Page 161 of Story of My Life
The snarl came from the hallway.
“What’d those assholes do now?” Cam asked when Gage appeared, looking like he wanted to throw his phone across the room.
Gage drilled a finger into Cam’s chest. “You need to call that ex of yours and tell her to knock it off.”
Cam slapped his brother’s hand away. “Let’s talk about this later,” he growled.
“Who? Nina?” I asked.
Cam’s gaze whipped to me. “How do you know her?” he demanded.
“The roofers aren’t coming back until next week because Nina stole them for an ‘emergency’ job at city hall. Dominion’s paying them time and a half to cover some patio for employee lunch breaks,” Gage continued in rare temper.
“Fucking Dominion,” Levi agreed.
“I’d like to steal something back from them for a change,” Cam muttered.
The idea hit me like a plot twist. A suddenahalightning bolt to the brain. I pushed my chair back from my desk and sprang to my feet. “I have to go…research something,” I announced, gathering up my notebook and phone.
“Need help?” Cam offered wolfishly.
“I haven’t decided if your research services are required anymore,” I announced and hurried out of the room.
“Why do you guys look like you stayed up all night punching each other, and are those Mom’s vases?” I heard Gage ask as I headed for the front door.
I spentthe morning sweating off my makeup armor, cursing the fact that I didn’t have a vehicle with air-conditioning, and spying my way around Dominion. I pedaled around the town, zigging and zagging up and down streets, dodging the late-summer tourists.
I even swung by city hall and watched from the shade of an oak tree as Nina herself, in lemon-yellow stilettos and a matching sundress, delivered cold drinks to my roofers.
After my reconnaissance, I ducked into a souvenir shop, bought a ball cap and a bottle of sunscreen, then chose a restaurant at random for lunch, where I hunkered down at a corner table in the busy dining room and organized my notes.
I took a break when my Cobb salad arrived. It was wilty, and the kitchen had skimped on the chicken and dressing. However, judging from the lunch crowd, quality didn’t appear to be hindering them. Next to me, two sunburnt parents tried to simultaneously wrangle three cranky kids under the age of five and flag down the server for the check. I added more notes.
My phone buzzed on the table, and I picked it up.
Cam:You move out without telling me?
Me:Do you want something or are you just texting to annoy me?
Cam:Little bit of both. Just making sure you don’t need a ride. It’s a hot one.
Me:If I do need one, I don’t think I’d be calling you.
Cam:Still mad?
Me:Backing off mad and entering annoyed territory. The flowers got you a few points.
Cam:Mine are bigger than Levi’s.
Me:So is your black eye.
Cam:His gargantuan fist has more surface area.
Cam:He told me about the writing stuff.
Me:Was that before or after you two beat the snot out of each other?
Cam:Before, during, after? Who can remember? Point is. I was an asshole. And maybe I was jealous.
