Page 275 of Bride of Choice

“Well… well… well…” I began, but no sooner had the words started to spew forth, he charged at me.

A yelp left me as he scooped me up in a bear hug, mumbled an apology, and then promptly set me on my feet.

“Smell food,” he grumbled happily, stepping in to close the door behind me and make a beeline for the sweet rolls Rek had woken me up to the smell of. “Smells goot.”

“Please, make yourself at home,” I murmured dryly as he did just that.

“You make? Rek make?” Doogie garbled out around a bite that had sweet roll stuffing his cheeks like a squirrel’s.

“Rek made them.” Joining him at the table, he poured us both a cup of tea.

Doogie paused to sniff it before taking a sip. “Rek say Jojomine giving him a baby,” he said conversationally as he decimated several sweet rolls in quick succession.

“That is the plan,” I confirmed with a shrug. Cupping my chin in my hands, elbows resting on the table, I looked to him askance. “Did Rek tell you what important thing he’s working on that I’m not supposed to know about?”

Doogie blinked at that. “No,” he said slowly, like he was pretty sure he didn’t know but needed a second to think about it.

“Crap on a dirty cracker,” I muttered, feeling thwarted yet again.

“Maybe thing Jo not ‘sposed to know good thing. Like surprise?” he suggested.

“Yeah, I dunno. Maybe.”

Doogie paused with his fourth roll to his lips. “Why look so sad Jo no know?”

Blowing out a long breath, I admitted, “I just- I can’t help but feel like-” A frustrated noise left me and I blurted, “I’m worried.”

Doogie reached over and gave my back a comforting pat. “No worry. Rek loves Jo.”

“Oh? Does he sing it to the rafters?” I retorted smartly.

“Celuk scares Rek, but Rek stand up to Celuk for Jo,” Doogie told me.

He does? I mean, he did? “Who said that?” It was news to me.

Doogie’s smile turned into a knowing smirk. “Celuk.”

“Huh,” I mumbled, not really knowing what to say to that.

Clapping his hands together to rub them, he rumbled happily. “What we do today?”

Giving him a funny look, I snorted. “What do you mean what are WE doing today? I don’t recall inviting you to tag along.” I was testing him, being my testy, bitchy self.

As if he expected as much and simply did not give one single shit, he grinned in the face of my snarked up annoyance. “Rek tell Doogie Jo might be mean. Jo want make sure Doogie really want to be here with Jo. Doogie wants.”

Holy fuck, I’ve been ratted out. Rek has cracked the code. My eyes widened. I flat out gaped at Doogie. Had I not been warned that Rek knew things by the furry headache himself? It was good, in a way, but also left me feeling exposed and vulnerable. Rek was looking, and he was seeing me.

“I planned to go check in on Mal and the girls, catch up with Boog,” I mumbled, still feeling dumbstruck.

Doogie nodded but then frowned. “Not in this.” His hand waved at my jammies. “Not warm ‘nough.”

“Yes, mother,” I spluttered out on a laugh.

“Mama says goes,” he teased in a high falsetto mimic of his mama’s do or die tryin’ her tone.

Bursting out laughing, I stood. “Don’t rush me, fool,” I warned him, rounding the table to dump our dishes in the sink and make my way down the hall to dress.

“Rek say make sure Jo brings hat! Always complains head cold!” he called after me.

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