The Summer Deal (Wildstone #5)(42)

Brynn came toward her. “You know, my moms have far more love to give than they have children. Feel free to take some of it. You’d be doing me a favor. They’re . . . a lot.”

“Hey, we heard that!” came Olive’s disembodied voice. “And we’re not smothering in the least! Also, can you ask Kinsey where she got her heels? They’re fabulous.”

Kinsey blinked at Brynn. “Are they right outside the door?”

“That or they still have the kid monitor in here somewhere.”

Kinsey was . . . boggled. Still staring at Brynn, she said, “I buy my shoes online at a discount outlet. They’re still ridiculously priced, but I search the internet for coupons and wait for the four-for-the-price-of-three sales.”

“Nice,” Olive said. “I’ll need the website when you get a chance, honey.”

“Oh, and dinner’s ready,” Raina said. “I set the table for four.”

Brynn looked at Kinsey. “I warned you not to come in. It’s not my fault now—this is all on you. Let’s go.”

Which was how Kinsey found herself seated at the dining room table, where there were napkins—stolen from Taco Bell, but still—and everyone sat at the same time and ate together, talking, laughing, and talking some more.

The food was amazing. “I want to marry your enchiladas,” she told Raina.

Brynn’s mom smiled sweetly. “Everyone does. Do you cook?”

Kinsey laughed. “My culinary talents run in the direction of ordering takeout.”

They all laughed, and then Raina dished out small tins to each of the three of them.

Olive and Brynn stared at theirs with twin expressions of dread.

“What is it?” Kinsey asked.

“It’s my summer dry-skin balm,” Raina said. “Olive and Brynn have really dry skin, and I didn’t want to leave you out. It’ll fix you right up.”

Kinsey opened the salve, smelled it, and coughed. Yow.

“Never smell it,” Olive whispered.

When Raina moved into the kitchen to clear some dishes, Kinsey leaned into Brynn. “The salve smells like dirt.”

“It’s turmeric. Just smile and bear it.”

Raina came back, and everyone smiled at her. Somehow they started telling stories. Olive told them about the time Brynn’s grandma got arrested for trying to bring CBD oil onto a plane and ended up as a headline: Granny Arrested at LAX for Carrying Illegal Substances. “I had to drive to LA in the middle of the night and bail her out,” Olive said.

Raina shook her head. “You know I can beat that. Remember the year Brynn called from summer camp, sobbing because someone had taken her wubbie?”

“Yes,” Olive said. “You got in your car and headed right up there.”

“Yes, and as you know, halfway there, I got stopped by a cop for speeding. When I told him I was racing to summer camp to save a traumatized child, he said I was a nice grandma and should have a nice day.” She lifted her chin. “So I told him I was no one’s grandma, that I was in fact thirty-five years old, and he laughed.”

“Because you were forty-five,” Olive said.

“Forty!” Raina shot back.

“Right, and those five years were so important to you that you threw your soda at him and got arrested for assaulting an officer, and then resisting arrest.”

“Well, he wouldn’t listen to me!”

Brynn turned to Kinsey and gave her a look that said, Still think my life is all put together?

Yes, she did. She was smiling. In fact, her face hurt from smiling. She was still smiling when after dinner Brynn walked her out.

“You’re coming home with me, right?” Kinsey asked her.

“No.”

Her smile faded. “So then why did I sit through dinner?”

“Because you liked my mom’s enchiladas so much you moaned while eating them, and then nearly licked your plate. Plus, you laughed your ass off.”

Yeah, she had. At least until she’d realized that she’d been the bully at summer camp who’d stolen Brynn’s . . . “wubbie,” which had been a very old, ragged stuffed teddy bear. Her stomach still hurt thinking about it. “Look, about summer camp—”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Fine.” Because neither did Kinsey. “But here’s the thing. If I don’t bring you back, Eli and Max are probably going to change the locks on me.”

Brynn huffed out a dramatic sigh. “Well, I wouldn’t want you out on the streets.”

Kinsey paused and took a good look at her, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. “Hold on. You had every intention of agreeing to come back. You just wanted to see me beg. You need out of this house as badly as I need you in Eli’s.”

Brynn grimaced. “Maybe.”

Kinsey laughed. “You know what? You actually suck less than most people.”

“Good to know.”

“And . . .” Kinsey said, giving her a “let’s hear it” gesture.

“And what?”

“And I suck less than most people too,” Kinsey said.

“No, actually you suck way more than most people.”

Kinsey thought about it and nodded. “Yeah, probably. But you’re still going to come back, right?”