Page 20 of Family Bonds: Coy & Angel

He was smarter and found his revenge.

Fake bugs in their beds were his go-to. For years Bode wouldn’t even get in bed without looking first.

“Why are you smiling?” she asked him.

“Thinking of my brothers right now,” he said. “What jerks they were when I was growing up and then watching them with their kids now.”

“Tell us about them,” Barb said. “Maybe someday I’ll get a grandkid.”

“My mother would have tons of them if it was up to her,” he said. “But she’d never push.”

“No,” Todd said. “We wouldn’t either. We know what it’s like and how hard it was to get Angel.”

“Which is why Spencer is such a jerk half the time,” she said, grinning. “He liked being the only child and then I came along.”

“You were unplanned,” Spencer said. “No seven-year-old wanted to hear they were getting a sibling after that long.”

“Spencer doesn’t like to admit it, but he was jealous,” Barb said. “He got all our attention for years and then Angel was borntwelve weeks early. We thought we were going to lose her for so long. But she’s a fighter.”

Coy knew all these things. Just like he knew she’d had open heart surgery to repair a large hole in her heart.

It was the reason for Spencer being so protective.

So even though Spencer might have been jealous, he took on the older brother role like a champ.

“I am,” she said. “Which is why everyone has to let up. I’m going to be fine. I’ve got an exciting new job I’m starting in two days. And a great boss.”

“You don’t know if Coy is a great boss or not,” Spencer said. “He could be a dick.”

“Spencer!” Barb said. “You know better than that.”

Coy laughed. “If I was such a dick, he’d never let Angel set foot on this island let alone work for me.”

“Guilty,” Spencer said. “And the fact he’s not a dick and a great honorable guy, that is why I pushed for this.”

Angel frowned and he didn’t want her to think she only got the job for that reason.

“Don’t listen to your brother. He didn’t have to twist my arm in the least. I knew you were graduating and he’d said you hadn’t decided where you wanted to look for a job. I said I’d been looking for another dentist for years, which he knew. One thing led to another. To me, this is the best hire I could get. I know you as a person, I’m not getting a stranger. That’s huge. Personalities make a big difference.”

“They do,” she said. “Thank you for that.”

“For all you know, Angel could have two left hands while trying to pull a tooth out,” Todd said.

Angel’s father was grinning and winked at his daughter.

“Not after graduating dental school at the top of her class,” Coy said. “But I’m here to teach as well. We all have to learn somewhere.”

“You didn’t,” Spencer said. “You came back and opened your practice.”

“Not true,” he said. “While the rehab was being done, I worked part time in Boston. A few days a week. Someone was overseeing me and then showing me the ropes to run my practice too.”

He’d wanted to just dive in but knew enough to check himself.

It was only two months but enough time that his confidence was back in his mind.

“I didn’t know that,” Angel said.

“It wasn’t long but the right thing to do. You’ll be on your own soon enough. The fact we both attended the same college, I know what you were taught. Spencer bragged about your grades, so I know you’re smart too.”

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