Page 151 of Ly to Me

“Ly’s friend is here. We’re good. So don’t start your usual woman-eating shit.”

Grant whistled low, kicking at the dirt as I put the box in his passenger seat. “Myusual shit? Pretty sure that was all you, my guy.”

“I should have called Hayes.”

“I’m your better friend.”

“Right.” I pulled out my phone and typed a message.

“You just asked him to come to this thing too?”

“The more, the merrier.” I peered around his truck, and as he followed my gaze, he said, “I didn’t get Tallulah to come. Said she had to practice for the race coming up.”

“That right?”

He just shrugged. He was either blind as all hell or choosing not to acknowledge what was right in front of him.

Hayes: I’ll be available later tonight. Not sure what time.

“What’s the party for? Birthday? Wedding finally needed a reception?”

I rubbed my palm over my jaw. “There’s someone we need to pay a visit to.”

His head bobbed back and forth, considering. “Who is it now?”

“I’ll explain when Hayes gets here.”

Grant’s whole face lit up like the Fourth of July. “Great. Brought a new toy I’d like to test out.”

Grant climbed the back tire of his truck with one solid step up, leaned over the truck bed, and pulled up a long black bag sealed with a zipper.

“Any of those girls shoot?”

It was likely the closest thing my wife had done with a gun was get fucked by one. I shrugged anyway. “Feel free to ask.”

I led Grant inside, and could tell the moment he was encroaching into the territory I told him to steer clear from when his whistle echoed in my house. Sophia was petite, with golden hair and slightly wider hips than Ly topped with full lips that Grant would take to instantly.

Lyra’s glance spoke volumes, though she fought a smile to the surface, standing partially in front of her friend.

Grant approached anyway, clearly not knowing how violent my little thing of a wife could be. He tipped the brim of his black Stetson and let his eyes roam the length of Sophia, making itblatantly clear that bringing him here while Sophia was here was a mistake.

My friend removed his hat and stuck his other hand out to her. “Grant.”

“Sophia.” Sophia draped her hand in his, drinking him in the same way as he bent down and kissed the top of her hand.

“Beautiful,” he murmured, then cleared his throat and straightened himself on the spot. “You girls shoot?”

I took a seat on top of the table, and as Sophia tracked the movement, I could see a deep groove form between her brows. We hadn’t gotten replacement chairs yet. Sue me.

That look cleared as Grant drew her attention once more. “I can show you, if you’d like.”

Sophia, who resembled the epitome of a posh country Barbie, complete with a thick diamond bracelet on her thin wrist, snorted. “I can shoot better than you, I’m sure.”

Ah. That’s where the similarities between my wife and her were, then.

Both violent little things.

I was suddenly very glad Tallulah wasn’t here to add to the mix. The three could probably burn the whole town down.