Page 42 of Love Finds Home

Davis: All the girls are gonna kill us.

Joker: Good thing I don’t have a girl.

Tiny: I can’t wait for you to fall.

Joker: Not gonna happen, my friend, not gonna happen.

Davis: Ha-ha, sure.

Joker: Fuck you all.

Ranger: No, fuck you all.

Chapter 16

Elle

I don’t know whatthey’re doing down in the shop, but they’ve got the music blaring today. Which would normally be okay, but I haven’t slept in a week. I haven’t been home either. One of the perks of having money? If I don’t want to go home, but I need new clothes, I just buy new clothes. There’s this cute little boutique down the street from Lottie’s vet clinic run by this old lady named Nancy. She’s sweet. I think she’s starting to question my sanity though, because I’m in there every third day buying new clothes. But they have the cutest clothes, stylish and well-made. They might not be designer, but they could be. At least they’re close enough that if I were in the Cove, no one would question it. And right now, close enough is what I need.

I haven’t been back to my apartment since I found the rose petals on the doorstep. Jorge has called me every day. I guess he’s worried about me. I’ve also noticed Ranger watching me when I’ve been down in the shop talking to Barbie. He hasn’tsaid anything, but it’s like he knows. I don’t know how because that would require that he actually talk to me.

With the music blaring, and the new coffee pot I have on the counter going, I’ll make it. I’ll survive. One thing to say about sleepless nights? My new painting is already taking shape. It’s an abstract, but I know the eyes are there in the painting and once you know you can’t unsee them. Soulful, painful, longing dark brown eyes hidden under a furrowed brow. They scream at you that they need something but don’t tell you what.

I’ve just come out of the shower when my phone rings. It’s Tiny.

“What’s up, baby bro?” I answer the phone as chipper as I can pull off.

“Everything alright?”

“Yeah, it’s perfect. What’s going on?”

“I’m calling to formally notify you that we are going to Diamond Cove in three weeks.”

“We are? I mean, I know we’re going for Trish and Davis’s wedding and I’m going to be in the Cove then for a show opening at the gallery, but why are you being so formal that you’ll be attending?” I ask. “There isn’t anything on the calendar for the company, is there?”

“Well, you know Trish and Davis finally decided on a date.”

“She told me. Now, tell me how they are going to pull it off? Because no way can anybody pull a wedding off in three fucking weeks, Tiny.”

“Three weeks, Pix. And me and Lottie are getting married then, too.”

“Excuse me? You’re fucking what?”

“I asked Lottie if she would marry me, then, too. She said yes.”

“I…I don’t know what to say,” I whisper, getting choked up at the thought of my brother getting married.

“You don’t have to say anything, Pix.” I can hear the smile in his voice.

“Well, I obviously need to say something. Congratulations! Oh my God, Mom?”

“Yeah, Mom knows, and she is in full planning mode.”

“You know she’s going to make this the biggest smallest wedding ever, right?” I laugh, imagining Mom throwing herself into this.

It’s the first time one of her children will be getting—well, it’s not the first time one of her children is getting married, just the first time that she’ll know about it before it happens. And maybe be there.

“What do you need me to do?”

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