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We arrive at my parents’ house in a little under three hours due to Thanksgiving traffic and as soon as my car shuts off, my brother is out the front door with Finn at his side.
“You made it. Traffic was shit, huh?” Landon asks, smiling
“Of course,” I say, pulling him into a hug and feeling like things are mostly normal again. I do eyeball his leg, but that feeling of guilt, while still there, isn’t overpowering.
It’s all thanks to Theo. This dude has literally changed my life.
“Hey, Theo, how are you?” Landon gives him a handshake. Finn just eyes us both, obviously not happy about my guest—and let me tell you, I heard all about it earlier on the phone. He went on and on about how he didn’t think Theo should come, but then I’d mentioned his hands all over Landon and asked what the hell that was all about, and he zipped his lips. Yeah, fucker, that’s what I thought. Let’s just stay out of each other’s business.
Landon nudges Finn and he nods to Theo.
“Glad you could make it,” Finn mutters.
“Thank you.”
Landon throws his arm around Finn’s shoulders and smiles at us. “Alright, Dad is going crazy inside, cooking up a storm. Mom is about to pull her hair out.”
“Is he micromanaging again?” I ask with a chuckle.
“Yep,” Landon replies and then smirks. “Got all emotional that we’re all going to be here, and he wants it to be perfect so he keeps bossing Mom around.”
“Is she threatening to have him sleep in the greenhouse?”
“Yep. Saidyou’ll be sleeping with the radishes if you keep talking shit.”
I sure hope she doesn’t make good on that because I have plans for Theo later.
I grab our stuff from the trunk and Theo grabs Curie from the backseat and the litter box and then we head into the house.
“Where should I put her?” Theo asks as my mom rounds the corner, wiping her hands on a kitchen towel.
“Oh, hi!” she says with a bright smile and then glances at the cat carrier. “Oh, hello there, cutie.”
Curie meows her disgruntled greeting and my mom laughs. “Dad is going to go nuts over her, you know that right? You may leave here without a cat.”
Theo holds the cage a little closer to his side and I chuckle, nudging Theo with my elbow.
“He’s not really going to keep her. Relax. Let’s go let her out in my room.”
I hug my mom and she hugs Theo, and then I lead him up the stairs to my bedroom.
Theo eyes the space—the queen size bed, the small writing desk, and then his eyes land on the trophies lining a shelf on one of my walls.
“Shit,” he says, taking them all in. He seems frozen in place, Curie and the litter box just dangling in his hands. I take Curie’s carrier from him and let her out. She mews angrily and scurries under the bed as I set the litter box in the corner of the room.
“There are so many,” he says, eyeing me.
“I am the motherfucking best. Told you so.”
He swallows and shakes his head. “You apparently are.”
I nudge him a little. “And I bet you have trophies somewhere for that big brain of yours.”
He just scowls at me.
“You do, don’t you?” I would be completely surprised if hedidn’thave any.
“In a box in my closet, just some science fair awards. But nothing like this.”
