Page 118 of When We Burn

I glance over to make sure Dani didn’t hear about the chickens, but she didn’t. She’s braiding Birdie’s hair for her.

“On the guest side of things, the first people who stayed in cabin number four put a hole in the wall,” Beck continues.

“What the fuck?” I ask.

“Renters, man,” Brooks says, shaking his head. “Vacationers are assholes.”

“Not all of them,” Blake points out. “But yeah, a lot of them. Shit, I’m sorry, Beck.”

“It’s just been one thing after another, so when you called to come up here, I said fuck it. I needed an afternoon away.”

“You need to hire more help,” Brooks points out. “You need a property manager for the rentals.”

“Agreed,” I add.

“I’m working on it.” Beck scowls down into his hot chocolate. “I have some feelers out for someone. I might hire a local company to help me out until I can find someone to live on-site.”

“The sooner the better,” Blake agrees.

“You really need to get out more,” I say. “Maybe actually date someone.”

I’m met with dead silence, and then my asshole brothers laugh at me.

“You know,” Blake says with a grin, “I remember saying something similar toyoua couple of years ago, and you told me to go fuck myself. That you didn’t need anyone because you had Birdie.”

“I believed that.” I shrug. “I was happy. And now, I’m happier.”

“You’re whipped,” Brooks says.

“Totally and gratefully.” I grin. “I mean, she’s beautiful. She’s smart as fuck, and she’s damn good with my kid. What more could I ask for?”

“Dani’s great,” Blake agrees. “We’ve loved her and her sisters forever.”

“Yeah, man,” Beck adds. “No one’s saying you shouldn’t be with her. She’s been good for you. It’s just funny as hell because you were solidly a bachelor after the shit that Angela pulled.”

“You mean, the shit she’s still pulling?”

Brooks pulls in a breath and cracks his neck. “Yeah, tell us what’s going on there.”

I tell them about what happened last month at the school, and by the time I’ve finished, all three of them look like they’d like to punch someone.

“What a bitch,” Beck says. “What’s her deal? She’s been gone a long time.”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Blake asks. “She’s jealous. Found out about Dani and decided everyone had to pay for that.”

“Bingo,” I say, pointing at my brother. “So far, she hasn’t done anything else, but I’ve heard she’s still in town.”

“She is,” Brooks says, shifting in his chair. “She came into my shop and asked if I’d look at her car for her, on the house, since she’s family.”

I stare at him for ten seconds. “What the fuck? What did you tell her?”

“I told her she’s no family of mine, and she could go somewhere else.”

Beckett holds his hand out for a fist bump.

“She’s delusional.” I look to Blake. “Could she be certifiable? Like, literally crazy?”

Blake shakes his head. “Maybe. I’m not a psychologist. We’ve known for a long time that she’s a narcissist. After Birdie was born so fucking small, Angela didn’t even want to stay in the NICU with her. All she was worried about was herself.”

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