Page 97 of Stay Toxic

“Why are y’all cleaning this up when there are four capable men on the couch in there that didn’t cook at all?” I asked as I took over the pot washing from McCoy.

“Because they suck at washing dishes and leave food behind, and you know how I hate that,” McCoy explained.

“That doesn’t mean that they couldn’t be in here putting the food away,” I pointed out.

“The last time they put the food away from one of our family dinners, all they did was stick the pot in the fridge instead of putting it into Tupperware,” JJ said as she licked her finger clean after condensing pies into one pie pan.

She handed me the dirty pie plates and I got to washing those next.

“Weaponized incompetence is bullshit,” I said. “One day, they’ll meet a great lady, and then where will they be?”

“Up Shit Creek.” McCoy’s eyes gleamed. “Hey, do you want to go out to the barn with me?”

I grimaced. “Actually, no. I want to go find out what, exactly, is going on at Shasha’s place. Do y’all remember me telling you about the teacher that was being abused?”

“Yes,” they both answered at once.

I gave them a quick rundown of the situation, ending with, “And now he’s at Shasha’s house, and I really want to figure out why.”

“Take the farm truck,” McCoy suggested. “I’ll get the new ranch hand I hired to give me a ride to it tomorrow.”

“Thanks.” I smiled. “I’ll see you guys later. You killed it with dinner tonight. Even though it killed me.”

And might still kill me later.

But I hoped that wouldn’t happen.

Sadly, sometimes it did…

“Love you,” they both said as I gave them quick hugs.

In the living room, I jumped over the side of the couch and landed on Tibbs and Bronc, causing them both to let out whooshes of air.

They’d seen me coming, though.

I’d learned my lesson when I’d snuck up on them accidentally, then tried to jump on them much the same way that I’d just done, only for Ryler to throw me three feet in the air and Tibbs to body slam me to the ground as if they’d planned it.

I’d broken two ribs in the process, and they’d nearly cried when they’d seen what they’d done to me.

I’d felt horrible for it, too, realizing that I probably shouldn’t sneak up on grown men that were specially trained in the military to be ghosts.

“Fuck,” Bronc groaned as he pushed me off him and toward Ryler.

Ryler kept pushing me, too, right into Holden.

Holden wrapped his arms around me and squeezed until I couldn’t breathe.

I bit him on the neck, causing him to yelp and push me toward Tibbs.

I hugged him, kissed him on the cheek, and said, “Love y’all.”

After hearing a chorus of “you, too” from them, I headed outside to the farm truck.

Then I turned around and ran up to my old room and grabbed enough clothes to get me through a day at school and a weekend at Shasha’s.

The jeans would be a little tight, but luckily none of them had holes, making it legal to wear to school.

I’d stop in the office tomorrow and buy a Red Out shirt that I’d been meaning to buy anyway and then wear that as my top.

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