“Stop being a fruit loop, Mia.” I brushed dirt I had just noticed off of my knees. “I wish I’d thought to change my scuffs.”
“Ya, know no one else out here is such a shemozzle. How did this happen?” Mia crossed her arms. “I think you have been up to no good.”
“Nah, when everyone went to shoot through earlier, I tripped.” I tried acting casual. “I need to go talk to my partner, so go earblast someone else.”
I shouldered Mia lightly as I went around her. I could hear her laughing as I approached Trey.
“My sister is being a real sticky peak.” I sipped on the glass of iced tea Trey had handed to me. “Now we have to beat them.”
“Just remember, your girl is on that team too,” Trey pointed out to me. “Are you going to be alright with beating her?”
I looked across the patio to Sophie laughing about something with Victoria and Henry. It felt good to see her laugh. It felt good to see her with family. For so long it was just the three of us. She barely knew her father and she’d already been through so much in the last year. Trey was right, how could I beat her at a game?
“Hey, what’s with the deep thoughts?” Trey asked, just as Diana rang the bell for the final round.
“This is the home stretch. I will remind you to stay out of my Koi ponds,” Victoria announced. “Cyrus is getting to be an old man now and I don’t want him disturbed. Asher!”
“Mom, I only went in the pond a few times and that was years ago,” Asher groaned.
“Yeah, and we haven’t stopped hearing about it every holiday.” August shoved Asher. “Maybe Asher should have to stay here and miss this round.”
“That’s not fair. I was only eight years old.” Asher whined like a five-year-old.
“Then behave yourself, young man,” was all Victoria said as she ran down the steps toward the Koi ponds. “See you out there.”
“Oh, she’s a clever one. I see where you get all this from more clearly now.” I grabbed my basket and ran down the steps. “Trey, let’s go.”
“Mummy, don’t get all the bum nuts, okay?” Sophie yelled out from somewhere behind me.
Chapter 15
Trey
When Chloe took off after my parents, I knew right then this was my girl. My family name scared most people, but not Chloe, at least not since she first arrived.
“Mummy, don’t get all the bum nuts,” I heard Sophie yell out from Parker’s shoulders.
So even Parker is getting into cheating this year. I like it.
I noticed Sophie sitting on the edge of one of the Koi ponds with my mother. “Hey you two, everything alright?”
“Look how many big fish are in there.” Sophie leaned over to look closer. “I like that big orange, black, and white one.”
“That’s Cyrus and he’s my favorite too,” Mom told her. “Would you like to feed him?”
“What does he eat, and will he bite me?” Sophie scrunched up her eyebrows.
“He’ll suck on your finger but not bite,” I heard Mom tell her as I walked away.
I had to laugh. I stood and watched as Chloe and Mia raced back and forth for the same eggs. They were laughing and having so much fun, I didn’t want to interrupt. I looked back toward Mom and Sophie. I’d never seen my mother not battle to the end for eggs.
“What’s going on in that head, Three?” Murphy slid her sunglasses to the top of her head and looked right at me. “You like her, don’t you?”
At hearing it asked out loud I looked over to Chloe. “No, I’m just having fun.”
“You paused.” Murphy crossed her arms.
“I didn’t pause, it’s called breathing. You know, oxygen for survival.” I elbowed her playfully and walked away.