“She’s got a sixth sense,” my dad said with a laugh. “She knows if any of you are in the vicinity.”
“Who’s we?” Brody asked. “Who’d you bring?”
“Draco drove me,” I replied, knowing that every man on that stupid back patio was now far more interested in the conversation.
“That’s good,” Brody said seriously. “There’s a bunch of dumbasses on the road today.”
“Brody Jacob,” I scolded.
“That’s what Dad said,” he replied in exasperation. He deepened his voice. “Bunch of dumbasses on the road today. Fuckin’ idiots.”
“Don’t say dumbass,” I said, pinching him in the side. “And don’t say fuck, either, you little monster.”
“I’m not little anymore.”
“You’re little enough to still be sitting on your sister’s lap,” I countered, digging the knuckle of my pointer finger into his ribs. “Like a wittle baybay.”
“You suck!” he said, hopping off my lap.
“Don’t say suck either, dirtbag,” I called as he ran back toward the house.
I couldn’t help the laugh that fell out of my mouth when he flipped me off as he threw open the sliding glass door.
“Your kid is feral,” I told my dad as I turned back toward the group.
“Which one?” my dad replied, deadpan.
“So, my grandson drove you over here?” Dragon asked nonchalantly.
I glared. He might be the president of the Aces and Eights Motorcycle Club, but he was also family and annoying as hell. Did I think I could rat on the club and get away with it? No. Did I think I could call him a dick and storm off? Also, probably no. But could I send lasers from my eyes and make sure he knew exactly how much I thought he was a nosy, gossiping pain in the ass? Yes.
“Yeah, Draco drove me over here,” I said shortly. “He and Curtis were at the apartments getting some stuff since we’re in the red zone now.”
They all watched me.
“Any other questions?” I asked through gritted teeth.
“When you gonna give that boy a chance?” Casper said with a laugh, lifting a joint to his mouth. “Poor kid.”
“When are you gonna stop smoking?” I shot back.
“Never,” he replied with a grin.
I raised my eyebrows and tilted my head.
Casper laughed and then choked and then laughed again. “Bullshit,” he said, pointing the joint in my direction. “I give it less than a year.”
“Shit,” Dragon added, drawing the word out. “Less than six months, if that.”
The slider opened up again and my stepmom came outside, her hair in a high ponytail and wearing a pair of shorts that didn’t belong on someone’s mother. “What’s happening in six months?” she asked as she strode toward us. She reached out and smoothed my hair before dropping down in the seat beside me. “Ugh. It’s terrible out here.”
“Nothing’s happening in six months,” I replied in exasperation. “And it is. It’s like when you’re sitting by a campfire and the wind is blowing the smoke straight at you.”
“But you can’t move away from this shit,” Rose said with a scowl. “I hope they get these fires under control soon. The boys are going crazy cooped up inside.”
“You should send them to Uncle Tommy’s house,” I said, leaning back in my chair. “The boys would keep them busy and they probably wouldn’t even notice a couple more kids.”
“That’s actually a good idea,” Rose said, nodding. “Maybe I’ll just have a couple of Tommy and Heather’s kids over to our house. Give poor Heather a break.”
“You call her, you tell her we’re makin’ a big spread for dinner,” Grandpa Grease said. “They can bring the kids over to eat and play with their cousins.”
“I’ll let her know, Pop,” Rose replied. She leaned back toward me. “She’ll probably come over and then sneak away and leave all the kids here,” she said with a laugh. “That’s what I’d do.”
“You should,” I replied with a grin. “Then we’d have the house all to ourselves.”
“Oh,” Rose murmured, her face falling dramatically. “I forgot you were home. Might as well bring the boys home, too, if me and Dad won’t have the house to ourselves.”
“I can stay with Charlie—”
“I’m teasing you,” Rose said, swatting me with the back of her hand.
“You’re staying with us,” my dad said gruffly at the same time. “And so are the boys. We’re all stayin’ in one place until this shit is over.”
“We’re fine in town,” Rose said to him quietly.
“Yeah, we’ll see,” my dad replied with a huff.
“Are Molly and Will coming over?” I asked Rose.
“No, I think they’re sticking close to home,” Rose replied. “Reb’s pretty freaked out by the fires.”
“I bet,” I said with a grimace. Rebel still lived with her parents, but she usually came and hung out with us at least once a week. I hadn’t seen or heard from her in a few days, which was out of the ordinary.
The men continued with a conversation about all the things the fire departments and county officials were doing wrong and all the things they were doing right, while me and Rose leaned toward each other to talk.