Page 23 of Definitely (Maybe) Dating
“You take that thing everywhere?” Owen asked.
“He has separation anxiety. We’re making good progress with the animal behavior specialist.”
“Your dog has a therapist?”
“Animal behaviorist. She’s the real deal. Even has her own show on HGTV.”
The brothers all stared in disbelief, speechless that their tough as nails brother was a fur-daddy to a five-pound accessory with whiskers and a bark that sounded like a squeaky chew toy.
Owen shook his head. “That’s grounds to revoke your man-card.”
“Me?” Rhett asked, clearly offended. “What about him?” He jerked his chin toward Josh. “He’s the one planning a tea party.”
“He’s got a point,” Owen agreed. “If the whole DA thing doesn’t work out, Darcy’s looking for an assistant planner. I can put in a good word for you.” Owen nudged a box of decorations with his foot. “What is all this shit?”
“Items for the auction,” he explained. “That over there is a self-portrait of Kitty Caldwell. And the framed plate over there. It’s from Rosco’s Chicken and Waffles. Justin Timberlake once ate off it.”
All three brothers burst out laughing.
“You don’t have time to help me plan Gage’s bachelor party, but you’re helping Mom’s friends pick out china patterns?” Owen asked.
“No one in this office would tell Kitty Caldwell no. And if any one of you lets it slide to Mom that I’m helping out the woman who beat her out for Auction Chair, I will tell Mom that you’ve all RSVPed for the auction and you’re also heading up the charity dinner portion of the evening.”
Owen paled.
Rhett shook his head. “No way. You saw what she did to my wedding. One more mom-run event, and Steph will leave me and grant me permanent custody of Littleshit.”
“Why aren’t you scared!” Owen asked Clay.
“Mom loves me the best.”
They all groaned, but no one argued. It was a widely known fact that Margo Easton doted on her youngest son.
“Well, when Kitty sweet talked me into helping, the mayor took it as some personal favor for him. Now his wife thinks I’m her assistant.” He held up a stack of messages and mail. “I’ve got decoration and flower people calling my private line, boxes with samples and auction items being delivered around the clock. There are so many sequins and tassels in here, I feel like I’m working out of a Vegas strip club.”
“No wonder you’ve been MIA since the party,” Clay said, picking up a crystal vase, then setting it on the other side of the chair.
“And here I thought you were avoiding me because I like to point out how badly you screwed up my bachelor party,” Rhett said. “But really you were protecting me and Steph from Mom’s meddling. Thanks for taking one for the team, man.”
“Glad the slow death of my career benefits your sex life,” Josh said. “And your bachelor party was epic.”
“If that’s what you call epic, then you need to get out more.”
Rhett was probably right. Between his caseload and announcing his run for District Attorney, Josh hadn’t had much time for much of anything. It was a rinse and repeat cycle that fluctuated between work, home, sleep. The most fun he’d had was his little sparing session with a sexy, sharp witted, and beautiful woman who he couldn’t stop thinking about. Which made no sense at all. He needed a relationship about as much as he needed another silent auction item. Plus, Josh went for blonde intellectual types who wore mile-high heels, frequented the Whiskey Depository, and loved to talk politics. Piper was none of those things but talking with her had been the most stimulating conversation he’d had in months.
“Hello?” Owen snapped his fingers in Josh’s face. “There you go, thinking about Pretty Photographer.”
Josh shoved his brother’s hand away. “I’m thinking about how I’m going to kick your ass if you don’t get out of my office.”
Owen ignored this and leaned all the way back in the chair, stretching out his legs, making himself right at home. He turned to Rhett. “When did Steph get in?”
“Last night. She felt bad about missing the party, so she flew in to take Darcy to the spa for a girls’ day,” Rhett said. “But tomorrow she flies to New York to attend some pop-up boutique. A shoe company hired her to go on behalf of the brand. Timing blows because I’m in the studio for the next two months and she’s traveling pretty much every week. It’s just me and Littleshit.”
Littleshit barked with delight.
“All the responsibilities, none of the benefits,” Owen said. “Welcome to how the rest of the world lives.”
“Why are you guys still here?” Josh asked.
