Page 30 of Playing for Keeps

I frown at how quickly everything happens. I hoped Lola might stay longer. I imagined she’d hang around late into the evening, sharing stories and getting to know my people.

Instead, Lola came and went in a flash. Now the homestead doesn’t even offer me a hint of her presence.

Normally, I don’t get agitated over such small things. Life changes. People leave town. The world goes on without us. I’m a rational guy.

Yet, I miss Lola, and the lack of party reminders makes her seem out of reach.

“I don’t like her,” Ma-Poppy announces when we’re inside the house. “She didn’t kiss my ass at all.”

“She said you were hot,” I mumble and drop dramatically into a chair. “When I mentioned how you and Pa banged a lot, she said that was normal for hot people. You were spoken of fondly.”

Pa-Emmett decides to be a pissy grump and imitate me by dropping into his recliner. “Stop talking about your mother having sex.”

“Look at how flustered she is,” I say and point at my ma standing in the kitchen, eating a baby carrot and frowning at me. “The woman could use sex right now.”

“Well, too bad because I’m tired,” Pa-Emmett snaps at me. “I don’t like you marrying those people.”

“Lola is beautiful. If you don’t think so, get your eyes checked.”

“They’re going to set you up as a human shield in Basin Rock. Then, if Charleston comes shooting, they’ll hide behind you.”

“I’d take a bullet to protect Lola.”

Ma-Poppy gasps and looks at Tuesday who also gasps. They both look at an overheated Alexis at the kitchen table.

Noticing their gazes on her, she shrugs. “I think it’s romantic. Besides, no one’s going to shoot at Val.”

“Why not? Don’t you think he’d make a good human shield?” Tuesday demands, deciding to stir up drama. “Well, for your information, my brother's giant head would make him an excellent target.”

I consider sizing my head to make sure she’s full of shit. Lacking the energy to lift my arms, I melt into the chair and miss Lola’s lips.

“Why are you acting goofy?” West demands of me as he tugs Alexis to her feet. “Hold your answer until we get back from the shower.”

“Well, at least someone’s having sex,” I announce and frown at my father. “You are so lazy.”

“I’ll get to it later.”

“It?” I balk. “My mother’s vagina has a name.”

Emmett only smirks at my bullshit and turns on the TV. “Duke wasn’t friendly enough. I expected a bruised ass from all the kissing he’d do. Instead, he was standoffish. Won’t even let us have the wedding here. What a crock of shit.”

“I like having a better wedding than West did,” I announce.

“I got married at the homestead, too,” Tuesday mutters. “Do you think you’re better than me?”

“Yes,” I answer immediately.

“Well, that’s just not true. Right, Ma?” she asks and cuddles Ma-Poppy’s chest-pillows. “I’m great.”

“Sure,” our mother grumbles while frowning at me. “I don’t like that girl.”

“You said the same thing about Alexis. You didn’t like Bullet and Roxie, either.”

“Hey,” Roxie grumbles as she enters the house with her dad. “I liked Poppy and Emmett from the first moment we met.”

Ma-Poppy waves off the drama. “I was just fussing back then. This current drama is real. I must have my concerns validated.”

“Her sister is fun,” Roxie says and takes a baby carrot from the same party dish my ma currently grazes at. “She said Lola is hot for Val.”

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