The three of them share another look, then nod at her.
She blinks once.
I’m doing a little more than blinking. Might involve my lips twitching in a telltale manner and having to clear my throat to keep from having a verbal reaction.
Decker glares at me. “Not funny. It’s fucking real.”
“If any of us ever fall in love, our sibling connection will gokaboom,” Jack says.
Margie opens her mouth, then shuts it again.
Credit where credit is due—I believe this is an honest reaction.
Mine is too.
I’m almost laughing for the first time in—actually, I don’t remember how long.
Decker shoves me. “Don’t make me rewrite your character, asshole.”
Jack and Lucky are leaning so close to Margie that I almost can’t hear what they’re saying. But Jack’s dog has returned to his side, snout on Jack’s knee like he’s sayingit’s okay, buddy, I’m here. I got you.
“Back in high school, there was this chick who was Wiccan,” Jack’s saying.
“I thought Wiccans generally did no harm,” Margie murmurs.
“They’re not supposed to, but she was like, still learning,” Lucky says. “And Jack pissed her off.”
“You helped,” Jack replied.
“I walked into a landmine, dude. I didn’t know you were telling her witchcraft isn’t real.”
“Biggest mistake of your life,” Decker says.
“Witchcraft issoreal,” Lucky agrees.
Jack winces. “It…is.”
“So you pissed off a witch and she cursed you with having to choose between your brotherhood and finding true love?” Margie says.
“Yes,” all three of them answer together.
Once more, Margie—Margot Merriweather-Brown—does a fish impersonation for a moment, and fuck me if it’s not the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.
“So you all—you never date?” she says.
They share a look.
“We all…have fun…on occasion, but never let it get serious,” Lucky finally says.
“Don’t want to risk it,” Jack agrees.
“Fuckin’ right,” Decker says.
“If we didn’t date at all, people would get suspicious,” Lucky adds. “But it’s all good. We’re happy this way.”
“Wow,” she murmurs as Decker and Jack both nod.
“You’ve never been cursed?” I ask her.
