Chuckling, he nods. “But I get to borrow it.”
Aunt Kitty leans back and looks Theo in the eyes. “I don’t know if I’m comfortable with anyone else slipping into my kayak’s hole.”
“Can you not phrase it like that?” I say. “Also, we’re not taking a kayak home. There is no need for a kayak. She doesn’t even know how to paddle in a kayak, and the last thing I need is for her to capsize in a kayak. So we’re returning it, plain and simple.”
“Is this right?”
“Perfect,” Rupert says as he takes pictures of Aunt Kitty in her kayak, which she has namedThe Admiral.
On full display for all the neighbors to see, she’s out in the front yard, paddling her little heart out and shouting terms like “ahoy” and “starboard side” and “nookie shack,” whatever the hell that is.
I’m sitting on the porch, less than thrilled with the outcome.
Like…why?
Why was it necessary for Theo to buy that thing?
Was he trying to win brownie points? Because I can tell you right now, he’s won negative points.Extremelynegative.
Was he trying to get in my good graces? Because it’s doing the exact opposite.
“From the way you’re stewing, I can tell that you’re not happy withThe Admiral,” Theo says from the bottom of the porch stairs.
Looking him in the eyes, I say, “We need to talk.”
Nervously, he taps the stair post and says, “Uh, is that a good ‘We need to talk’ or a bad ‘We need to talk’?”
“What do you think?”
“Bad.”
I tap my nose. “You got it. Come with me.”
I bring him into my house, but I leave the door open, just for good measure. Then I point to the couch and say, “Take a seat.”
To his credit, he does as he’s told, and I grab a piece of paper and a pen.
“We need to set some ground rules if you’re going to stay for a few days?—”
“The summer,” he says. “I’m staying for the summer. Just want to make sure that’s clear.”
“Are you sure?”
“The house is paid through August. I’m very sure.”
August?
But it’s June 2.
That’s…that’s so long.
“Well, then we need this more than anything.”
“Need what?” he asks.
“An agreement of sorts.”
“I thought we had one.”
