Page 26 of Hide and Sneak
After sending back a string of laughing emojis, he replies.
Amos
Good luck with that. Did you drink her last Dr. Pepper?
Me: Nope. Ate her last cookie.
Amos: That’ll do it.
“I don’t know her but I like her,” Shawn says as thunder begins to rumble. All three of our phones light up with a matching text from our foreman telling us to call it a day.
Good. Hopefully Lila isn’t home yet. It’s time for a certain polka dotted cup to make a reappearance.
CHAPTER 10
LILA
Rain poursas I park beside Amos’s car in my driveway. Considering the weather, I’m not surprised to see Sutton’s truck here as well. I grab the two pizzas and the box of breadsticks from my passenger seat and dash inside.
Sutton must’ve just arrived since his hair is dripping and he’s busy taking off his boots inside the door.
Amos grins from the couch. “God, it’s like I’m the only person who works around here.”
Sutton snorts setting his boots aside. “Would you like to drown him under the downspout or should I?”
“I’m a little impressed he’s out of bed before two.”
Amos flips me off. “I’ll have you know I was up at the crack of noon. Is that pizza for everybody?”
“No, I’m going to eat two whole pizzas and breadsticks alone. Stand back and be amazed.”
Amos hops up and bounds in the kitchen, rubbing his hands together. “You really are my favorite sister, you know.”
“Yeah, yeah.” He ruffles my hair, and I flick his earlobe. Some things you never grow out of.
He plates a couple of slices and returns to the living room while Sutton sidles up to set his lunch box on the counter. Thegrin on my face can’t be restrained. He unpacks the remains of his sandwich, tossing it in the trash while I busy myself getting a plate.
Suddenly, his voice comes from right behind me. “You could try not to look so pleased with yourself.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Have some pizza. There’s plenty.”
“Uh-huh.” He reaches over my shoulders to put two packages of my favorite cookies and a liter bottle of Dr. Pepper on the counter in front of me. “Will this offering end the vendetta?”
“I suppose we can call it even.”
“Good.” He snatches one of the packages of cookies back. “These are mine.”
Surprise pulls a giggle from me. “They’re addictive, aren’t they?”
“Like sugar coated crack.”
After we finish with the pizza and put the leftovers away, Sutton retrieves a shopping bag from the front door. “Wait until you see what I got at the discount store.”
He pulls something bright blue out of the bag, unwraps it, and sets it up.
“Is that a playpen?” Amos asks. “Did you knock someone up?”
“It’s a pop-up ball pit!”
