Angus holds the ice pack to his nose. “You know, not everything between us needs to be a competition.”
“Yes it does.”
“No it doesn’t.”
“Yes it does.”
“No it—”
“Give me strength,” says Grandma.
Charlie shakes his head. “I’d forgotten what a pair of fucking idiots you two could be when you were fighting.”
“It’s like they revert to eight years old, making jokes about dingleberries.” Grandma sighs.
“Sorry, Audrey,” says Angus. He then turns his attention to me. Or more accurately, to my left hand, the one currently holding my phone. “Nice ring.”
Huh. I honestly forgot I had the thing on. The beyond-beautiful, wildly expensive rocks sitting pretty on my finger. And I know I have to give them back but I don’t really want to for various reasons.
“I’m surprised to see you still wearing it,” says Grandma.
Nash shrugs. “It was a gift. You don’t give gifts back.”
“Then should she move it to another finger?” asks Grandma with great interest.
This question gets no response from Nash. While we all agreed to mind our own business, I wouldn’t mind hearing his thoughts on the subject. Even with an audience presence.
“You know, standing beside him isn’t always the easiest place to be,” says Angus, in his low and steady tone. His facial expressions also seem more subdued than his brother’s. Although it could be due to the damage done during their fight. I still can’t believe they were throwing punches.
“I remember how his fans hounded Jenna Singh,” says Grandma. “The poor girl said she didn’t listen to country music in an interview about her new film, and the vitriol she had leveled at her…”
Charlie grunts. “Didn’t they do a similar thing to Lili Macon?”
“She said some pretty harsh things about me in a song,” says Nash.
“Be honest.” Angus gives him a small smile. “She didn’t say anything that wasn’t true.”
Nash crosses his arms. “I was twenty-three years old. Of course I was inconsiderate and thoughtless. Though just between us, it was impressive how many words she found to rhyme with asshole.”
“I actually quite like that song,” says Grandma. “It’s fun to dance to.”
“And we’re only talking about pressure from the fans. I wonder where our friends in the media are. There’s been no sign of them out front.” Charlie offers me another fried egg from the pan.
And I shake my head. “Thank you, but I’m no longer eating for three.”
Grandma snorts and picks up her phone. Seems having sex on the regular improves her mood. Though it might also be thanks to having our lies exposed. She really didn’t like any ofthat situation. Her finger slides across her cell screen and she pauses. “There’s a post about an emergency town meeting.”
“Is that something that happens often?” I ask.
Grandma’s brows are raised as she shakes her head. “No.”
“Curious timing,” says Nash. “When is it?”
“Right now.”
The town hall is still in its original building—a grand old three-story building housing the library and city council. A hundred or so people are already seated when we sneak in to stand at the back. Molly the mayor is at the lectern, trying to calm some commotion. And she’s still in her morning meditational yoga gear with her red hair tied back in a bun atop her head, instead of her professional attire. Guess this meeting really is an emergency.
“We’re not the church, Wade,” she says. “Excommunicating them is a smidgeon beyond our powers.”
