Page 107 of Barefoot Dreams
“How are you feeling? Nauseous?” I ask, and she shakes her head.
“No, it already took my soul this morning. There’s nothing left.”
“I’m so sorry, Birdy. I wish I could take that away from you.” I kiss her forehead.
“Griffin—”
“We can blame the lavender. That fucker’s been messing with us from the start,” I whisper, and Julie snorts. That quick, sudden bark of laugh cutting through a bit more tension.
I lean my forehead against hers, bringing the somber mood back. “There’s something I need to show you,” I tell her. “Let me go get changed and—”
Julie suddenly gasps as if just realizing that I really am, drenched indeed, and it’s slowly seeping into her as well.
“Sweet daisies, Griffin, you’re soaked through all the way. We need to get you a towel!” She starts looking around.
“What am I? Chopped liver?” Cal spreads his arms out, water dripping from them.
“You will be after I’m done with you,” Julie grits through her teeth, sending another glare at him. “And stop interrupting!”
“Missed you too, sis, it’s not like I just tried to defend your honor or anything?”
“Want a medal?”
“And compensation for moral damage.”
“You’re such an idiot, Callum.” She sighs, wiping another bead of water off my face that keep on dripping from my hair.
“See! He’s already a bad influence on you! You never cursed before.”
“Mm-hmm, or it also could be because I’m a thirty-two-year-old adult. I grew up. Wanna try that, Cal?”
Callum narrows his gaze at me. “My sister! It had to be my fucking sister, you asshole! And stop mauling her when I’m right-fucking-here!”
“Yes. It had to be. Always.” I gaze into Julie’s eyes and then holler, “And suck it up!”
Cal sighs, closing his eyes as I nuzzle my face into Julie’s neck.
“Okay.” Luke claps his hands. “This was fun! Now, before you run off into the sunset, both of you, clean up.” He points to me and Cal, his voice all stern. “I don’t hear you?”
“Yes, Chief,” I mumble, and the most Luke gets from Cal is a grunt, but that seems like an accomplishment all on its own.
Luke, though, is getting a sick kick out of this power game because he grins like an idiot and says, “God, I love being in charge,” before sauntering off with his wife in tow.
“That was so heartbreakingly romantic,” Grace whispers to Luke as they close his office door.
My eyes are tracking the asshole with a shake to my head. Forget Joy, it’s Grace who needs a monument in the middle of LC for putting up with my best friend.
I turn back to my girl because no one else matters right now. Or ever.
“Can you go wait for me somewhere? I’ll come meet you right away. There’s just something I need to do before that.”
“Wh-where?”
“Home, beach, anywhere.”
“Can it be my garden?” she asks, sniffling in the most adorable way and my shoulders shake with a silent laugh.
“Yeah, Birdy. It can definitely be your garden.”
