Page 36 of Truck Off

We take turns each year playing with her, and this year is my turn. At least it’s an opportunity to kick the Kochs’ asses at something else. That’s something none of us Mutter brothers will ever pass up on.

The Kochs have been our rivals at everything ever since their great-great-grandfather lost this land and house to ours in a poker game. Talk about cocky and stupid. They’ve been trying to goad us into a game ever since in an attempt to win it back. As if any of us would ever be that stupid.

“You going to tell us how that date with Lina went, or keep us guessing?” Ash asks with a shit-eating grin on his face.

A loud clunk sounds from the stove, and when I turn around, Grams is staring at me with wide eyes. “You went out with Lina? Like on a real date?”

“Yeah, is that so surprising?”

Grams’s eyes shift between me and Christian with nothing but confusion written all over her face. She knows Lina pretty well. They both meet up almost weekly at the community center for knitting club.

“But …” She presses a hand to her chest and watches me like she’s waiting for clarification.

“How did she react when you told her it was you and not that asshole?” Mac asks while pointing at Christian.

I wince and Christian growls. He’s the only one I’ve talked to about how I didn’t come clean with Lina.

“She still doesn’t know,” I say under my breath, and then promptly stuff a bite of eggs into my mouth.

The kitchen falls so silent, all I can hear is the pounding of my heart. When I glance around at my brothers, they’re all staring at me with wide eyes. They don’t need to tell me how stupid I am. I see it written all over their faces.

“What doesn’t she know?” Grams barks from right behind me.

I open my mouth to tell her, but Ash beats me to it. “Lina thinks she went out with Christian, and this asshole didn’t correct her.”

Grams doesn’t speak. Instead, she whacks me upside the head the same way she did when we were kids and acting like little assholes.

“It was a mistake. I didn’t intentionally mislead her.”

“Yet you still misled her?” Grams asks with enough anger in her words that they sting far more than the whack upside my head.

I sigh. “I’m going to tell her the truth. I just didn’t know how to bring it up.”

“How about, oh by the way, I’m not Christian, I’m Chase?” Ash suggests, still grinning at me like he’s having the time of his life.

“You listen to me.” Grams pokes me in the shoulder, and I instinctively pull away from her. She may be a tiny woman at only five-foot-three, but she’s feisty and could take every one of us Mutter men down. “Lina has been through enough. She’s had a rough life, but she’s a good girl. Do not hurt her.”

“I don’t want to hurt her.” I toss my hands up in surrender. “I like her. I want to date her. I didn’t know she thought I was him when I asked her out.” I point at my twin. He’s still frowning at me like he doesn’t give two shits about my mistake. He just wants me to fix it. “When I realized she’d mixed us up, I didn’t know what to say. I was stunned into silence and confused. Then I was afraid she’d cancel because it’s me instead.”

Grams lets out a heavy sigh. Before she has a chance to say more, a timer goes off. It must be whatever deliciousness I smell baking in the oven.

“Are you at least acting like you around her?” Liam asks.

I look up at him and nod. “She’s made a few comments about how much I smile and joke around. Seems surprised by it.”

“But does she like that side of you? It’s not like you two are anything alike.” Liam adds.

“She says she does.” Now it’s my turn to let out a heavy sigh. “But it doesn’t matter. She’s going to hate me when I tell her the truth.”

“Why do you say that?” Mac looks at me with a furrowed brow.

“Because I lied to her. She doesn’t take too kindly to liars.”

“Oh, she’ll be pissed alright. Probably will want to put you in a grave.” Gram singsongs from across the kitchen. She fucking singsongs. Grams never singsongs.

“Thanks Grams. Much appreciated.” I push to my feet, suddenly no longer hungry despite the fact that I think those are her famous cinnamon rolls she just pulled out of the oven.

“Sit!” she barks out the command. And like the twisted, sad puppy dog I am right now, I listen.

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