Page 84 of Clean Slade
“Hey, hey, hey. What’s going on here? The pissing contest is tomorrow at noon. No need to start early.” Autumn clapped her hands sharply and glared at us. “I swear to God I need to go get all of you neutered the way you act sometimes.”
Wyatt rolled his eyes at his bartender and picked his coffee back up.
“We’re not pissing. We’re talking,” he mumbled.
“And I’m not judging. I’m observing. Pftt!”
“Seems like someone needs a day off.” I watched Autumn, who put her hands on her hips and pouted.
“Damn right, I need a day off. All this testosterone is driving me crazy. I need to find girlfriends. Where can I find girlfriends?”
“Plus-One?”
“Not to date, you idiot.” She whipped a towel at me, and I almost fell off my chair laughing.
“We’re too busy for days off,” Wyatt told her.
“Like hell we are. This place is the most overstaffed bar I’ve ever been in. Why can’t Donovan do some work?”
Donovan had come to the island while King and I were hiding in Chatham. More and more of our old teammates seemed to be slowly finding their way onto the island to answer Wyatt’s call for help.
Although until we knew who and what we were dealing with and whether there really was a crime syndicate operating in Mayberry Holm, there was only so much we could do.
“You know he’s busy helping around the island,” Wyatt told her.
“You mean he’s busysleepingwith half the island.” A little huff escaped her, and I cocked my head.
“Is that a jealous huff I detect?”
Autumn gasped.
“I beg your fucking pardon? Why would I be jealous of that himbo? He can sleep with whoever he wants, thank you very much.”
I glanced at Wyatt, but he seemed oblivious to whatever was going on as he polished a few glasses before returning them to their shelves.
“I don’t know. Maybe you’re jealous of all the girls he’s getting into bed. You just said you were in need of girlfriends.”
Autumn shook her fists in front of me, probably pretending they were twisting my neck.
“I’m not gay!”
“So it’s him you’re jealous of.” I almost burst out laughing again because it was so fun to wind Autumn up.
It was easy to like her and feel close to her despite not knowing her well. She had a big heart and admirable timing.
When she wasn’t clearly upset about a guy she was pretending she didn’t care about, of course.
“I hope there’s spit in your coffee,” she said and walked toward the kitchen. “I’m taking the day off. I’ll be in bed. Reading.”
“Is that what we call it now? Reading?”
She flicked her hand back, giving me the middle finger as she barreled up the stairs.
“Well, that was a dramatic exit,” I said.
Wyatt frowned.
“Believe me, the rest of you are far more dramatic. Especially Joey. That kid is gross when he’s talking about his ‘boyfriend.’”
