The Mane Squeeze
Page 25
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Mitchs laughter sputtered off when he saw her face. Wait. He sobered immediately. You are kidding, right?
No. Its all done and legal. Had lawyers and papers to sign and everything.
Youre serious?
When am I not?
Incredulous, Mitch stood, his six-four frame towering over her, his hand still gripping her arm. Only now a little more tightly. Youre not even licensed in this state.
Yes, I am.
When did that happen?
A year ago.
Aa year ago. A year ago and you never told me?
Why did I have to? Its none of your business where Im licensed. Here, Philly, Jersey, what do you
Jersey? And what do you mean its none of my business? Is that what you just said to me?
Yeah. You want me to say it again? Louder?
He released her by flinging her arm away. Does Ma know about this?
Ma? Gwen took a breath. Mitch, Im twenty-six. Ma knows or doesnt know about my life based on what I wanna tell her. Now, if youll excuse me, Ive gotta get ready for work.
Hold up! Work? You think Im letting my baby sister out therealone?
You have no choice.
Like hell I dont!
Gwen threw up her hands and headed toward the bedroom. But Mitch caught hold of the back of her jersey.
Wait, wait, wait. When she spun on him, he quickly released her. Wait. I just want to talk. Lets start over and talk. Calmly. Okay?
Deciding a little rational conversation with her brother couldnt hurt, Yeah. Okay.
Lock reached for his cell phone and brought it to his ear. Yeah?
Good morning, son.
Hi, Mom.
I need a favor.
Uh-huh.
Are you awake?
Of course I am.
Is there salmon?
Covered with honey, he sighed.
Lachlan MacRyrie! You wake up this instant!
Locks eyes snapped open and he realized he was yet again not in his dream river eating salmon and taking cell phone calls from his mother while in bear form. Dammit.
His mother laughed. You sleep like your father. It took me years to realize that he didnt have some sort of brain disorder, but simply was never awake when I began speaking to him in the mornings.
Sorry, Mom. Lock sat up, yawning and scratching his head with his free hand. Whats up?
I need you to go over and check the house thisafternoon.
Lock smirked. Check the house or check Dad?
What do you think? New workmen mean new curiosity. And you know how your father is.
Ive got some work to do here, but I can be there about lunchtime.
Thatll be fine. And make it sound like youre simply visiting. I dont want him to think were checking up on him.
But we are checking up on him.
Yes. But we dont need to say that out loud, now do we?
No, maam. We dont.
Good. And I appreciate this.
No problem. Itll get me out of the house for a few hours.
Sounds like youve been working too hard again.
Eh.
If you went back to school and got your masters, you could be doing something you actually enjoy doing.
Lock frowned. Which iswhat exactly?
Teaching at university level.
Locks eyes crossed. Yeah. And I get along so well with kids, too.
Youd make a great professor. I dont know why you insist on sticking with this ridiculous course.
Because it pays well.
First the Marines, now computers. All that intelligence going to waste.
He must still be half-asleep, because he could usually steer his mother off this deadly topic long before she ever got there. Besides, he didnt need any reminders of his parents disappointment with where his life was headed. And he didnt look forward to the day they found out that creating software was only so he could earn money, retire, and finally do what he really wanted to do.
Are you afraid to ask us for help? Is that it?
Mom.
I dont know why you think we wouldnt help you if you needed it.
It was too early in the morning for this conversation. He hadnt had his coffee or his honey bun yet.
Mom, can we talk about this later? Or do you want me getting to the house closer to four?
No, no. Lunch would be better. Who knows what damage that man will do by four? Well talk more later.
Great. They both disconnected without saying good-byenot because they were angry, but because his mother considered it a waste of wordsand Lock got ready to face the dayand his dad.
Sissy and Ronnie headed down the hallway back to the suite Sissy shared with Mitch and, apparently now, his sister. Thankfully, there were four bedrooms in the suite, and like the cat she was, Gwen stayed mostly to herself, so Sissy doubted it would be too bad.
