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Eric shook his head. “But that’s another bonus.”
Had I used that phrase before?Sometimes I wondered where he picked things up. We didn’t watch a lot of TV. There wasn’t time.
“He doesn’t talk much, so that’s another check in the bonus column.”
I snickered as Lincoln’s scowl deepened.
“See. He’s perfect!” Eric said. I shouldn’t have encouraged him, knowing Lincoln wasn’t going to work for us, but we were having fun.
“But he hasn’t passed the real test.” I turned very serious. “Does he know the words to Bobby McGee?”
Slowly, Eric turned to Lincoln. He looked uncertain as he watched him drive a couple of blocks. Then Eric turned up the radio and seemed relieved when the song was in the middle of the piano solo.
“The next part is easy,” he whispered loudly.
Lincoln said nothing, simply stared through the windshield with that rock-like expression.
“It’s almost time,” Eric prompted as the song neared the end of the solo.
“Whooo.”
I whipped my entire body toward Lincoln when he let out a yell in perfect timing with Janis Joplin. Even the dogs lifted their heads.
Eric beamed and gave me anI knew he could do itlook.
I’d tried to help Lincoln get out of a job interview, but he belted out the end of the song like it was his favorite. Granted there were only about three or four words, but still. And of course, he was a decent singer.
Eric joined in, and I lifted my hands and sang at the top of my lungs.
It wasn’t so long ago Lincoln had been in the back of the van, scowling while the rest of us sang along to our favorite song. Whether he liked it or not, he’d retained some of the words, but I liked to think he’d loosened up just a little because of us.
“You’re hired!” Eric shouted when the final guitar note played.
My brother and I had done this together, just the two of us, for so long, I’d never thought much about expanding beyond that. It was shortsighted, and I wasn’t afraid to grow. But there was something about this right here that we couldn’t get back if our business got too big.
We had an aggressive schedule, making and delivering dog food every day. But specializing in what our customers wanted was the entire premise of our business.
Dog Love kept us busy, allowed us to spend time together doing something we enjoyed, and provided enough money so that we weren’t under quite so much financial stress. The goal had never been to get rich.
And I still wasn’t sure about a store. In some ways that made more sense. Maybe it would be better. But I liked this. Liked being out and about, singing our favorite song.
I was a little scared of how easily Lincoln fit into that. Easy might not be the right word, but he’d gone from being a robot passenger in the back of the van to driving and singing. I hadn’t thought he was capable, and he was probably surprised himself.
Lincoln had an empire to run, but if he wanted to join us sometimes, I wouldn’t mind.
A record scratch went off in my head. I gripped the clipboard.
I couldn’t be thinking in terms of a future. Not like that, not where it was effortless and without hesitation. That was dangerous territory. Our lives were meant to be taken a day at a time. Barreling ahead and assuming Lincoln would be there was a surefire way to get hurt if he wasn’t.
The “good morning” he’d given me—or almost—hadn’t felt temporary. My face flamed. I’d gotten so carried away, I hadn’t thought. I’d just wanted. Needed.
And that was reckless. Because if we’d taken that step, it was beyond falling. That was willingly giving myself to him. Could I do that?
“Shit for brains. Shit for brains. Shit for brains.”
I bolted to my knees and touched Eric’s thigh as he repeated the phrase over and over.
“Don’t say that,” I whispered as I followed his stare out the window.
