Page 64 of Won't Back Down
He squeezed his eyes shut and dropped the bag of chips he’d been about to open. “Oh, oh, no. Don’t put that image in my head.”
“But your overreactions are so much fun.”
“Who knew you’d choose now to turn into an annoying little sister?”
The sibling banter wasn’t normal for us. Never had been. But it felt good to poke at him, especially as I knew he actually was happy for us. Something he’d gone out of his way to tell each of us independently this weekend. With everything else that had been going on, I hadn’t been consciously worried about Jace and his opinion, but I couldn’t deny that having his support meant a lot.
We were still sniping at each other when the short caravan of vehicles pulled into the circular drive. Gabi led the procession, a colorful fabric tote bag over one shoulder. “I come with s’mores fixin’s!”
“Including peanut butter cups?”
“Well, obviously. They make for a superior s’more.”
A tall, rangy figure slid out of the passenger seat. “Also Nutella,”
“Nutella?” I considered the addition and the man himself. Gabi had said Daniel was her former situationship. Maybe that was back on if she’d brought him.
“Trust me, it’s fabulous.” She gave me a tight hug, then scanned my face. “You look better.”
“Rest helped.” Or maybe that was just the effects of the recent orgasms. I certainly wasn’t complaining. “Petty Officer LaRue.”
He grinned. “I’m off duty. It’s just Daniel. Thanks for havin’ me.”
Sawyer offered a hand. “Good to see you again, under better circumstances.”
“Jace Hollingsworth, get over here and give me a hug!” This order came from Caroline, who carried some kind of casserole dish she passed off to Hoyt before squeezing my brother to within an inch of his life.
“Good to see you, too, Caro.”
“How long are you here for?” she demanded.
“I’ve got to go back tomorrow.”
She screwed up her face. “Well, then I guess we’d best make tonight count. I brought the fixings for elotes.”
“Hell, yeah.” He turned to Hoyt for a back-thumping half-hug that managed not to upend the casserole dish.
As Jace and Daniel were introduced, the sound of more than one more car door opening pulled my attention back to where Bree had brought up the rear. I gasped as a furry bundle leapt out of the backseat, wriggling with joy.
“You got a dog!” Stifling my own squee, I held out a hand, signaling for Roy to hold, though his butt was wagging ninety to nothing as he eyed the new arrival.
It wasn’t the Aussie Shepherd mix I’d suggested to her. I didn’t recognize this one, which was another sign of how cloistered I’d been the past month. In the normal course of things, I was down helping out at the shelter every week or two, working on obedience training or otherwise exercising the dogs.
“I blame this entirely on you. The house was too quiet with you gone. This little girl is a little over a year old, already house trained, and with some basic leash manners.” Belying her new mom’s words, the dog strained against the lead, making a beeline toward me, her own thick tail swishing.
Roy whined.
“I know. Wait to be introduced. Sit.”
My boy plopped his butt down, but his tail didn’t slow.
The dog, who appeared to be some combination of shepherd and lab, was on the small side, maybe forty-five or fifty pounds, with fur a mottle of browns and golds and black tips on her floppy ears.
“Keeley, sit,” Bree ordered.
The dog didn’t sit, still straining forward, fairly vibrating with curiosity. I dropped down to her level and offered my hand for a sniff. She licked my knuckles and wagged harder. I scruffed her ears and rose a little, gently pressing back until her butt hit the ground.
“Good girl. Good sit. Keeley, huh?” I noted the blingy rhinestone collar.