers’ brawl, continued her conversation the minute Cooper and Colton were safely killing each other outside.
“So do you mind, then?” she asked.
Jake and I exchanged a look.
“Mind what?” I questioned. I couldn’t recall her asking us anything before the MMA fight began.
“If my friends come over? They just want to meet you guys.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” I said. “Maybe you should ask your sister first.”
“She won’t care.”
“How about we meet them later at the festival? Your dad’s bringing back lunch, and he probably doesn’t have enough for everyone,” Jake reasoned.
“Oh. I already told them to come.”
“Okay, then.” Jake looked my way, grinning.
I was trying to come up with another excuse when the knock came at the door and four teenage girls filed in.Damn, that was fast.People sure hustled in small towns.
