Into the Tide (Cottonwood Cove #1)(99)
Lila had been surprised to see her car in the driveway when we’d returned. I’d informed her that I wasn’t going to buy the same damn car twice, and I demanded that Brax take it off the lot and bring it to my house. She’d laughed her ass off and thanked me by dropping to her knees as soon as we’d walked through the door.
Now that we’d admitted how we felt, and everything was out in the open, we couldn’t seem to keep our hands to ourselves. I’d never been a guy who enjoyed PDA of any kind, but with Lila, I didn’t fucking care. If she was in the room, my hands were on her.
I was down in my office, and Lila was upstairs doing some inventory while we got ready to close up. I’d come down here to turn off my computer before we went home for the day. My phone buzzed on my desk, and I leaned back in my chair when I saw it was a text from Cage in our sibling group chat.
Cage
Mrs. Remington just brought her pug, Mr. Wigglestein, into the office and asked me if I knew of any single female pugs that were looking for love. Apparently, she wants to breed him. Does she think I’m running a fucking dating app for dogs?
It’s not a bad idea. There’s someone out there for everyone, brother. <heart eyes emoji>
Finn
Yep. If Hugh Reynolds can settle down, I don’t see why the pug can’t.
Brinkley
I love sappy Hugh so much.
Georgia
I love Hughey being all gooey for his girl. So, while you’re feeling so happy… if she breeds Mr. Wigglestein, can I get a baby Wigglestein and have it live with me in the casita?
Cage
First off, it pisses me off when people use salutations on animals. He’s not a congressman. He’s a fucking dog, who happens to have major breathing problems, and she should focus on keeping him alive, not procreating. Secondly, you don’t have a job yet, but you’re already adopting an animal? Do you know how much work they are, Georgie?
Georgia
Oh, what was that? I fell asleep for a minute. It must have been the fact that you’re giving me that same old broken-record speech that I’ve heard on repeat since I started college. <sleeping emoji>
As long as you take care of it, and it doesn’t shit in my house, I’d be fine with it.
Finn
Cage, do you remember when Hugh pooped in the house when he was around five years old because he wanted to measure it, so he took a big shit behind Mom’s fake Ficus tree?
Cage
I do. Because he used my blue school ruler to measure his giant crap and got his shit all over it.
Hugh
Hey, big hands. Big feet… Big shit. That thing was a good eight inches. Not bad for a five-year-old.
Brinkley
Ewwww… No more shit talk. I’m currently stalking a football player who refuses to give me an exclusive interview. Remind me why I chose sports journalism. I could just be reporting on the local news, and life would be much easier.
Georgia
Because you had a crush on that football player, Johnny Walker, in high school.
Johnnie Walker is a brand of scotch. She had a crush on Willie Nelson.
Finn
Willie Nelson is a country singer. It was Johnny Nelson. Have you all been dipping in the sauce already?
Brinkley
Damn that Johnny Nelson for making me think this would be easy. That kid was putty in my hands.
Georgia
Well, Dad always says, nothing worth fighting for ever comes easy.
Finn
If I had a nickel for every time that I haven’t gotten a part I auditioned for and Dad has said that…
You’d have a fucking quarter? You’ve gotten almost everything you’ve ever auditioned for.
Finn
Look at you, pumping me up. I have to agree with the girls. I love soft Hugh.
Nothing soft about me, fucker.
Finn
There he is. But I do like seeing you happy, brother.
Cage
You going to just keep playing house, or are you going to put a ring on it?
Did you seriously just quote Beyonce?
A dozen Beyonce memes came flying through our text chain, and I laughed my ass off.
“What’s so funny down here?” Lila asked, as she appeared in the doorway.
I knew that I’d marry her, sooner rather than later.
But we weren’t in a rush.
We were enjoying the moment.
“You know, the usual. Cage just quoted Beyonce.” I pushed to my feet. “Is everyone gone?”