Page 6 of Loco

“Oh, there’s more.”I stretched my legs out, shaking my head. “By some miracle, the kid managed to avoid killing the bull, but he was stuck in that car for a solid forty-five minutes while they figured out how to cut him out. And when they finally did? They lifted him out on a gurney, covered head-to-toe in bull shit and piss, strapped into a neck collar because they weren’t sure if he’d jacked up his spine. He screamed for hand sanitizer and a baby wipe the entire time.”

Mark wheezed again, slapping his knee. “You’re messing with me.”

“Not even a little. Everett Hale’s story is a true one.”

He was still shaking with laughter when something seemed to dawn on him. A slow, knowing smirk pulled at his lips. “Oh, man. You’re gonna love this.”

I lifted an eyebrow. “Love what?”

“That kid’s dad?”Mark said, still grinning. “Driving instructor. One of the best in Piersville.”

I snapped my head toward him so fast I nearly pulled something. “Bullshit.”

Mark threw his hands up. “I shit you not, he’s top tier. Just, you know, unfortunately, burdened with an absolute dumbass for a son.”

I let out a low whistle, shaking my head. “Well, that explains why the kid had confidence in his driving skills—too bad he had zero actual skill to back it up.”

Mark laughed again, but his phone rang before he could add anything. The moment he saw the name on the screen, his expression changed.

A slow, almost sheepish grin spread across his face as he answered. “Hey, baby, are y—”He barely got the words out before cutting himself off, quickly changing his approach. “Oh, sorry, yeah, there was an issue with the faucet in the kitchen. I fixed it, and I’m on my—”Another pause. This time, he winced, holding the phone slightly away from his ear. With a long, resigned sigh, he mumbled, “Yeah, see you soon.”

I wasn’t sure how long we’d been sitting out here talking, but judging by that reaction, there was no doubt who was on the other end.

I smirked. “Late for your very important date with the in-laws?”

Mark sighed dramatically, pushing himself to his feet and rubbing a hand down his face. “How’d you guess?”

I snorted, giving him a lazy, two-fingered salute as he stepped off the porch. “Catch you later, man. And welcome to the neighborhood.”

Mark turned back as he reached the bottom step, a devilish grin stretching across his face. “I hope she doesn’t stab you in your sleep when she realizes who her new neighbor is.”

“Funny fucker,”I muttered. “Sayla doesn’t have that in her.”

Mark just raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. “Let’s just hope she doesn’t mess up your pretty face too bad. You know, so we can have an open casket.”

I scoffed. “Joke’s on you, I’m getting cremated. It’s in my will, and I’ve made sure my family knows it.”I shuddered at thethought. “Knowing my luck, snakes would get into my coffin, and I’d be stuck in purgatory with them for the rest of my bony afterlife.”

Mark pretended to salute me. “Got it. You want to be buried in snakeskin. Bit pimpy for my tastes, but whatever floats your boat.”

A full-body shiver wracked through me. “You’re a sick man.”

Mark just laughed as he jogged to his car, waving over his shoulder as he climbed in.

Shaking my head, I turned to head back inside, ready to feed the ‘kids.’But just as I grabbed the door handle, the low hum of an engine reached my ears.

Expecting it to be Mark coming back for something, I turned and raised a finger, ready to let him know exactly where he could shove his snake jokes—only to lock eyes with Sayla.

And judging by the absolute fury blazing in her dark eyes, I was about to have a whole new set of problems to deal with.

Two

Sayla

The soft chime of the salon door opening pulled my attention away from my client’s hair, and when I turned around, my heart nearly melted on the spot. Evie stood in the doorway, cradling a tiny bundle—her brand-new daughter, Elora.

She and Alex had spent months navigating the adoption process, and today, they had finally brought their daughter home. The moment was already enough to steal my breath, but seeing Evie standing there, glowing with happiness as she held the little girl close, made it feel even more surreal.

“Sorry, Alex had to run to the store to grab some stuff for dinner,” she said, adjusting Elora slightly as she stepped inside. “So, we figured we’d come by and introduce ourselves to everyone.”

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