Page 84 of Love and Other Trials
Carson grabbed him and punched him in the shoulder. “You’re going to end up with some purse dog, aren’t you?”
His buddies snickered. Even Rob. He flipped them a discreet bird because there were ladies on the scene. Turning, he watched Ariel’s face transform from radiant to stern as Tiffany waved a hand in their direction. Whatever she was saying didn’t please Ariel. No surprise there. Then Ariel was crossing the grass toward them. Rob must have noticed because his mouth twisted before he took a deep draw from the bottle.
“Why do I have a bad feeling all of a sudden?” Gunner muttered. “If they ask us to pick up a shovel one more time, I’m going to whimper.”
“You always were a wimp.” Perry snorted, setting his weight. “It’s like when I was mowing lawns. There’s always someone who wants to find fault with a job well done.”
They all turned to watch Ariel walk toward them. Noticing their regard, she pasted a smile on her face. Dax got that pit in his stomach too.
When she arrived, he called out, “What’s wrong?”
She hurried the rest of the way until she was standing among them, looking like a slice of fresh lemon pie in her yellow dress with a white shawl. “Don’t kill the messenger. I told Tiffany I would confirm that there’s nothing to be done about the sod lines.”
Sod lines?
“You’ve got to be kidding!” Dax muttered before clamping his mouth shut in response to Rob’s narrowing gaze.
“You mean besides the grass needing to fill in and grow?” Carson asked sarcastically. “We can’t make that happen. She knows that’s Mother Nature’s job, doesn’t she?”
She sighed heavily, her mouth twisting. “I know that, and I told her. She’s concerned you’ll be able to see them in the photos and videos…”
Rob swore under his breath and drained his beer. “I’ll talk to her. You guys get changed.”
They watched him run off. Dax wished he could slip his arm around Ariel, but he was filthy. “Let him handle it. If she can’t see what a goddamn miracle we’ve delivered here, then she’s?—”
He broke off, anger churning.
“The biggest bitch this side of Biloxi?” Carson suggested, raising a brow. “Or is Biloxi your territory alone, Dax?”
“At this point, I don’t care, and now I’m reeling it back in.”
Gunner took another drink. “Probably best, although I feel ya.”
Perry and Frank both nodded. Yeah. No one was happy about Rob’s choice. Tiffany just couldn’t give them a reason they should be fully behind Rob marrying her, could she? After all that work, was it too much to ask for a simple thank you?
He told himself to focus. Ariel was getting what she wanted, and while it seemed crazy to Dax, so was Rob.
Ariel was chewing on her bottom lip. “I’m sorry. I know it’s beyond unreasonable. I personally think all of you are awesome. If I needed anyone to help out at a disaster site, I’d call you guys in a heartbeat.”
“We’d be there, sweetie,” Carson answered before Dax gave him a playful shove. “Ooh, somebody’s jealous. Ariel, I told him that if he messes up, I’m going to make a play. Fair warning.”
“Jeez, Carson, lay it on thick.” Perry grabbed him around the shoulders and started perp-walking him toward their cottage, Frank taking the other side. “We’ll see you two later.”
“I mean it, Ariel!” Carson called as Gunner whacked him in the back of the head. “My feelings can’t be denied.”
Ariel was laughing as she regarded Dax. He rolled his eyes. “Carson’s a funny guy.”
“I like him. All your buddies. They’re polite and serious and hardworking as well as good-natured. Exactly what I’d expect in your friends.”
Dax turned at the sound of raised voices. Rob stood beside Tiffany on the path. He was pointing at the grass emphatically, his face red, while Tiffany crossed her arms over her chest and yelled something back. Rob flinched and turned and stalked off. Tiffany followed, heels clacking, calling out after him.
“They don’t look very happy to me.” Dax took a sip of beer, only to find it had soured for him, likely because of the scene they’d just witnessed. “I wish I felt better about this.”
She gave a heartfelt sigh. “I know, but it’s not our decision.”
“That’s what I keep telling myself.” He looked down at himself. “Jesus, I need to get changed. I’m filthy.”
“I’ll come with you and escape the drama.”
