Page 25 of These Pucking Boys: Part Two

Winston barks from inside his crate, and Admiral repeats my greeting. But other than that, it’s dead quiet. I set Eros in his crate on floor and keep him inside, per the vet’s instruction. Then I call June.

“Hey,” she answers on the third ring.

“Hey, where is everyone?”

“Jake went back to your apartment to take a shower. Lachy and I are at the grocery store. I forgot to buy vanilla ice cream for the pie.”

“Oh. I’m back from the vet. I found the door unlocked and got worried.”

“Really? Lachy, you said you locked the door.”

“Oops,” Lachy replies in the background.

Typical Lachy. He always has his head in the clouds. The only time he fully concentrates is when he’s in the crease.

“Word of advice don’t trust Lachy with that kind of stuff. When will you be home?” I try to keep the wistfulness from my voice, but I don’t know if I succeeded.

“Soon. Is everything okay?”

My spine goes taut. “Yeah. Everything is fine. Why?”

“Don’t know. You sound sad.”

I run my fingers through my hair. I might be sad and acting like a baby, but I don’t want her to know that.

“Yeah, Peaches. Everything is fine. Just hurry back.”

CHAPTER 13

JUNE

Igrab as many grocery bags as I can from Lachy’s trunk, but there are still many more, and I know he can’t carry the rest in one trip.

“Maybe we should call Ryan and Jake down to help us.”

Lachy gives me a droll look. “Lass, you offend me. I can manage on my own.”

I fight the urge to roll my eyes. “Okay, if you say so.”

“I know so. Go ahead and get the elevator.”

Shaking my head, I walk away. We were only supposed to buy ice cream at the store, but half an hour later, Lachy had filled the cart to the brim with enough snacks to satisfy an entire class of middle-schoolers.

The elevator arrives before Lachy does, and I hold the door for him. He has five bags in each hand, and in his arms, he’s carrying a twelve-pack with a box of chips stacked on top. The tower reaches his chin, and the sight is comical. I can’t help grinning.

“What’s so amusing, lass?”

“You. I wish my hands were free so I could take a picture.”

He smirks. “I told you I could carry everything.”

I lean sideways to press the button to their floor with my elbow. “That you did.”

Halfway through the ride my phone rings. I could set down some of the bags to free my hand, but we reach our floor in the next second. Lachy lets me walk out first, and I put the bags in front of their door to get my phone. It stops ringing just as I find it inside my purse.

The sound of shattering glass makes me look up. One of Lachy’s bags ripped, and the jars of peanut butter and jelly were the victims.

“Bloody hell!”

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