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I held my glass in the air. “Here’s to forever with Wesley. May you two never stop falling in love.”
“Cheers!” Avery added. We tapped our glasses together, then took a sip.
Willow smiled. “If I wasn’t such a free spirit and anti-commitment, I’d want someone to look at me the way Wesley looks at you, Avery.”
“Someday, little sister, you might find someone who makes you want to settle down those feet of yours,” I said.
“But running is so fun. Speaking of… I’m off to Chile tomorrow for a race. I met a guy who asked me to join him, and I booked my ticket yesterday.”
Avery arched an eyebrow. “You’re running off to Chile with a random guy you just met?”
She smiled. “You say that like it’s a wild concept.”
“Or her first time doing such a thing.” I snickered. If our little sister was going to do one thing, it would be moving wherever the wind blew her. Avery and I were forever stressed out by Willow’s adventures, but she always seemed to come back home safely, which was good enough for me. Besides, if we were to tell Willow to do anything, it was almost certain she’d do the opposite. She wasn’t one to be told what to do.
“Does Daddy know?” Avery asked with an arched eyebrow.
“No, and he won’t know until I tell him I landed safely.” She pointed a stern finger and waved it back and forth between Avery and me. “Don’t you dare tell him, either.”
“Scout’s honor,” I said, holding up my hand.
I nudged Avery under the table, and she grumbled. “Yeah, yeah, okay. But only if you send me your location and your itinerary for the trip.”
“You know I’m not one for itineraries,” Willow said, sipping her wine.
“Yeah, well, make an exception this time around. And I need this guy’s name and information before you board the plane.”
“He goes by Snake.”
Avery’s high-alert button was pushed as her eyes all but popped out of their sockets. “You’re going out with a man who goes by the name of Snake?!”
Willow grew bashful and wiggled in her chair. “It’s because he has a way of slithering into one’s heart. Don’t worry. He’s a trained yogi.”
“Why does that make me worry even more?” Avery muttered.
“Avery, take your mothering hat off and put on your sister cap, okay? I’ll be fine. I always am,” Willow warned. Avery did have a way of being a mother figure to both Willow and me, but I didn’t blame her. If anything, I was thankful for our older sister. Mama passed away during childbirth with Willow. Avery was only around twelve years old when it happened, but she made sure Willow and I were always taken care of. Of course, Daddy was our haven. We couldn’t have asked for a better father, but when it came to the girl things he didn’t know much about, Avery stepped up to the plate. From doing our hair to telling us about pads and tampons, she was always in our corner.
Sometimes she and Willow would bump heads about Avery’s mothering habits, but I knew it all came from a good place. Besides, for me at least, whenever Avery acted out in that way, I could see Mama in her eyes. It felt like a gift that kept on giving.
Before my two sisters could continue their back-and-forth, I cleared my throat. “Hey, remember when Avery almost got engaged?” I exclaimed.
The two instantly stopped yapping at one another and swooned together as they said in unison. “Yeah, we do.”
Avery nudged me. “Solid conversation shift. Speaking of shifts of topic…Willow, did you know that Yara and Alex are now friendly with one another?”
Willow arched an eyebrow. “The poopy shoes guy?”
“The one and only.” Avery nodded. “I’m still waiting for the story of how that came to be. So, Yara, the floor is all yours.”
“Well. It all started with his clown shoes.”
CHAPTER 20
Alex
I woke up to the most horrendous smell hitting my nostrils. The urge to vomit raced over me as I climbed out of my bed. As I approached my guest room, where the stench only grew more intense, I covered my mouth to keep from gagging.
When I glanced within the crate, there lay Feliz, on his back, snoring, covered in his own poop. It was smeared all over the crate, and he looked to be resting as peacefully as a clam after giving me a night of hell.
“For the love of…” I muttered as I moved in closer. The second I took a step, he awakened and flipped over to his feet. As soon as he saw me, he started his nonstop barking and growling routine. That was the sound I’d fallen asleep to the night prior, and let’s just say it wasn’t the best thing for my ears to be pierced with—especially without espresso in my system.
