I whipped around with half a hot dog hanging outta my mouth and my eyes bulged outta their sockets. I'd seen her arrive earlier—and several shots ago—from across the way. There was no mistaking Mrs. Lancaster, and not only because she'd arrived with the taller, more imposing of her two sons behind.
It was the eyes.
She had Brody's eyes.
Or, er, he had hers.
Whatever.
I waved at Luke as he split off from his mom with a tip of his hat. Finishing my bite, I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand as she approached.
"Oh, sorry, hon. Didn't mean to catch you with a wiener in your mouth."
Oh, fuck.
I was gonna die 'cause said wiener was caught somewhere in my throat.
Oh, God.
That made me want to laugh harder which just meant more choking.
Brody appeared outta nowhere and gave me a couple firm pats on the back. "Jesus, mother. Try not to kill my girl, would ya?" By the time the offending bite worked its way down my esophagus, there were tears pooling in my eyes.
"What'd she do, huh?" Brody asked as he rubbed slow circles on my back.
That feels nice.
"Like that, do ya?"
Oh, fuck. Did I say that out loud?
"You did. That too."
I groaned. "No more shots."
Mrs. Lancaster laughed, and when I looked from Brody to her, she had mischief written all over her.
"Oh, you knew exactly what you were doin'." I pointed the finger of my non-hot-dog-holding hand at her.
"Bein' a shit stirrer?" Brody asked. "You two have that in common."
My drunk ass was saved from any further embarrassing exchange with my boyfriend's mother?—
I gasped, turning to grip Brody by the plaid button-up shirt. The ketchup from my fingers would leave a stain.
"Are you my"—I whispered the next part—"boyfriend?"
We were far enough into the night that the sun had disappeared behind the Bitterroots. The only light was what was spillin' out from the barn and the little Edison bulbs I'd helped Sassy string between some trees. Brody's normally bright green eyes were darker without the presence of the sun that seemed to shine out his ass, but I could still see them dance before he spoke.
Instead of lettin' him say whatever asshat remark was 'bout to come out of his mouth, I shoved the rest of my hot dog in his pie hole the moment he opened it.
Then I turned and ran, cackling the whole way.
Next I knew, something soft was hitting me in the back of the head. I reached up to touch my hair and came away with?—
"Oh my God! There's blood everywhere!"
Multiple heads whipped in my direction as I just stood there, staring at my hand. Brody came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist.
