AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You know, you’re probably the worst navigator ever.”
“Worse than Amelia Earhart?”
“Amelia…” Jugs shot him a quick, wide-eyed look. “Dude. That woman was a pilot. Her navigator was some guy named Fred. And, besides, he got them across hundreds of miles of ocean.”
“Yeah, but they never made it back.”
“They had mechanical issues.”
“You sure?”
“Everyone’s sure!” Jugs practically shouted.
“Huh. I thought they’d said fuck it and went to live their lives somewhere else.”
“Are you serious?”
“Here!” Cody shouted, pointing. “Turn right!”
Jugs swerved at the last second and made the turn. Cody saw Jugs’s jaw clench and hands squeeze tight around the steering wheel, and he figured Jugs was imagining it was his neck. He turned away to look out his side window and hide his smile. Damn, he missed his brothers sometimes. It wasn’t much fun to tease Demmy like that, because he’d need to smooth hurt feelings over later if he wanted any action. And, besides, he and Demmy teased in a much better, gentler, and sexier way. It was definitely not a brotherly kind of teasing. And while Jugs was fun to get riled up, it didn’t always feel right for him to do it because Jugs had three sisters and wasn’t used to being on the receiving end of brotherly teasing.
Cody knew he and his brother Dave were due for a dinner or meet up at the Hollow Leg, but he’d been putting it off because he’d have to hear all about Ollie and their wedding plans. And as much as he liked Ollie and loved his brother, Cody really didn’t want to think of what the two of them did together. Ugh.
“Any upcoming turns I should know about?” Jugs said in an overly patient tone of voice.
“What? Oh, the map. Right.” Cody made a show of checking his phone even though he knew the house was a couple of blocks ahead on the right. “We’re close.”
“That didn’t answer my question.”
“It didn’t?”
“You know, Bonker, I liked you a lot better back in high school when I didn’t have to see your smarmy, smirking face every day.”
“Jeez, Jugs, that really hurts.” Cody put a hand to his chest, then checked his phone. “Oh, stop here. Right here. Here!”
“Son of a…”
Once Jugs had parked at the curb, he slugged Cody in the arm.
“Ow,” Cody said, rubbing the spot and giving his best wounded and confused look. “What was that for?”
“You know damn well what that was for. Now, come on. Let’s go evict a critter.”
“You really need to work on your anger issues.”
“I really need to work on ignoring your tiresome chatter.”
Cody smiled as he got out of the truck. He met Jugs at the tailgate, and they each pulled on a pair of coveralls, complaining about the heat. With gloves, protective glasses, and headlamps in their pockets, Cody led the way up the walk to the door where it was pulled open before they could even knock. A man about their age stood looking out at them, and a shock of recognition rattled through Cody the same moment the man’s expression shifted to surprised recognition.
“Bower?”
“Sykes?”
Devin Sykes grabbed Cody’s hand and pulled him in for a bro hug. “Dude, this is your gig now?”
Cody stepped back and spread his arms as he smiled. “This is my gig. I’m part-owner of Critter Catchers.”
“Part-owner? Owner? You? Who did you con into running a business with you?”
