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Davis makes a grunting sound.
I snap back to the conversation. “TMI?”
“TMI,” he confirms.
We talk some more and my cousins continue to crack jokes about my lame misadventures. They’re really getting a kick out of my failed escapade.
When I’ve had enough of their ribbing, I shake my head. “Here I am, worried about what will happen if Felix ever finds out that I accidentally fucked his sister. Meanwhile, my misfortune is nothing but entertainment to you assholes.”
“True fact,” Harry admits with a laugh.
Jasper makes an appeasing motion with his hands as he shrugs. “Look—the rest of us are no longer the ladies' men we used to be. We’re all happily married old men now. So it’s all on you, Mason.”
Davis agrees wholeheartedly. “We’re living vicariously through the last remaining Westbrook bachelor. It’s on you to make us proud—and keep us entertained—cousin.”
“Is that supposed to be some sort of weird honor?” I grunt.
Chuckling, Cash elbows his brothers out of the way and gets closer to the screen. His voice is low when he speaks. “On a serious note, though, your doctor friend would kick your ass into the next century for messing with his little sister. If I were him, that’s what I would do.”
“Like I don’t already know that.” I flinch.
Harry just shakes his head. “Look, here’s a simple two-fold plan to keep yourself out of hot water.” He holds up an index finger. “One—you’re gonna make sure your buddy never finds out.”
“No shit,” I grumble.
My cousin continues, holding up a second finger. “Two, you’re gonna keep your hands off the girl. No repeats of last night,” he spells out. “Simple enough.”
My stomach roils. “Yeah. Simple enough.”
Sick of my annoying cousins, I ask the guys to put Grammy on the phone. When her sweet face appears on my screen, a warm feeling pours into my chest. The old lady bombards me with dozens of worried questions all at once. I answer the best I can and I only manage to get her off the phone after I promise to call her for a FaceTime dinner date tonight.
We say our goodbyes and end the call so I can finish getting ready for work, being sure not to make eye contact with the blow-up doll as I dig through my duffel bag.
As I brush my hair and knot my tie in front of the mirror, I look myself in the eyes and repeat the rules. Again and again.
Rule one: Make sure Felix never learns of my sins.
Rule two: No repeating of my sins—at least not with Ms. Tough Girl.
Simple.
Simple and easy.
I put on a brave face and head back downstairs. Everyone’s still there. Felix re-introduces me to each of his four brothers, Darius, Archer, Ronan, and Nolan. I vaguely remember them. My mind tracks back to when I briefly met them back at med school graduation.Karli hadn’t been there, though. I would have remembered Karli.
I shake hands with the guys and make small talk, though it takes extra energy because all the while, I’m being super careful to avoid eye contact with Karli, who’s standing off to the side, arms folded, scowling at me.
Damn. That scowl would put an Angry Bird to shame.
When Felix hands me the keys to the house, I internally let out a sigh.He’s not kicking me out. I’m not packing my shit and heading back to Honey Hill in shame.This is good. This is good.
Darius comes up and pats me on the back. “You and Karli will be sharing the house this summer, but she will stay out of your way.”
“Ain’t that right, Karli Bear?” Felix sidles up to his sister and pinches her cheek. In response, she aggressively punches him in the shoulder.
I have to chomp down on my bottom lip to keep from laughing.
“Jesus. Such a darling you are,” Felix bites, rubbing at his injured shoulder. I may be biased, but I think he deserved the punch far more than I did.
