Kyler wheezes. “A what?”
“A swan?” Bennett asks.
“It’s not like that.”
“Is it pink and sparkly?” Boone asks.
“No. It’s clear.”
He smiles. “Still embarrassing, bro.”
Orry shakes his head. “Man buys a decorative bird and suddenly he’s a changed man. Or were you a changed man and then you bought the decorative bird?” He tugs at his chin sitting in his bestThinking Manpose.
“Leave him alone,” Kyler says. “At least he’s not like Ward.”
Jake straightens proudly. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Dude, you once tried to flirt with a girl by explaining zone coverage.”
“What are you talking about? That worked,” Jake says.
Kyler cocks his head. “She thought you were explaining parking rules.”
Laughter ripples across the room again and I shake my head, grabbing my bag. “You guys done?”
Boone smirks. “Nope.” He points at me again. “You’re moving her in today, right?”
“The guest house, yeah. Why?” I ask.
Bennett whistles again. “You’re deep in it, man.”
“I offered her a place to stay. Her landlord sold her building. She’d be homeless if I didn’t.”
Jake grins. “Not a place to stay dude. You built her a nest.”
I zip my bag. “Oh, for fuck’s sake.”
“Alright,” Boone says, standing. “We’re coming.”
“What?” I deadpan. “Oh fuck, no.”
“Oh, hell yes.”
Orry tosses his shirt over his shoulder and loudly announces, “Road trip!”
Jake claps his hands. “Helping women move in is our love language.”
“This is a terrible idea,” I mutter.
Kyler grins and pats my back. “Too late, pal.”
The second I turn onto my driveway, I hold my breath in anticipation. There are too many cars. Way too many cars. I slow my SUV and squint through the windshield.
There’s Boone’s truck.
Jake’s stupid red Jeep.
Kyler’s sedan.
