Page 80 of Untamed

“Gonna let me in?” he asks, peeking around my shoulder.

“Uh, yeah, of course. Sorry. Let me get you a towel or something, goodness’ sake.” I laugh as I step to the side. “Hayes, it’s Wells!”

I run to the closet in the laundry room and pull out a fresh towel, tossing it to him as he stands in the foyer, trying to shuck his shoes off. He takes a second to dry off while I move to the kitchen.

“Drink?” I ask him as he walks in, drying his hair with the towel quite violently.

“Nah, I’m only here for a second. Just came from Rhett and Poppy’s. You know they got married today?”

“Shut the fuck up!” I give his shoulder a hard shove. “She didn’t tell me!”

“Probably want to tell you in person. They said something about coming over tomorrow. So…act surprised?” He shrugs.

“So, why are you running around from house to house in the middle of a storm?” Hayes asks as he tries desperately to get all of the dough off his fingers and into the bread machine.

“Oh, right. Yeah. I have news.” He wags his eyebrows at us.

“You’re bein’ a dick tease,” Hayes grumbles. “Fucking out with it.”

“Ignore him.” I roll my eyes at Wells. “He’s just pissy because he’s been working on this bread for three weeks and still hasn’t got it.”

“I’m not pissy.”

“You are,” I tell him.

He sighs and abandons his mission. He closes the lid of the bread machine and moves to the sink to wash his hands instead. That’s going to make a lovely mess in the drain stopper.

“You gonna tell us or what?” Hayes asks, drying his hands and leaning against the counter.

“I am dating someone. Have been for a while, actually.” He smiles like a maniac. “Anyway, I’m telling you this because I need you guys to not be so shocked when you meet her and her family.”

Hayes and I are both silent, just staring at him.

“I’m sorry…what?” My brain cannot compute.

“You’re single…” Hayes looks like his brain might explode.

“No,” Wells says, his grin turning into a full-blown smile. “I’m not.”

“I really need more information than what you are giving, dude.” Hayes laughs. “You’ve been hiding some chick?”

“Don’t call hersome chick.” I swat at Hayes.

“I’m just making the rounds to let everyone know. She’s coming over tomorrow.”

“Okay, well…awesome!” I wrap him up in a big hug because as confused as I am, it’s still exciting.

“We are still missing so much information.” Hayes laughs as he wraps both of us up in his arms. “But whatever. Can’t wait to meet her!”

“Have you told Katherine and Clyde?” I ask as I try to escape the man sandwich.

“They’re next.” He jumps off the barstool and winks at me.

“Is there a reason this couldn’t wait ’til the morning?” Hayes asks.

“Didn’t want to.” Wells shrugs.

“Wait!” I cut in before Wells makes it out the door. It’s blowing and pouring the fucking rain down. “At least take a damn umbrella!”

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