Page 132 of The Goat in the Bedroom
“Fair point. California's corrupted you then.”
We took about fifteen photos while Gryff and Flynn stood to the side, holding the animals like very confused farmhands.
“Are these your... boyfriends?” one woman asked, barely glancing at the twins.
“That one's mine,” Tempest said, pointing at Flynn, who perked up.
“Oh, like in 'Twelfth Night Lights,” the woman squealed. “The twin football players. Did you base those characters on them?”
“Maybe a little,” Tempest admitted, and Flynn preened until she added, “Though I made them more interesting in the book.”
“I'm actually—“ Flynn started.
“Could you take a photo of us?” the woman asked, handing him her phone.
Jules was absolutely dying of laughter in the background, recording everything.
“This is definitely going in the family chat,” she wheezed. “Flynn getting treated like a photography assistant is my new favorite Christmas gift.”
After the women left, gushing about how they'd be watching both of us in our upcoming seasons, Flynn stood there looking bewildered.
“Did we just... not get recognized?”
“You got recognized,” I said sweetly. “As the guy holding the donkey.”
“I'm a professional football player.”
“And I'm sure that's very nice for you,” Tempest patted his cheek. “Now help me get Burrito back in the trailer.”
The rest of the drive was mostly Jules playing increasingly chaotic music while coordinating puppy logistics via text. Apparently, the puppy, a tiny version of the dog we'd all grown up with, was currently with the neighbors and would be snuck over after Bridger went to bed.
“Isak has detailed instructions on the super-secret sneaky plan to get the puppy into the garage including a temporary soundproof doghouse made out of egg cartons,” Jules reported. “There are drawings and everything.”
“Of course there is,” Gryff laughed. “Kid's nothing if not thorough.”
We pulled up to the Kingman house just as the sun was setting. The whole place was lit up like a Christmas wonderland, lights on every surface, an inflatable Santa that was definitely new, and what looked like a reindeer made entirely of old practice equipment with a flat-football for a head.
“Did Everett make that?” I asked.
“Every year someone adds a new addition,” Gryff confirmed. “Last year it was the Christmas lobster.”
“The what?”
But before he could explain, the front door burst open and the entire Kingman family poured out.
“My babies,” Nana called out, already in full grandmother mode.
“About time.” Chris shouted. “We've been tracking your location for the last hour.”
Penelope waddled out behind Everett, looking massively pregnant and radiant. “If this baby comes early because of excitement, I'm billing all of you for the ambulance.”
“You look like you swallowed a basketball,” Jules told her.
“Two basketballs,” Penelope corrected. “Baby Boy is enormous. Gets it from your brother.”
Everett grinned like the snake that caught the canary.
The next few minutes were chaos filled with hugs, luggage, and then the animal reveal.
