"They're working on shit. Why don't you call your girl and ask her what they're up to?" Vance suggested, letting out a grunt when I rolled up and landed a punch to his gut. "Fine fine," he said as he got up, following me out into the hall. "If you won't listen to me about it, I figure they might have something to say..."
"Who is they?" I asked as Vance rushed out before me, moving into the common area.
When I turned the corner, I found out who they were.
My sisters.
"Oh, fuck," I hissed, feeling ten years younger in an instant.
"Nice language," Lissa said as she and Angie rose from the couch in unison.
Just the two of them.
If Dee would have come, things would have been a little more even.
But these two against me?
I might as well have cut off my own balls and handed them over right then and there.
"Why are you guys here?"
"We got a call from a friend of yours?"
"Friend?" I asked, looking around at the various brothers and old ladies gathered around. "I don't see a single friend here," I added, shooting accusing glances at all of them.
"Don't look at us," Ferryn said, shrugging. "I don't think any of us care about your love life enough to call your sisters in."
"That's just cruel, sis," Finn joined in, grimacing.
"Who then?" I asked, looking at Lissa and Angie.
"A delightfully charming young man by the name of Remington," Lissa told me, smiling.
Remy?
Of all people, Remy?
He barely seemed to notice I'd even been with Auggie. He was too busy making his own conquests. And, since moving, taking care of his dog and cat.
I was having a hard time believing he would be worked up enough about me leaving that he would track down my sisters.
Unless...
My gaze scanned the room, landing on a very familiar person leaning into the corner of the room, smirking at me.
Lo.
"That's cheating, Lo," I accused.
"Cheating? Whatever could you mean?"
"I've been in on every one of your bets in the past. I smell interference when I come across it."
"Westy," Lissa said, moving toward me, linking her arm through mine. "Let's go take a walk."
"I just got up."
"And yet you smell like liquor," Angie said, linking my other arm, both of them forcefully leading me to the door.
"Beer. Beer isn't liquor," I insisted as they pulled me outside.
"I'm pretty sure the law would disagree," Lissa insisted. "The coffee place was this way, right?" she asked Angie.
"Yeah."
"I don't even have shoes on," I objected.
"Somehow, I think you have probably charmed the owners enough to allow you in despite the health code violation," Angie said.
"Which brings us to our point," Lissa agreed. "Augustina."
"Auggie. She hates her full name." Shit. That little comment wasn't helping my case, was it?
"Right. Auggie," Angie said, nodding. "We hear she's a little spitfire."
"You could say that."
"We also heard that you are in love with her. Don't—" Lissa demanded, cutting me off when I opened my mouth to object. "Don't balk at us. Because we have this from a very reliable source."
"You don't even know Remy."
"He seemed trustworthy enough on this matter. He had a timeline and everything. You bought her a puppy."
"I sent Remy to get her a puppy," I clarified. "Because she demanded one. And without getting into specifics, she got hurt, and she deserved a puppy."
"Now, when she got hurt," Angie started, "did you somehow think that was because of you?"
"I was a factor," I agreed. "But, look, I left because I had orders. I had to go."
"And you had to leave without saying goodbye?" Lissa asked. "Remember Robbie?"
"Robbie from middle school?" I clarified.
"Who broke up with me via ghosting me. Though we didn't have that cool word back then. Do you remember what you did about that?"
I did.
I tracked him down, kicked his ass, pretty much kidnapped him, dragged him to the house, and demanded he give her not only an apology but an explanation as well.
"That was different."
"I really don't think so," Lissa insisted. "Except maybe that he was an immature boy, and you are a full-grown man who should know better."
"So what are you here to do? Beat me up, kidnap me, and deliver me to Auggie for an explanation and apology?"
"You'd deserve it," Angie told me, opening the door to She's Bean Around.
"Uh oh," Jazzy called from behind the counter. "What'd you do? Sleep with sisters, West? And let them find out? Amateur move."
"They're my sisters," I clarified.
"Oh, so you fucked up."
"Says who?"
"Your sisters live the full country away, yet they are here, dragging you around shoeless with bedhead? You fucked up, buddy."
"I like the women in this town," Angie declared, grabbing a table with me as Lissa went up to order.
"Because they all give me a hard time?" I asked.
"Are you really going to act like you don't deserve it?" she shot back.