Page 34 of The Reality of Us
Brothers. They were the worst.
“That’s not true,” Owen huffed.
Each time the glass door slid open, barks and yips from the rescue dogs lined up in crates outside drifted in. Owen had walked past a few residents, including Jessica and Sam, cuddling puppies when he arrived.
“What’s going on with the two of you?” Raff asked. “Teddy said you’re always at their place.”
Owen’s grip on his mug tightened. “I’m not always there. Some mornings I shower there after my run. I always have. Nothing’s changed.”
“Because that’s not weird,” Raff mumbled as he looked out the window above the sink.
A mental image of Alice stumbling out of her bedroom, her little sleep shorts and long-sleeved pyjama shirt made from the material that made him think of waffles, all twisted around her body earlier in the week, sprang to mind. He cleared his throat. “The hot water system at my place is crap.”
“So replace it?” Nate suggested.
With what extra money? Things had picked up, but there wasn’t any fat in his budget. It was easy to say things like that when you had a bank account stuffed with earnings from a professional sporting career.
“Doesn’t make sense when my place will be ready soon.” The small lie slipped out easily. Impulsively buying a house as well as the business had been out of character for him. He didn’t want to admit it had been a mistake.
He was about to make a crack about living with Teddy when the kitchen door banged open.
“Who’s ready for their close-up?” Teddy’s long hair fanned around his face, and his thongs slapped against the slate floor. “C’mon, Raff. Smile. No one likes a grumpy cop.”
Raff rinsed out his coffee cup, put it in the dishwasher and checked his watch. “I’m going to see how long this is going to take.” The door closed with a click behind him.
“What crawled up his ass?” Teddy asked.
Owen shrugged, happy to no longer be the focal point of the conversation. “Work’s giving him grief. Dad said it looks like the guy they arrested in the Arturo investigation will be released.”
Nate righted the chair and tested it for wobbles. “Sounds like you’re seeing a lot of this clown these days,” he said to Teddy, hooking his thumb towards Owen.
Teddy slung his arm around Owen’s shoulder. “Oh yeah, he likes to come and flirt with Alice. Shows up all sweaty and red. Probably does some crunches in the car park to get his pump on before he comes up.”
Owen elbowed his brother and shook his head. “I’ll increase your rent if you don’t shut up.”
“He pretends he doesn’t like her, but I think we all know the truth.” Teddy held his hands together, so they formed a love heart and made smoochy noises.
Forget getting a social life; Owen might need a whole new family soon. At least he’d made inroads with the guys on the footy team after attending the last three pre-trivia dinners. “You guys are the worst. And you”—he pointed at Teddy—“are full of shit.”
“You think? Nate, watch this.” Teddy waited until Nate had packed away all his tools before turning to face Owen. “Sometimes she walks around without her bra on and …”
Teddy stumbled to the left when Owen shoved him. “Don’t be a dick,” he said.
“What?” Teddy was all smirky, wide-eyed innocence. “We know you’re a boob guy. Not as much as Nate, but still …”
“I’m going to hit him properly this time,” Owen said to Nate.
“Just not the face. Mum will be pissed if it shows up in the pictures.”
“Language, Nathaniel,” Lulu said as she stepped into the kitchen with Raff. “And why would I be ‘pissed’ as you stated so elegantly?”
“Because Owen—” Teddy yelped when Owen kicked him in the shins.
“Trust me. He deserved that,” Owen said to his mother who ignored them all, used to their antics.
“They’re almost ready for you all. Time to change.” She pointed to the office off to the side of the kitchen.
They changed in silence, and Owen was pleased when Teddy winced, rubbing his hand over his shin as he held the exterior door open. “Let’s go say hi to Owen’s girlfriend.”
