Page 84 of The Beat of My Heart

“Holy fuck, it’s Lanie,” Preston says.

“Ugh, no. This is Lexi, Lanie’s cousin,” I tell everyone.

“B-but are they twins?” Preston asks, his hands still in the air.

Seth, who looks like he could murder someone, takes the gun from Lexi’s hands.

“No, you idiot, what part of cousins don’t you understand?” Lexi retorts.

“In all fairness, you look exactly like Lanie,” Trevor offers.

“Lex, what are you doing here?” I ask, trying to keep us on track.

“Me? Mimi said you would be gone all week. What are you doing here?” she says.

“This is my house, Lexi,” I say, walking towards her. That’s when I notice the bruise on her arms for the first time.

Aware of what I just saw, she grabs her robe and pulls it tight. “Mimi said I could stay here this week. I-I just needed a place to crash while I figure some stuff out.” Lexi lies about as well as Lanie and I.

Too exhausted to take on anything else tonight, I pull her into a hug.

“Alright, guys, looks like one big sleepover tonight,” I say over my shoulder.

The inside of my house is in disarray. I’d already packed most of my things for the move to Lanie’s, so it will take some doing to find a place for eight grown men to sleep. I’m overwhelmed and ready to break down just as I hear a truck come barreling up my driveway.

“Oh my God, I cannot take one more thing today,” I yell as Seth goes barreling towards the driveway.

I have to laugh when I see GG walking towards my house with a gun pointed at Seth.

Fucking GG.

“Stand down, GG. Jesus, what is it with you Heart women pulling guns on people tonight?” I say. “This is not real life. Where are the cameras?” looking around, I’m waiting for someone to jump out and say “gotcha,” but it doesn’t come.

“Jules?” GG asks. “What in Sam hell are you doing here at 1 am?”

“Jesus, GG. I LIVE HERE!” I scream.

“Well, that’s enough yellin’, get your asses in the house and tell me what’s goin’ on. Last I heard, you were with Lanie, and Lex was staying at your house. What the hell are all these menfolk doing here?”

“GG, it has been a long-ass day. You can go home, we can talk in the morning, okay? How did you even know we were here?” I ask, already knowing the answer.

“Benny on Route 12 told me he saw a caravan of cars headed this way. I’d figured I’d better check it out to make sure Lexi here was safe,” she says like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

Turning to Trevor, I say, “This. This is why you don’t need locks on your doors in this town.”

“Well, I’ll be damned,” GG says, walking towards Trevor as fast as her old legs will carry her. “I’ve been waiting for you, young man. I told Jules here this was her year, nice to have you back.”

We all look at her like she’s crazy.

“What?” she says, “I told you, I’ve been readin’ those cards. He kept comin’ to me, the upside-down King of Hearts. Good to see you found your way, handsome. Your little Charlie will be so happy to meet you.”

“GG?” I hear Dex say from behind me.

“Ah, Dex. My handsome boy. Tell me, how’s my Lanie girl?” GG says.

“I-I can’t take this shit seriously, someone please wake me the fuck up!” I yell, storming further into the house.

“Oh, dear. I know Jules, whatever you’ve done today, it’s too much for her,” GG says, taking charge. “Okay, well, Dex, you and you four,” she says, pointing at Preston’s brothers, “you come with me, I’ll put you up in the lodge, the rest of you stay here and get some sleep. I’ll be back in the morning to sort ya all out.”