No. Its all done and legal. Had lawyers and papers to sign and everything.
Youre serious?
When am I not?
Incredulous, Mitch stood, his six-four frame towering over her, his hand still gripping her arm. Only now a little more tightly. Youre not even licensed in this state.
Yes, I am.
When did that happen?
A year ago.
Aa year ago. A year ago and you never told me?
Why did I have to? Its none of your business where Im licensed. Here, Philly, Jersey, what do you
Jersey? And what do you mean its none of my business? Is that what you just said to me?
Yeah. You want me to say it again? Louder?
He released her by flinging her arm away. Does Ma know about this?
Ma? Gwen took a breath. Mitch, Im twenty-six. Ma knows or doesnt know about my life based on what I wanna tell her. Now, if youll excuse me, Ive gotta get ready for work.
Hold up! Work? You think Im letting my baby sister out therealone?
You have no choice.
Like hell I dont!
Gwen threw up her hands and headed toward the bedroom. But Mitch caught hold of the back of her jersey.
Wait, wait, wait. When she spun on him, he quickly released her. Wait. I just want to talk. Lets start over and talk. Calmly. Okay?
Deciding a little rational conversation with her brother couldnt hurt, Yeah. Okay.
Lock reached for his cell phone and brought it to his ear. Yeah?
Good morning, son.
Hi, Mom.
I need a favor.
Uh-huh.
Are you awake?
Of course I am.
Is there salmon?
Covered with honey, he sighed.
Lachlan MacRyrie! You wake up this instant!
Locks eyes snapped open and he realized he was yet again not in his dream river eating salmon and taking cell phone calls from his mother while in bear form. Dammit.
His mother laughed. You sleep like your father. It took me years to realize that he didnt have some sort of brain disorder, but simply was never awake when I began speaking to him in the mornings.
Sorry, Mom. Lock sat up, yawning and scratching his head with his free hand. Whats up?
I need you to go over and check the house thisafternoon.
Lock smirked. Check the house or check Dad?
What do you think? New workmen mean new curiosity. And you know how your father is.
Ive got some work to do here, but I can be there about lunchtime.
Thatll be fine. And make it sound like youre simply visiting. I dont want him to think were checking up on him.
But we are checking up on him.
Yes. But we dont need to say that out loud, now do we?
No, maam. We dont.
Good. And I appreciate this.
No problem. Itll get me out of the house for a few hours.
Sounds like youve been working too hard again.
Eh.
If you went back to school and got your masters, you could be doing something you actually enjoy doing.
Lock frowned. Which iswhat exactly?
Teaching at university level.
Locks eyes crossed. Yeah. And I get along so well with kids, too.
Youd make a great professor. I dont know why you insist on sticking with this ridiculous course.
Because it pays well.
First the Marines, now computers. All that intelligence going to waste.
He must still be half-asleep, because he could usually steer his mother off this deadly topic long before she ever got there. Besides, he didnt need any reminders of his parents disappointment with where his life was headed. And he didnt look forward to the day they found out that creating software was only so he could earn money, retire, and finally do what he really wanted to do.
Are you afraid to ask us for help? Is that it?
Mom.
I dont know why you think we wouldnt help you if you needed it.
It was too early in the morning for this conversation. He hadnt had his coffee or his honey bun yet.
Mom, can we talk about this later? Or do you want me getting to the house closer to four?
No, no. Lunch would be better. Who knows what damage that man will do by four? Well talk more later.
Great. They both disconnected without saying good-byenot because they were angry, but because his mother considered it a waste of wordsand Lock got ready to face the dayand his dad.
Sissy and Ronnie headed down the hallway back to the suite Sissy shared with Mitch and, apparently now, his sister. Thankfully, there were four bedrooms in the suite, and like the cat she was, Gwen stayed mostly to herself, so Sissy doubted it would be too bad.
