Page 57 of Single Mom's Mountain Men
“Are you kidding me?” I stare at Charlie like he's crazy. “Don't tell me you’re going to treat a scabby little coyote.”
“It’s not a coyote,” he says. “I guess it might have a little bit of coyote blood in there somewhere, but it's basically a domesticated dog.”
“How the fuck would you know that?”
When Charlie reaches the dog, he scratches it on the head and the little thing doesn't so much as growl at him. Instead, it shifts so Charlie can find a good spot, and then its back leg starts to kick like a wounded toy.
"Jeez." I shake my head. "If it's wounded, take it to a vet. Why is it here?"
"Vet's office in Gasten is closed and I didn't feel like driving two hours to Wilmont."
"Fine. Your funeral. If it bites you and you get rabies I'm going to take you out back and shoot you before you can bite me or Mitch."
"He doesn't have Rabies. I called the number on its chip and he's got all his shots."
"It's dirty."
"I'll wash him when I'm done treating his wound."
My eyes widen at the implication. He's thought this whole thing out. “You’re not thinking of keeping that thing, are you?”
He says nothing which is Charlie-speak for"Yes and there’s nothing you can do about it."
"No fucking way,” I say. “There’s no way I’m letting you keep that creature. Just look at how he's glaring at me. He's going to try to bite me the second I turn my back."
“Perhaps he’s a good judge of character." A smile crooks my brother's lips.
"Ha ha very funny. You’re doing this to mess with me,aren’t you?" The whole week I’ve been trying to get a rise out of Charlie so I can take my frustration out on him. I wouldn’t be surprised if this is his version of payback.
"Believe it or not, most of the things I do don't have anything to do with you."
"Oh, that's rich. Is that why you went after the same woman I did?
I reach for the familiar annoyance that hits me at the thought of him hooking up with Patty but it’s not there. I’m not even sure why I was so upset in the first place, and perhaps that is what annoys me most about this thing. I’ve never been the type to be possessive over a woman. I’ve always been a taste the rainbow kind of guy and I don’t mind if the woman I’m hooking up with is doing the same. It’s why I’ve never had exclusive relationships before. I’ve just never thought I was cut out for it, and I’ve never been monogamous.
But then when I think of Charlie and Patty together, all I see is him taking her away from me.
I know Charlie. He doesn't mess around with the women like I do, and he doesn't do casual hookups. He’s been serious about every woman he's ever been with and even though he’s always chosen horrible women, he’s always treated them well. With a woman as sweet as Patty, I know it’s going to be deeper than just sex between them. He’s going to fall in love with her, and Patty is probably going to fall right back in love with him. And unlike his exes, Patty won't take advantage of his love and won't mistreat him. She won't want to try to force him to be someone he's not.
I already see the way she looks at him sometimes, that fondness in her eyes, that gratitude. She probably sees him as her Prince Charming and before I can blink, they’ll be gettingmarried and popping out kids and probably moving somewhere far away.
And Patty will be lost to me forever.
An uncomfortable prickly sensation pierces through my chest and it's like nothing I've ever felt before. That feeling was what led to the anger that overwhelmed me right before I attacked my brother. And it was that feeling that had me holding onto the anger too, even though I don't really feel betrayed.
That's where I let my self-evaluation stop.
Because if I think about it hard enough, maybe I'll realize that my anger only shields something else.
Fear.
I'm afraid of losing Patty.
A woman I only just met.
It was insane for me to even think that way when I'd never cared about any other woman before. Maybe it's just because she's living with us and I've gotten used to domesticity. I'm sure that being with another woman will be able to put her right out of my system.
And I was on my way out to Cockrey’s to prove it.
