Page 44

Chapter Thirty-Four

R ory had been at the lake house for fifteen minutes before the knock to the door came, the sound so loud that it liked to split his head wide. Goddamn it.

He stumbled to the front door and wrenched it open, intending to lay some hurt on whatever asshole had dared to bother him, when he found a perky little gal in a Sigma Chi T-shirt and Longhorn yoga pants.

“Aislin. What are you doing here?”

“Missed you too, Rory. You look like shit. Let me in before the neighbors call the cops.”

“Why would they do that? It’s our house.” He stepped back to let her in, though. Lord, she was getting so pretty.

She rolled her eyes. “There may have been a party a few months ago. Mom doesn’t know, okay?”

“I’m not telling. Not my problem.”

“Yeah, yeah. I guess you got enough of those, huh?” She rolled her eyes. “You’re such a drama llama, bro.”

“Fuck you, Lynn.” He didn’t need this shit.

“Yeah, I love you too.” She came to him and hugged him hard. “Seriously. We’re going to kill them, Rory. We’re McConnells. We will eat their faces and make them bleed.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be a goofy sorority girl?”

“Have you not seen Scream Queens ? We’re fierce.” She flipped her hair at him. “Besides, you’re not the only one going into law.”

“Lord. Isn’t that a movie?” he popped back. “Legally blind?”

“Blonde,” she snapped. She held up a tote bag printed with the H-E-B logo. “I am making you sober up food.”

“You cook now too?”

“I’m a woman of many talents.” She kissed his cheek. “Seriously. You’re going to have to call Mom eventually. She’s shitting a pink Twinkie.”

“I know. I can’t.” Not right now. He couldn’t face her.

“Well, no one would tell me exactly what happened, but I gather it must suck.” She marched past him and he trailed after her, kinda fascinated to see what she would do next.

“I’ll make migas . I hear your new boyfriend likes them.”

“Do you?” Luke did. “I don’t know that we’re going to still be…after this, you know. I don’t know that I’d want to be with me right now after seeing that.”

“Hmm. Well, I won’t watch it, whatever it is, bro.” She pulled out eggs, tortillas and peppers. “Your guy, though, is on his way.”

He shook his head. “I’m not ready to see him.”

“So tell him.”

“He’s a Navy SEAL. You can’t tell him anything.” He sure as shit wasn’t ready for both LeBlanc brothers.

“Oh. Ro says he’s super-hot.” She hunted down a big bowl and a skillet.

“He is.”

“Cool. I’m dating this guy, but he’s not all that. He’s just someone my girlfriends like. ”

“Is that cool?”

“Probably not. I like him okay. I’m not leading him on. We haven’t ‘I love you’d or anything. Have you?”

“Yeah.”

“And do you?”

“Yeah. He does too. Love me.”

“Good.” She started cracking eggs, her movements kinda vicious and efficient. “So, he should see you then, since he’s, like, driving. I guess that’s a big deal?”

“He can’t drive all the way here, kiddo.”

She blinked. “Oh. I thought sure Pop said he was bringing down Mom’s Cadillac. I have to drive it back up at Thanksgiving.”

“I—” He had nothing. “My head hurts, Lynn.”

“Of course it does, dork. You probably have alcohol poisoning.” She sat him down at the table, then produced a cup of coffee and two Excedrin seemingly out of nowhere, a la Mary Poppins. She was as magical as Mom.

“You’re pretty cool.”

“I totally rock. Totally. Ro will too. She just has to get over herself and admit she’s an artist. It’s a thing. I learned about it in my psych class.”

“She is stuck in a family of doctors and lawyers,” Rory agreed. He took the water she offered so he could swallow the pills. No chewing them like the guy in The Shining .

“Go lie down on the couch. Breathe. I will bring delicious food.”

“It had better be the best ever.” He gave her a faint smile before climbing to his feet and staggering to the couch. Maybe he would close his eyes for a few minutes.

“It is. It’s all going to be okay. Trust me.”

God, she sounded just like Mom. That was as weird as it was comforting. He stretched out on the couch, all that sleep he didn’t get the night before rushing up to meet him. Sort of like a shovel to the head.