Page 76 of Sassy Love
“Oh yeah, what good news?”
“You’re staying with us for Thanksgiving, Laws.”
“Damn straight, little woman.”
She huffs a laugh. “Oh shoot, don’t make me laugh, now I gotta pee.”
“TMI, Gracie.”
“Never.”
“You good?”
She sighs and I imagine her running her fingers through my little brother’s hair the way she always does when they’re in close proximity. “Yeah, I’m good. How’s your new job going?”
“Pretty great actually, but there’s been a slight hitch.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, turns out one of us goes at the end of the three-month probation period. Budget constraints or something.”
“Oh, that sucks. Well, I hope they choose you. You deserve this, Laws.”
“Maybe.”
Carlie’s worked years to get where she is, being passed over for promotions time after time. I’m not sure I’m the one who deserves to stay on.
“What do you mean, maybe? Of course you do, you do an amazing job. With everything you do.”
I chuckle. “Thanks for the vote of confidence. Love you, Gracie.”
“Love you, too, Laws. Night.”
I tap the phone and hang up.
“How’s she doing?” Miles asks. He’s been a Gracie fan since the day I came home and told him about her showing up in my brother’s—my family’s—life.
“She’s good.”
But it’s Rubes he would steal away from my brother given half the chance. Lucky he’s good at putting out fires, because that girl burns him down every time she’s in town. Which brings us to Addy. She took to Miles like a duck to water with Miles’s dad being a chef like Adds’s mom. They swap childhood war stories that have the entire group in stitches whenever we get together. They both had to be the foodie experiment guinea pigs, which always ended in some hilarious tale.
“How is it that you Rawlins boys pull the most amazing goddamn women? Save some for the rest of us, will you?” Miles gives me a pointed look.
“Milo, that’s like a grand total of three. Pretty sure there’s a few left.”
He holds up four fingers, mouthing the number. I toss a cushion at his head, and he harrumphs. “Could have fooled me.”
How this man is still single is beyond me. A handsome, buff, kind-hearted firefighter. Go figure.
I tap out a message to Ma, even though I know she won’t check her phone ’til tomorrow morning.
“Man, is it cool if I pass out on your sofa? I’m done.”
“Yeah, of course. Up for a run in the morning?”
“Sure, bud.”
I pad to my bedroom, unbuttoning my shirt and shrugging it from my shoulders. I should text Millie and see how Carlie is doing. But it’s late, and I don’t want to disturb her. I know Carlie will have her phone on silent. I opt for texting her instead.
