Page 69 of Chasing Lynda

Dodge sighs. “Beats me. Maybe he needs to pay for his mistakes. He had Pop-Pop getting him out of his messes his whole life; and when Pop-Pop was gone, he expected me to bail him out from whatever shit he got into. Maybe a stay where the only high roller games he’ll play will be for cigarettes or whatever currency will buy him protection in prison, is what he needs.”

Callie takes a shuddering breath. “Mom will die if we lose everything and especially our reputation.”

Dodge’s hands clench into fists and I don’t miss the pained grimace as he immediately unclenches his right hand. “There’s nothing either of us can do. Maybe Dad can ask one of his friends to help. But you know better than me that our trust funds are probably going to whoever Pop-Pop named as alternate heirs. Bennett’s dad is looking at every clause of Pop-Pop’s will to see if there’s a way out, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. So, since we’re fucking screwed unless I get a mail order bride, let’s just relax and party this weekend. Just us and maybe the Hayworths. Skip and Arya are supposed to be around.”

Callie seems to accept the situation and I have a ton of questions about it all but I know this isn’t the time.

It seems that the guys had much more than their independence from their families riding on the success of their resort.

“Dodge, you said just us, but who’s your friend?”

Her eyes are fixed onto me and I look down, realizing that I’m still wearing Dodge’s shirt from last night and nothing else. I can only imagine what I must look like to Dodge’s sister.

“Fuck, you’re right, sis! Where are my manners? This is our friend Lynda. Lynda,” he says with pride in his voice, “This is my twin sister, Callie.”

I force myself to smile when Callie’s smile doesn’t reach her eyes. His gaze is still fixed onto my shirt. “Nice to meet you, Callie!” I lean forward, pulling away from Bennett to shake her hand. “Dodge mentioned a sister but I never realized that you guys are twins!”

Her expression softens and she accepts my hands. “Yeah, but Dodge is obviously the evil twin between the two of us.”

Dodge takes his hands to his chest as if he’s been mortally wounded. “Me? Evil? But if all I’ve always done is spoil you and protect you?”

Callie giggles and then explains for my benefit. “Right. True, you’ve always spoiled me but the protection thing? You try growing up with not one, but four guys scaring off every single guy who might be even remotely interested in you. These four take protective to a whole new level.”

I smile back at her. I can see how Dodge and his friends might be intimidating to anyone they decide to keep away from them. “I’m actually grateful that they’re protective ...” I explain how I experienced their protective nature first hand, on the beach the night we met, and at the photo shoot with Monroe. “And they saved me from the fire, I don’t know what would’ve happened to me without them.”

Bennett pulls me back to him, practically placing me on his lap when he addresses Callie. “Talking of which, Baby C, all Lynda had with her at the hotel was lost in the fire. You’re taller than her but you look more or less the same size. Would you be a sweetheart and let her borrow some of your clothes?”

Callie snaps at him. “Stop calling me that, Bennett! I’m not six anymore!”

Bennett frowns, immediately chastised. “Sorry, Baby C. If you don’t want to let Lynda borrow anything, I guess I could take her downtown and—”

Callie rolls her eyes, and when the gesture looks familiar, I realize that Dodge does exactly the same thing when his best friends rib him. “I don’t mind helping Lynda. But stop calling me Baby C! I’m just three minutes younger than Dodge and that makes me only five months younger than you!”

She rises from her seat, next to her brother. “Come on, Lynda. Let’s go find you a couple of bikinis and a few more things for the weekend.” She looks at both guys. “While we sort out the clothes situation, could you order lunch with Miss Watson?”

Dodge nods as I move to get up but Bennett pulls me back, placing a soft kiss on my cheek, extremely close to the corner of my mouth. “See you later, GT.”

I’m about to ask him why he keeps calling me GT, but Callie urges me to follow her and I decide that my questions can wait.

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