Page 83 of Home Tears

Dani finished, “Chimp Two.”

“Anytime, Flamingo Two. Coconut juice’s E.T.A. is two minutes, already en route.”

“Over and out, Chimp Two.”

“Over and out, Flamingo Two.”

Dani asked, “Flamingo Two?”

Kate grinned. “Jonah’s Flamingo One, and it’s because you’re both so pretty.”

“If he doesn’t come tonight, Robbie is a complete idiot.”

The smile vanished from Koala One’s face. “Yeah, well, there’s a reason why he was given the name Baboon.”

Bubba rapped against the door with his knuckles. His hands were full with two glasses. A flamingo sat perched on his face, and its legs spread out down the sides to his ears, holding itself in place like a headband.

Dani burst out laughing.

Kate opened the door, and Bubba handed over two Coronas. He plucked off the flamingo and stood right in front of Dani.

“Oh, please. I kinda wish you’d gotten the carnie costumes.” Dani reached for the headband, but Bubba moved her hands away. “Where’s your kids? Are they going to be traumatized by all this?”

“They’re at my folks. Now, I have to do this just right, Aiden said so.” He wiggled his eyebrows up and down. “Flamingo Two has been anxious to meet her owner.” Bubba giggled, and it seemed wrong for such a muscular man to giggle like a schoolgirl. He concentrated next, biting down on his lip. “Fancy Nancy is very happy to make your acquaintance.”

“Fancy Nancy, huh?” Dani reached to touch the flamingo after he put it on her head.

“Fancy Nancy doesn’t like to be touched.”

“She doesn’t? She’s going to bite me or something?”

“Nah.” Bubba was biting his lip down. “We’ll let Flamingo One do that.” He winked at her.

Dani shook her head, grinning stupidly. If this was the start to her evening, she’d come to any party wearing Fancy Nancy. “This is hilarious.” She didn’t comment on Bubba’s other comment.

“This is just the warm-up. We have full costumes still.”

“Jonah has one of these, too?”

Bubba laughed again. “He won’t wear one of our get-ups, but he still gets called Flamingo One.”

“Why do I have to wear this and he doesn’t?”

“Because you’re cool and fun, and he’s not.” Kate clinked her drink to one of Bubba’s.

“Yeah.” Bubba nodded in agreement. “We even bought these two orange hunting pads, you know that you can sit on when you’re hunting and they warm your ass up. Aiden sewed them onto this waistband that she took from my old underwear. We’re going to make Robbie wear them when he gets here.”

Kate’s smile slipped. “Thanks for that.”

Bubba clamped a hand on Kate’s shoulder. “Robbie is a baboon, if you ask me.”

“I know.” And Kate tried for a smile, but the energy was gone.

He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her in the air in a big hug. He whispered something in her ear, and Kate squealed. Her smile wasn’t as forced anymore. Then she stopped, looking inside the doors, and nudged Dani with her arm. She gestured inside.

Jake was right inside with Julia next to him. They were both in the front entryway, and Jake was staring at them. His eyes skimmed over the flamingo with the faintest tease of a grin at his mouth. Then Julia looked up from where she’d been listening to someone else talking. She saw Dani and stiffened immediately.

Dani muttered under her breath, “I don’t want to go in there.”

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