Page 54 of Loving Ladybug: Part One
“Do I ever get to hear the racoon in a bucket story?” I was quite curious.
“There’s not much to it. One night, when she was working late at Tito’s, she took out the trash, caught a little raccoon in a bucket, brought it inside, and wanted to keep it. We weren’t there, but Dimitri and Carlos were,” Dean replied.
“How do you two know each other?Eats?” Grif asked.
I turned to AJ. “As in,AJ eats everything. Eats, you never told them about the summer you ran away to be a Cowboy?”
It had been quite a sight, this rich kid from New York City trying to make it in rodeo. The circuit he followed mimicked the fair circuit my sister’s band was doing. Since it was summer, I was dragged along from fair to fair. Endless fair food and rides wasn’t the worst way to spend a summer. AJ and I had become friends and stayed in loose touch.
“You a Cowboy? That’s an incredibly sexy thought.” Verity put an arm around him.
AJ laughed. “Tens, have you told them about all the summers you spent in a dinosaur costume, shooting T-shirts from a cannon, with your sister’s band?”
“I know about it, but I haven't seen pictures.” Gwen looked up from her phone.
“That sounds epic. Rodeo? You were a clown?” Mercy added.
“Bullfighter. Then I broke my collarbone, got yelled at by my agent, hockey coach, and dad, and never went back. Tens and I still keep in touch,” AJ replied.
“So this is your pack. Congrats.” My heart squeezed, but I’d get one, eventually. I was twenty-seven and not getting any younger. I’d watched as many of my teammates had packed up and started families.
Gwen pet the tiny cow, giving it a fond look. “Tens, I want one.”
“Of course you do,” I replied, coming closer. “Where would you keep her?”
“At your place?” Her face perked up.
I shook my head. “It’s a no pets building.”
“Boo. I’m telling Cooter’s wife on you.” She made a face. Gwen opened insta-chat on her phone and made a video of her and the cow. “Cooter, Tens won’t let me get one. They’re so cute. Please tell your wife on him for me. Thank you.”
She sent the video and shot me a smug look. Cooter added her on insta-chat?
AJ’s eyebrows rose. “Cooter? Like the goalie for the Sasquatches?”
“He has awife?” Dean blinked.
“It’s a joke. Not sure I should have introduced Gwen and Cooter. I feel like it will end with the two of them in a pickup truck, with some strippers and baby goats in the back, going ninety through a cornfield at two in the morning, while the police chase them.” I laughed. Mercy and Gwen had their heads together again as they looked at their phones.
“That is an oddly specific story,” Verity replied, giving AJ a look.
“Yeah, that’s not how the story went.” AJ laughed.
“Well, that’s about how it would go with them. I met her tiger today.” I chuckled.
Grif laughed. “We’ve all met Marty.”
“Oooh, he replied.” Gwen beamed at me.
“It’s not going to be the answer you like,” I warned. Cooterhatedcows.
“No can do, Babybug,” Cooter drawled in his thick Appalachian accent. “If the wife knew about these tiny cows, she’d want one. Then I’d have a house cow sleeping in my bed. I hate cows. They’re hell spawn.” He shuddered. “I’m glad you’re at a farm. It’s good for you. Be good now.”
“Unfair. I’m telling Clark on the both of you.” Gwen’s face fell, and she pouted. She made another video with the cow. “Clark, I’m at a farm and I want a mini cow. Tens won’t let me have one. Can I have one? Please?”
Gwen pouted again and sent the video, then shot me another one of those adorable expectant looks that made me want to give her everything.
“Would you like to go on a hayride?” I offered. “I also found axe throwing. We could do that after, then eat? The music should start by then. Unless you’re hungry now?”
