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“Another pepper plant?”
“I planted two of these, but the peppers are so damn hot, I’ll never need this many.”
“That should make Blake happy,” Lavender murmured while they crossed the street. Lane walked around the side of the house, bypassing the front porch.
“Shouldn’t we see if they’re available, first?” Lavender snarled at the flamingos, giving them a wide berth.
“I’m just leaving this on the back patio and then we’ll go. I told Blake I was dropping something off and he said they’d be around all day.”
“If you’re sure…” Lavender murmured. He didn’t want to get caught and give Speed a reason to suspect they were snooping.
Lane stopped Lavender when they reached the side gate. “I was thinking of upgrading the range in the kitchen.”
Which required Lavender to stare back at Lane, mystified and a touch frustrated. “You said we were going into town for supplies so we could help Aiden recreate a beheading. I’m not appliance shopping with you again,” he stated with a severe jab of his finger.
“I’m just letting you know because I’m going to ask Ray to look up a few models I found online and I don’t want you having a meltdown at the register.”
Lavender’s shoulders sagged as he groaned. “That’s going to make him talk even more and he talks so much as it is.”
“Pretend you’re an adult.” Lane reached over the gate and got the latch, shaking his head at Lavender. They passed through the side garden and Lavender was impressed with how well it was coming along after just a handful of weeks. Blake and Lane had begun many of the plants down the street before the house and the landscaping was finished. But the time and effort spent transporting and replanting had paid off as Lavender admired neat rows of summer vegetables and pots of herbs. Lane went to leave the pepper plant on the terrace steps, close to the opened kitchen doors, and stopped when they heard a ragged chuckle.
“Fuck, Blake.” Followed by a long hiss. “Open just a little bit wider… Oh. You aresucha good boy!”
Lavender dove around Lane and caught the terra cotta pot before it hit the stone steps. He gently set it down and put an arm around Lane, pulling him away before they could hear anything worse. Unfortunately…
“Your ass tastes good, doesn’t it?” Speed said but it melted into an appreciative groan as Blake made one of the sluttiest sounds Lavender had ever heard another human make. He covered Lane’s mouth just in time to muffle his horrified cry, rushing them back around the side of the house and through the gate. Lavender hurried Lane across the street and into the Mercedes.
“Start the car, Lane,” Lavender instructed. The poor man was pale and his lip wobbled as he turned the key in the ignition.
“That was the worst thing I’ve ever heard in my entire life.”
“I don’t know… It sounded perfectly consensual. Pretend you’re an adult?” Lavender winced hard at Lane.
“I taught that boy how to swim when he was just an infant.”
“Looks like he’s learned a few things since then.”
“Do you want me to leave you here?” Lane asked, his hand hovering over the gear shift.
“Honestly…” Lavender’s head tipped from side to side as he debated. “Now that I know that we’ll be trapped at the register forat leasthalf an hour… Could you pick up some of those brushes Sage likes?”
“You said you wanted to talk about something,” Lane reminded him so Lavender sighed and gestured for him to drive.
“I did but I assume Speed’s the last person you want to talk about at the moment.”
“He’s not my favorite person but anything to help me forget that happened,” Lane said.
“I thought you were happy about the engagement.”
“I am.” There was a long pause as Lane pulled in a deep breath and slowly let it out. “You’re right. They are both consenting adults and I don’t think either of them could be happier. And Mom and Kat are beside themselves, they’re so excited.”
“But?” Lavender prodded and Lane swatted dismissively.
“I’m still a little concerned about the timing and I might want to have my ears sewn shut but I’m truly happy for them.”
“I am…concerned as well. Particularly after the attempted break-in in Georgetown. I wanted to see what your thoughts were about the wedding in Sparks,” Lavender shared, causing Lane to sigh heavily.
“My gut twinges a bit because we don’t know what’s really going on with Frank Leary but I can’t tell them no if that’s where they want to do this.”
