I glanced over at Nate, who gave a slight shake of the head.
Okay, so this wasn’t about the fighting.
At least, not yet.
What was it about? And where was Dakota?
And why was I so disappointed that she wasn’t here?
“Go, shower. Then get dressed and come back. We need to talk.”
I looked at Cross and tensed. “Talk about what? Is everything okay?”
“Maybe go cover your dick, and then we’ll discuss it,” Prior said, covering Paris’s eyes as she tried to peek.
That made me laugh. I moved past the others. “I’ll be quick. But if this is something I’m going to be angry about, get me a beer.”
“I’ll get you a beer, but you’re not going to be angry. You’ll probably like it,” Nate teased.
Tension filled me all over again. I quickly showered, not bothering to do anything with my hair or beard, mostly just trying to get the funk off. Then I slid into the sweats and shirt that Nate had given me earlier. They were mine, and I liked them.
I made my way out to the living room again to find everyone speaking at once. They all stopped at the same time, and I knew whatever was being said was about me.
I didn’t say anything. Instead, I took the beer from Nate’s hand and took a swig, narrowing my eyes at my little brother.
“No, it’s fine, that was for you anyway.” He went back to the kitchen and got one for himself. One of my beers.
“Okay. What is this about?”
“Dakota,” Myra said, and both Hazel and Paris glared at their friend. Worry slid over me, but they didn’t look too anxious so I figured she was safe. She had to be.
“Are you just going to blurt it out like that?” Paris asked.
“You’re the one who usually blurts,” Myra added. “I’m breaking the ice. Tearing off the Band-Aid. We don’t have a lot of time here.”
I sat down on the fireplace, my forearms resting on my knees as I dangled the beer between my legs. “What about Dakota? Are she and Joshua okay?” I asked.
“She’s fine. I mean, she’s okay.” Hazel sighed, then leaned back into Cross since he was standing behind her chair. “As you know, we’re doing that blind date thing.”
I tensed all over again. “I’m not going on a date with Dakota. We’re not blending our groups more than they already are,” I grumbled.
“There’s nothing wrong with blending,” Paris said.
“That’s not what you said before you started dating me,” Prior chimed in.
“Stop throwing my words back into my face when it doesn’t suit me.”
I ignored Paris. “What do you need me to do? Though just because I’m asking doesn’t mean I’m going to do it.”
Myra leaned forward and spoke up, and I didn’t miss that Nate glared the entire time. “I don’t know what is between the two of you, but you guys keep grumbling at each other. Dakota needs a night out.”
“I’m not dating her,” I repeated, growling.
“See? The grumbling. The growling. It just keeps happening.” Myra held up her hand as everyone started speaking at once again. “Let me continue.”
“Whatever you say, princess.” Nate glared.
Myra ignored him. “As I said, she needs a night out. She lost her babysitter.”
“Because Nancy left with that guy?” I asked.
“You sure do know a lot about her,” Nate said. Then rubbed the back of his head after Cross smacked it.
“Watch it,” Cross snarled.
“Thank you,” Myra said. “Next time, I’ll just hit him myself.”
“You could try,” Nate snapped.
“Are you sure I’m the one who needs to be told that I growl too much?” I asked. Everybody ignored me.
Figured.
Myra stared at me. “Anyway, Dakota needs time away from the Boulder Bean and the house. And you two need to make friends. I don’t know why you’re always so grumbly, though that is not my business, other than the fact that it is my business.”
“That does not make any sense,” I replied.
Myra shook her head. “It doesn’t have to, because I’m right.”
“I like Myra,” Prior said, and Paris just laughed.
“I love when she gets all prim and proper. It’s fun.” Paris looked at me. “We’re not asking you to go on a real date. More like dinner. Just out. Where she gets to hang out with humans that aren’t asking her to serve them and aren’t six years old, asking what their farts smell like.”
“Macon isn’t six years old, but I wouldn’t put that past him.” Nate grinned, and I glared at him.
“There are ladies present or I’d hit you for that.”
Nate met my gaze, and I knew if I weren’t careful, he would comment on the hitting thing and my fight club. So, I didn’t push.
“As I was saying,” Myra said, sounding a little more annoyed than usual, “it’s Dakota’s turn for a date. You’re going to be it.”
“Hold up. No, I’m not. Didn’t I just say that? More than once?”
“You did. But, yes, you are,” Cross added.
“Traitor,” I said.
“Nah,” Cross replied. “But I am your brother. And you need a night out, too. You guys need to get along. I don’t know what’s going on, just get rid of the tension, and then we can move past this.”
“So, all of you are in on this? Forcing Dakota and me on a date?”
“It’s not a real date,” Hazel said. I wasn’t sure I believed her. “It’ll get Dakota out, and then we’ll be done. We won’t force her out on another date. She just needs some time away, and we all promised that this date wouldn’t lead to marriage, babies, or anything serious. Just one night of fun.” She narrowed her eyes. “But not too much fun. She’s still family.”
I looked at them and then drank the last of my beer in one big gulp. I set the bottle on the brick and ran my hands over my face.
“You’re not going to let me get out of this, are you?”
“No, we aren’t,” Myra confirmed.
“You could try, but we outnumber you. And we can take you.”
I looked at
