Into the Tide (Cottonwood Cove #1)(84)
Brinkley
Kaeran and I broke up. I thought you’d all be thrilled to hear that.
Finn
Do we need to have Hugh kick his ass, or did you dump him?
Brinkley
No dumping. He wanted to take the next step, and I wasn’t feeling it. The wedding was an eye opener. We spent the whole weekend together, and I was just…
Bored out of your mind?
Cage
Exhausted from having to hold the conversation?
Finn
Desperate to get away?
Georgia
Ready for a change?
Brinkley
Stooop. He’s a great guy. We just didn’t have much in common.
Cage
Because he’s a major snooze fest. You’d have more in common with a rock than that dude. Good riddance, KAREN!
Brinkley
Not nice. Can we go back to focusing our attention on Georgie’s boyfriend, who didn’t attend the wedding?
Oh, you mean, Mr. It’s Not About Me, so I’ve suddenly got a migraine, Diktok?
Finn
Or, Mr. He Should Be Extinct, Dikosaurus?
Cage
How about, See You Later, Dikonater?
Brinkley
You Dik not go there, did you?
Georgia
You are all complete dickheads. Not dik-heads. Real dickheads. He gets migraines because his IQ is abnormally high, and he can’t turn his brain off.
Wait. Did Dr. Dik diagnose himself?
Cage
I’m going to need to see something in writing. Who possibly diagnosed him with too high an IQ? The dude has a limited vocabulary and can barely form a complete sentence.
Finn
Maybe we should get him a dik-tionary to help him out.
Georgia
I get it. He’s not your favorite. Subject change, please.
Brinkley
What else is going on?
Georgia
Hughey, when does Lila leave? Are you sad?
Finn
I think our Hughey is going to be a bit down in the dumps. I know this because he’s never around to hang out. Didn’t invite me on the boat last night when he took his “roommate” out for a ride.
I didn’t know you were in town. I thought you were in the city.
I did know he was in town, but I wasn’t going to admit that I purposely didn’t invite him, and I was fucking happy about it because Lila had rocked my world when she’d climbed onto my lap. When we were together, nothing else mattered.
Cage
I call bullshit.
Brinkley
I’m kind of on their side on this one, Hughey. Seems a little suspicious.
Georgia
I get it. I love her, too.
No one loves anyone. Take it down a notch, assholes.
Finn
Ohhh… we hit a nerve. There’s definitely something going on.
Cage
I’ll get it out of him. I’m here. Sitting at a table alone in your restaurant, looking like a sad sack of shit, and Mrs. Runither is making crazy eyes at me. Get your ass up here.
Coming now.
Finn
That’s what she said!
I barked out a laugh and slipped my phone into my back pocket, making my way upstairs and finding my brother quickly. Unfortunately, the old horndog, Mrs. Runither, hurried over to intercept me before I made it there.
“Hello, Hugh. This place is packed, as usual.”
“Yep.” I shoved my hands into my pockets because I was irritated that I had to stand here and talk to her. I glanced over to see Cage watching me with a hand over his mouth, trying not to laugh.
“Have you found yourself a lady yet? A big, strapping man like you shouldn’t be alone,” she purred, making every attempt to be sexy, but appearing desperate. And considering her age, it was awkward as fuck when she grabbed my hand and studied the size of it.
I leaned in close to whisper in her ear. “I’ve taken a vow of celibacy, you know, since the Irritable Bowel Syndrome started. There’s nothing quite like getting the shits in the throes of passion.”
Her eyes doubled in size, and she pulled her hand away.
That oughta do it.
She waved at me before hurrying back to her table.