Willow #3
“I noticed LL brother has the same cut as him, and I have some questions.” They look at me in sync, with all of their eyebrows hitting their hairlines.
I love it when they do that—the triplet thing.
Most of the time, I forget they are identical because of how different their personalities and mannerisms are.
Mom, Dad, and I are the only people that could always tell them apart, even when they tried to trade places on us.
“LL brother? Like Cool J?” Ben asks.
“Long lost. It was getting too long whenever I said it,” I reply as I put the first batch of cookies in the oven and turn around to face them, leaning my hip against the counter.
Or trying to, seeing as it’s too tall for me to comfortably lean against. I finally give up, brace my hands on the granite and hop up to sit.
“I need to know why he never said anything, especially when they both knew what I was doing today.”
“They’re holed up in the war room having a meeting. I think Dad’s planning on meeting with the MC, trying to figure out a way to let them know that we’re not trying to make a move on their territory,” Tell says.
I raise one eyebrow and chuckle. “What can they say if they don’t like it? No? Everything is set up here. Are they going to ‘intimidate’ us into moving everything back?”
“It doesn’t really matter what they think or want.
We don’t care about territory, and we don’t need to pay for their ‘protection’ like the other businesses here.
I think Dad just doesn’t want to start anything right off the bat.
With any luck, shit will stay civil until they try to offer their ‘protection’ to your businesses,” answers Tell.
A laugh escapes from my throat. “I can’t wait for that meeting. Part of me wants to be there, but I still don’t want people to know I’m the boss. Maybe I can pretend to be an assistant or something so I can still watch.”
Teller starts laughing, too. “I would go to that meeting just to watch you try and hold in your smart-ass comments.”
“Me too! It always looks like you’re constipated when you try to hold back your inner bitch,” Ben feels the need to add.
“Ehh, being a bitch is fine as long as you can back it up,” I remind them for the millionth time. “And I prefer the term ‘situational bitch.’”
“I did notice Jackson has a custom bike shop in town when I did the background check. I’m sure he’ll love being in competition with your shop,” Gig says as he goes to the fridge to grab a beer for himself and the other idiots. He knows I’m not a drinker, so he grabs me a bottle of water.
They are weird about giving me water to try and counteract all the coffee I drink on a daily basis. I think they secretly hope I’ll have less of an attitude if I’m fully hydrated. I try not to kill that dream for them yet; everyone deserves to have hope.
“He builds bikes, I fix anything with a motor. Those are two totally different things. I’m sure we can coexist. And background check?” I ask as I take the water from Gig and twist off the cap.
“If you think I was sending my little sister out and not having all the information, maybe we’ve been apart for too long,” he says while rolling his eyes like I’m stupid. Maybe his sassy ass needs the water instead of me.
“That is so sweet, in the creepiest way! You do care! But I feel like I should remind you that I’m actually two hours older than you guys and can take care of myself,” I throw in to make a point.
But I love the fact that my slightly creepy, overprotective brother with stalker tendencies is finally home.
“Clearly we are going off height and maturity,” Tell adds.
“So, how do you explain Ben?” I ask, nodding my head to where Ben’s standing.
“No one can explain Ben, but he is still taller than you,” Gig replies with a shrug.
“Hey! I’m just as mature as you guys! I just don’t have a stick up my ass!” Ben shouts with his mouth full of chocolate chips that he’s clearly been shoveling in his mouth since I sat on the counter and left them unprotected.
“Okay, I’m going to go get changed into something that’s not a fucking dress.
Can you listen for the timer to go off and put the next tray in?
And don’t let Ben eat them all. He wouldn’t stop bitching about his stomachache for the rest of the night last time,” I say as I hop off the counter and walk out of the kitchen.
I need to put on comfy clothes if I’m talking to my dad and Uncle Mark. I’m just happy that they didn’t leave for Tennessee before I came back. Then again, I don’t see Aunt Jaz or Sophia leaving without saying goodbye first. They came to my mom’s memorial and stayed for a few days.
I feel like they would’ve let me know if it was a big deal, but I need to see if this changes anything with the situation with LL and the sperm donor.
I snort a laugh when I realize that it sounds like they are a ‘90’s hip-hop group.
My brothers look over at me, and I shake my head.
I need to hurry, because they are bottomless pits and will eat everything once they come out of the oven.
Missing out on the apple cider at the coffee house was one thing, but if I miss out on cookies too, mother fucking heads will roll!