Page 26 of The Wiener Across the Way

I waited a moment to see if she was online, but those three little dots didn’t appear, so I shoved my phone back in my pocket.

Jules joined me in on the bench and batted her eyes up at me, pulling the cute little sister card on me. “Declan. You’re killing me. Did she call you or not? I have a vested interest in this relationship.”

“Dude, did you actually slip her your number on a Bestie bracelet?” Hayes held his phone out, showing another clip from last night.

Before I could tell him to fuck off, Flynn and Gryffen literally hopped over my gate and sauntered their way into my backyard too.

I was plagued with nosy brothers. “What are you two dickwads doing here? Don’t you have a game today?”

“Yeah,” Gryff said. “But it’s at home, and it’s not until this afternoon. So we thought we’d stop by and harass our celebrity older brother.”

They both played for the Denver State University Dragons. Just like the rest of us had. And Dad made sure each and every one of us earned our spot on that team. No favoritism for us. Just reduced tuition since he had been their championship winning coach for years.

“And we’re here to see if Hayes asked you to be our fourth tonight.” The two of them plopped down on either side of Hayes and each gave him noogies.

Hayes took it in stride and shrugged at me. He never let shit like this faze him. Probably because he was the best athlete in the family and about ten times smarter than all the rest of us. We all knew it. “Isak’s out until he gets his grades up.”

Isak was a straight A student as far as I knew. “He is, huh? And this has nothing to do with what’s trending on social media right now?”

“Dude. Of course it does.” Flynn looked at me like I was stupid or something. “The Besties have already found us. I got seven thousand new followers overnight. You have to game with us or we’ll have a riot on our hands.”

Gryff nodded. “Not to mention I’d have to cancel all eleventy-hundred dates I have lined up.”

Like either of them needed help with the ladies. Ev might be our love guru, but the twins were sleeping their way through the entire student body at DSU. I wasn’t helping them with shit. “No.”

“You don’t even have to say anything. Just play Schmadden with us. We’ll even let you win. Make you look good for your new fans,” Flynn said giving me a wink.

What the fuck was up with everyone offering to forfeit or let me win? That was some bullshit.

“You will not let me win, and you motherfuckers are going down.” I pointed to them both and gave them my game day face.

“Yes.” The twins high-fived over Hayes’s head. “See you tonight after we pound Minnesota State into the ground.”

The two of them gave Jules a quick kiss on the top of the head, which she swatted away, and then they were gone as fast as they had come.

That was enough family fun times for me today. “The rest of you all make like a twin and get out. I’ve got shit to do and none of it involves you chuckleheads.”

Ev gave me an all too knowing look that I didn’t like and did the whole fingers to eyes move. “You come to me when you need advice on how to woo your girl, Deck. Don’t fuck this up by being a grump. You got me?”

“What he said,” Jules chimed in. “We still need more women in this family. I expect you to do right by me.”

The two of them walked out, but Hayes hung back. “Someday you gotta teach me how to get a girl like that, kay?”

“I’m sure you can get any woman you want. Why don’t you go out right now and see.” I gave him a shove out the gate and went back inside to figure out how the fuck I was going to woo my girl.

Oh shit. Yeah.

She was mine.

She just didn’t know it yet.

My phone buzzed again with another text. This time it was from Kelsey, and I got a little zing. She sent a string of emoji. Yawning face, smiley face, music note. Then a brief message.

Good morning, Mr. Kingman. Thanks for helping me get to sleep last night.

I hoped that Mr. Kingman bit was because I called her queen of hearts. I sent a quick text back.

Let's do that again soon.

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