Page 126 of Boots, Bucket Lists & Bad Ideas
Earlier, I peeked in their booth. The tablecloths don’t have a single wrinkle, and the merchandise is lined up too neatly with pamphlets of The Fox Lodge, industrial blenders for their slushies, and rows of cups.
I’ll tell you right now, our table isn’t going to look anything like their Pinterest-perfect table.
Wyatt hammers metal spikes into the ground, securing the rope from the tent before I drop and attach sandbags to each post.
“Their table will meet ours here.” Levi snaps open the legs of a table with a loud clack before he flips it upright and moves it into position.
“We helped set them up yesterday while you were out playing King of the Ant Hill.” Dean hops from foot to foot, as if he has ants in his pants.
The desire to kick his ass returns.
It’s only dawn, and I can tell I’m going to hate today.
“Can we just get this done?” I growl.
Everyone agrees, but not even thirty minutes go by before my brother catches me scratching my chest through my shirt. And, of course, he can’t just let it slide.
“You need me to fetch you a stick? How about a wrapped jerky?” He holds up a pack of jerky.
“We’re not unpacking the jerky. It must be stored in a dry, cool place overnight. Put the cooler back in the bus and don’t bring any more out.”
“Maybe I’m hungry for jerky. Or maybe you need a scratching post.” He holds the jerky like a fencing sword and jabs it toward my ribs. “En garde, Ditch Cowboy.”
“Grow up.” I swat it away before he pokes one of the few small white blisters that showed up this morning.
Lord, I pray they don’t show up on my balls.
“You grow up,” he mocks, ducking the zip tie I snap at him. “I ain’t the one who tumbled into a fire ant motel while changing a tire.”
“I didn’t tumble.” I loop a zip tie through the banner’s grommet and then click it tight around the back of the metal tent frame. “The ditch gave out—”
“Ohhh, the ditch gave out.” Wyatt walks by Levi with an orange heavy-duty extension cord. “We have permission to razz him now, right?”
Levi grins. “Ditches are always sneakin’ up on people like that. Real aggressive.”
I shoot Levi a warning look. “Don’t come for me unless you’re ready to cry twice in two days.”
Dean snorts.
Wyatt whistles.
Levi clutches his chest in fake pain. “Right in the feelings.”
He can pretend and deflect all he wants, but he’s a loose cannon. He dove straight into this fatherhood thing without thinking. He hasn’t even been married to Hope for a year, and he’s already knocked her up. He’s reckless, impulsive, and thinks with his heart instead of his head.
I’m the opposite.
But I witnessed the consequences. Hell, they played out in front of me and shook me to my core, put me in my place, and forced me to see the depth of our parents’ hatred.
Fast forward ten years, and it turns out I’d been...wrong. That doesn’t sit well with me.
“Hart’s just lucky it was ants and not snakes.” Wyatt drops the extension cord on the ground and locates the end of it. “A snake bite to the balls would be really problematic.”
This conversation is problematic.
Clearly, Jade didn’t hold back any details. I’m not surprised. I can’t even be mad because I’ve done this to us. Just like she said. And I have to stick to the role I’ve created for myself.
Although some days, like today, with my brothers being total dickheads, I feel the jerk inside me waiting to break free.
