Chapter 13 #2
“I can’t wait for you to have some girl drama.” Haddy has Princess Petunia in her arms, so she bumps Mav with her hip. “What’s the deal, anyway?”
“Easy on the solar plexus.” Mav takes the teacup poodle from her. “I have a strict rule about dating. Hockey is my number one love, and if that’s okay with the ladies, we can have some fun. But hockey is my life.”
“That sounds eerily familiar,” I say from where I’m sitting on the floor, brushing Spanky. “What was up with that Cliffs’ player punching you in the face?”
“Phew, talk about drama.” Mav straightens, shaking his head. “He’s been carrying a grudge since we collided last season. Moron. It was a loose puck!”
Maddie is right at my side walking Zander across Ladybird’s back. “There’s this girl on YouTube, and she won a ribbon for walking a dog in a show!”
“You’re right. Her name is Caitlyn Mellor.” I slide the brush over Spanky’s shoulders. “She’s only four years old.”
“Could I walk Ladybird like that?” She puts Zander on Ladybird’s head like a hat.
The large bloodhound only blinks, turning her big head to look at the little girl.
“Sure, you could.” I smile, setting the brush aside and glancing up at Owen.
He’s been quietly observant since our conversation on the beach. He gives me space, but I feel him waiting. It vibrates in the air.
As for me, I’ve put my feelings for him in a box with a tight lid on top in the back of a tall closet in my mind. He wants to be a good dad. He doesn’t want a relationship. Done.
It helps that they’ve been gone so much playing, but on nights like this when we’re all at home, I have difficulty keeping that box in its place.
His gaze is a hot laser on my skin.
“I’ll teach you to walk LB if your dad doesn’t mind,” I clarify.
“I don’t mind.” The affection in his low voice tingles in my stomach. “You might have your work cut out for you, though. I’ve never been able to train that dog.”
“She comes when you whistle,” Maddie argues.
“That’s true.” He gives her a warm smile.
My stomach is all squishy in the middle… Because he’s so sweet to her. That’s all.
“I’ll teach her.” Maddie is determined. “I’ll walk her like that little girl and her dog.”
“I’d like to see Peepee run in one of those obstacle courses,” Mav calls from where he’s holding Haddy’s pooch.
“It’s called an agility challenge,” I tell him.
“Those dogs can move!” He glides Peepee through the air like she’s flying. “What do you say, Peep? Think you can beat those fancy dogs?”
“Don’t swing her around like that, she’ll barf.” Haddy takes her from Mav, cuddling the tiny canine against her chest. “She’s already a fancy dog.”
“She’s so cuuuute,” Maddie runs over to pet the tiny poodle.
“So about Halloween,” Mav brings us back to the beginning. “We’re playing that day, but we’ll be done and back in time to party. Hell, we’ll be ready to party. We’re gonna whup Anaheim’s ass!”
“Maav…” Haddy gives him the wide-eyes, tilting her head at the little girl beside her.
“What’d I say?” He looks from her to Owen.
“It’s okay, she hears worse stuff at the games.” Owen leans down to pet Ladybird, and his arm is magnetically close to mine.
I clear my throat and stand, walking over to where my cousins are behind the couch. “What’s the theme this year?”
“There’s not really a theme…” Mav starts.
“Oh, please, all of you were in Star Wars outfits last year. I was the only one left out.”
“Can we do a mermaid theme?” Maddie bounces on her toes. “I love The Little Mermaid! You can be Ariel!”
“I don’t care for the theme of that movie,” Owen grumbles from where he sits.
“Daddy!” Maddie stomps over and gets right between his legs, putting her hands on his shoulders. “You already told me it’s a cartoon, and I should never trade anything valuable just to be with a stinky boy!”
“Even if he is a prince.” Her dad looks her straight in the eyes.
She only lifts her chin. “I still like Ariel.”
Haddy and I are doing our best not to laugh or smile or even look at them.
“How does Ladybird feel about Ariel’s singing?” Mav asks.
“She loves it.” Maddie walks over to hug the dog. “She tries to sing with her.”
“This I gotta see.” Mav looks at Owen. “We can have a non-problematic undersea party. I’ll be Captain Jack Sparrow.”
“He’s not problematic?” My eyes narrow.
The door opens, and Heather stumbles into the living room holding a large box. “This was on the front step. I think it’s the calendars.”
“The calendars!” Haddy jumps to take the box, carrying it to the table, and we all crowd around to look. “Grab the box cutter.”
“Here.” Mav reaches between us and pulls the top open.
We all grab a glossy booklet and open it to the middle.
“Mr. June.” Mav holds it up. “Centerfold, baby. Check us out, Spanks!”
Spanky stands, wagging his tail with his tongue out.
Gavin is Mr. May, holding baby Lucy in his arm and Peepee in his hand.
“It came out so well,” Haddy sighs. “Ryan did such a great job.”
Owen is Mr. July, and I swallow the desert in my throat when I see his level gaze, brow lowered over shimmering blue eyes. A hint of a smile lifts his full lips, and a dusting of whiskers covers his square jaw, square chin… swoon.
“Why aren’t you wearing a shirt, Daddy?” Maddie frowns, turning the pages. “None of them are.”
“Okay… it’s time to start dinner.” Mav puts his copy under his arm. “Who’s up for Mexican street corn, black beans, and hot chicken?”
Five loud, enthusiastic Mes answer, but Owen holds up his hand. “Can we get one not hot chicken for Maddie?”
“Only for Maddie, the shirt police.” Mav gives her little head a scrub with his palm before heading to the kitchen.
“I’m not a police!” She waves his hand away, smoothing her hair.
“I’ll take these to the house and come right back.” Haddy picks up the box.
Gavin stands, shifting Lucy to his shoulder. “I gotta take this little lady home for a fresh diaper. Somebody laid a rotten egg.”
“Haddy can do it.” Mav pauses at the door. “Come have a beer with Owen and me.”
“Oh!” Haddy’s blue eyes widen. “Ahh… no.”
Gavin hesitates then quickly laughs. “It’ll only take a minute. She’s got this big ole box to carry.”
“Right—this box!” Haddy says it too loudly, and my spidey senses are on high alert.
“What’s going on?” I step closer to where my cousin is standing. “You’re acting weird.”
“I am not!”
“Oh, yeah, you are.” Mav hustles over to where she’s standing, flanking her other side. “What are you hiding?”
Haddy’s shoulders straighten, and she lifts her chin. “I’m not hiding anything, and I don’t appreciate this grilling.”
I’m about to call it off, assuming they’re going home for a quickie, and we’re being uncool.
But Mav points his finger. “You can’t change a poopy diaper!”
“I… I don’t know what you mean! Of course, I can.”
We all pause. My eyes go from Haddy with the red face to squirmy, stinky Baby Lucy to Gavin biting the inside of his cheek.
“Oh my gosh, you can’t!” I shout before breaking into laughter. “You’re just like your dad, and you were trying to hide it from us!”
“It’s not fair–something happened!” Haddy cries. “It’s like her poops changed, and now they smell so bad!”
“That’s true.” Owen nods, pressing his lips together sympathetically. “It’s like one month, there’s not much smell, then the next… whoa.”
“Right?” Haddy’s voice is high, and she points at Owen as if for backup. “Owen knows!”
My phone is in my hand, and my thumbs are flying. “I can’t wait to share this with the cousins.”
“NO!” Haddy jumps over to grab my phone. “Do not share this with anybody. I’m working on it. For now, Gavin is helping me.”
“Do you need to borrow a snorkel mask?” I snatch my phone back from her. “Your dad has one.”
“Oh, Haddy.” Mav shakes his head, giving her a disappointed look.
We’re all giggling when my phone lights up in my hand. My stomach drops, and I almost toss it onto the couch when I read the screen.
Baxter
Hey Genie-girl. How’s my favorite dogstress?
“Gina?” Haddy steps forward to hold my arm. “Are you okay?”
Heather steps up, reaching for my free hand. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“What is it?” Owen is at my side, putting his large hand on my back.
“It’s…” I hold out the phone to Haddy, and her face instantly reddens with anger.
“What the… hay?” She edits her response, taking my phone. “You didn’t block him?”
“Block who?” Heather looks between us, and Owen’s brow lowers.
“I didn’t even think about it.” My voice is quiet. “He ghosted me. Why would I need to block him?”
“Because he’s a rat…” Haddy steps closer, lowering her voice, “B-A-S-T-A-R-D. Now block him this instant.”
“What’s a bastard?” Maddie frowns up at us, and Haddy hiccups a breath.
“Whaaat?” My cousin’s voice hits a weird pitch.
I lean forward. “She’s seven, Haddy, she knows how to spell.”
“It’s a grown-up word for a bad person,” Haddy says, petting her head and giving me the eye.
I shake my head. “Does blocking him make it seem like he hurt me? I don’t want to give him the satisfaction.”
“He did hurt you. Give it to me. I’ll block him for you.”
“Who is he?” Owen’s voice is growly impatience.
“Baxter Babbit.” Haddy reads the screen. “He’s as idiotic as his name. Nobody calls you Genie, and what’s a dogstress?”
“He always thought he was funny.”
“He’s a…” more low murmuring, “dickhead who broke Gigi’s heart and treated her like garbage.”
“I wouldn’t say he broke my heart.” I try to laugh, but it sounds weird. “He did treat me pretty bad, though.”
“He’s the guy you told me about.” I glance up to see Owen’s jaw is tight. “Where is he? I’d like to block him.”
Exhaling another weird-sounding laugh, I take my phone from Haddy. “He’s nowhere. Nobody’s going to find him, and we’re all done talking about it.” I make a very dramatic show of tapping my phone screen. “Blocked.”
“They always come back.” Haddy shakes her head, going to the door. “Jerks.”
“I have an idea!” I bend my knees, so I’m on Maddie’s level. “Why don’t we take Ladybird out back and see what we can teach her before dinner? Want to?”
“Yes!” Maddie yells, tossing her dad’s calendar onto the table. “Come on, Ladybird! Let’s be fancy!”
Straightening, I look from Owen to his sister. He’s clearly still angry, but Heather’s eyebrow is arched like she just collected some valuable information.
I’m wobbly from the shock, but I manage to play it off. I think. “Let’s see if we can make Ladybird fancy!”