AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I didn’t need to know all that,” I grumble.
“Tucker said to tell you ‘hereallywanted you to know all that.’”
Oh, brother.
I am lying back in bed with the earbuds in, listening to Slade’s soft snore for the past hour, when my phone rings.
Tucker.
“Hey, Sweetness, it is I, your brother from another mother. How are you feeling?”
I narrow my eyes. “I’ll live, as you already know. I hear you work fast. Last conversation we had before you drugged me—”
“Shame on you, Sweetness, you make me sound like a villain. I would never do such a thing. I was just the messenger. You can blame Slade and Doc. But I bet you had a nice sleep.”
“Whatever.” I try again. “So, I hear it is a small world.”
“What do you mean, Sweetness?”
Insert eye-roll.
“Okay, I will cut to the chase. Why are you shacking up with Ophelia, and when did you possibly manage all this when you have lived under Slade’s roof all this time?” I bite my lip, battling my will to stop myself from smiling. We have that brother/sister antagonizing thing that seems to work for us. It is what Tucker and I do.
“Sweetness, you do know she’s a smart lady who can look after herself, and I promise not to be offended by the vibe I am getting off you. Now, when you’re feeling much better, you need to concentrate on your own backyard; in other words, you and Slade need to get down and dirty between the sheets. You’re like a pressure cooker, hissing away at me.”
I am lost for sass.
My ‘tude has dried up.
“Cat got that sassy tongue of yours?” I can feel the heat of the smirk on his face from here. “I’m a better guy than you give me credit for,” he says quietly, making me feel like total shit.
My friend is a big girl in a small way, and if she has something going on with Tucker, who am I to judge. I guess I am just surprised he kept her a secret the whole time we worked together.
“I know you’re a good guy,” I reply softly. “I still haven’t thanked you for flying through a glass window for me. So, listen up, I am only gonna say it once.”
“Hold on. I am putting the phone on speaker. Make sure to enunciate your words clearly, so Ophelia understands you. She’s from Australia.” I roll my eyes. “Now Iknowyou didn’t roll those peepers at me.”
I groan.
He barks out a laugh.
“If you are all ready, may I begin?”
“Go for it.”
“Thank you, Tucker Royal, for aiding in me not getting killed. I owe you a debt. Thank you for putting up with my grumpy behavior these past few days. Thank you, Ophelia, for my get-well gifts that I haven’t seen yet, but I will shortly. Now, Tucker, if you don’t treat my friend like the queen she is, you will have me to deal with.”
“You’re out of the loop. I have treated Ophelia with nothing but respect and witty, cocky banter since the day I rammed her head into the counter at Peace Café ten weeks ago.”
“What the hell, Tucker?!”
“Bye-bye, Sweetness.”
“You can’t leave the conversation on that note.”
“Sure, I can. I will see you tomorrow with Ophelia, and she can tell you all about our love for each other and my new change of address because when you love someone, you move mountains. Speaking of mountains, is that man-mountain of yours still in your bed? Have a good night, Sweetness.”
“What? He’s in her bed?” I hear the surprise in Ophelia’s voice. “Phoenix, honey, when I come over tomorrow, I want all the goss on you and Slade before I drive back to Temecula.”
