Page 36 of Brett and Rowdy
“No, he’s used to this, and he said it’s worth it to spend some time. He wouldn’t have gone on this business trip if he’d had any other choice.”
“So I read in the paper that there’s going to be an ’80s prom at the reunion.” Madison stood and came over to hug him. “Are you all going to go?”
He hugged her tight and shook his head. What the hell would he do at an ’80s prom? Hell’s bells. He didn’t even remember the 1980s, not even a whiff of it, hardly. He was a ’90s baby—Nirvana and Tim McGraw.
“I’m really not into ’80s music, honey. I mean, if your Daddy Dan wants to, we will. He remembers way more of it than we do. I was really more of a Tori Amos kind of girl.”
Madison snorted. “Angry girl music and Lilith Fair. My mom, ladies and gents.”
“What can I say?” Ash laughed, then oofed. “Well, hello, pupper. What is this guy’s name?”
“Mr. Mann.” Brett finally spoke up. “He’s a good boy. Rowdy says you have a little dog, but he’s real good with them.”
“Oh, Mischa is asleep upstairs. But I’m sure he’ll figure out someone new is in his territory. He thinks Barney is the devil because he’s so big.”
“My Barney is the perfect gentleman,” Rowdy murmured.
“He is! It’s all Mischa. He’s a tiny freak, and kind of territorial. But he’d never bite or anything.” Ashley was bustling. He could hear her heels clicking on the floor as she fussed. Only she would think of going axe tossing in her one-inch pumps.
“Go change, Ash. That way when Dan gets here, we’ll be ready.”
“You just don’t want me up in the bedroom with him.”
“Ew. No. Good call, Daddy,” Madison told him.
Ash made a raspberry sound. “I’ll sic Mischa on you.”
“Barney has my back.” He sucked his teeth, and Brett got to laughing, which made Mr. Mann dance, his nails clacking on the floor.
“I like your dog, Brett,” Madison said.
“Me too.” Brett’s chuckles wore down after a bit, and he moved close. “Do we get to sit, or…”
“Shit.”
“Madison,” he warned.
“Sorry, Daddy. And sorry, Brett. I feel like jerk. We’re so used to Daddy being here and he just does whatever, and I forgot you haven’t been here before. I mean, Daddy Dan sees you all the time.”
“True. It’s weird I haven’t seen much of you.”
“Oh God, the last ten years or so, it’s been school and friends and activities. Not much time for family stuff that wasn’t all of us together, and when you and Daddy Dan are fishing in the summer, I’m in New Mexico. Come on. We’ll sit. You want anything to drink?”
“I would take a coffee or an iced tea, whichever y’all are on,” Brett said, following them to the den. Good call, rather than the formal living room, which echoed when he walked into it.
They sank down on the couch just in time for a fuzzy little terrorist to come racing down the stairs, barking his little fool head off.
“Mischa. You be nice,” Madison said.
“Oh, now. You are adorable. Yes, you are.” He could just imagine the wicked grin on Brett’s face. “Look, Mr. Mann! It’s a furry toy.”
“Arrrroooof.”
The barking stopped with a little yelp, but he could hear how far apart the dogs were. Little Mischa was just totally shocked that Mr. Mann had talked back.
“He just wants to be friends, buddy,” Brett murmured.
The scrabbling and scratching told him Mischa was running right back up the stairs to his number-one human. Which was when Dan got home. So it was good timing.
