Go Away, Darling - Alexis Anne Page 0,59

weeks.

I showed Linc what was inside and he nodded solemnly. This was not his first rodeo after all. He’d participated in multiple hijinx over the months. The traitor even helped punk me.

Then we crept upstairs to Big Ben’s room. It was dark but the bed was neatly made as usual. I pulled back the covers and we got to work covering the fitted sheet in seeds. Then we carefully replaced the pillows and top sheet (because of course Ben was a top sheet kind of guy) and then finally the duvet. We collected our trash and snuck downstairs just in time.

Even better? Ben had London with him. This was going to be awesome!

And I didn’t even need to coach Linc. He was a natural at pranks. “Hi Ben! Hi Aunt London!”

“Well hello Mr. Lincoln,” London said. “And how was school today, good sir?”

He shrugged. “Fine. On Friday we get pizza, so that’s cool.”

“Pizza’s always cool,” Ben agreed. “Any big plans this weekend?” He looked between us.

Other than win over the love of my life with the help of her sneaky son? Nope. Nothing comes to mind. “I want to get some fishing in.”

Linc nodded enthusiastically and fist bumped me. “Yes!”

“And you lovebirds?”

London blushed a little. “Nothing in particular.”

Sheba, Ben’s dog, finally decided to wake up from her afternoon nap and trotted over to Linc.

“How’s she been?”

“These last couple of days have been brutal,” Ben said. “Thanks for letting her stay here.”

I bent down and ruffled the hair on her back while Linc rubbed her belly. “She’s a good dog. No worries.”

The sound of our voices must have roused the sleeping giant, because a half-awake Scott appeared in the doorway. “Hey guys. Happy Friday.” Then he ran his hand through his hair and opened the fridge, pulling out a soda.

“I think Scott and Sheba are on the same schedule,” London laughed.

“Ha. Ha.” He glanced at us and then focused on his drink.

Scott was permanently stuck in this odd place between healing and self loathing. He whipped out wise adages like, “If you let the fear into the room with you it will always win. Don’t let the fear in, Chris. Only take the truth with you.”

But he couldn’t seem to stop hating himself for his past mistakes. He refused to speak to Lucy ever since the latest hit piece on my brother dropped. I think in the past he was embarrassed by his mistakes, but now that he was in love, he felt responsible for Lucy’s happiness and wellbeing. As if his mistakes would somehow ruin her life.

So he lived life in nap mode. Constantly meditating and sleeping, but not moving forward or backward.

“Any plans tonight, Scott?” London asked.

He grunted.

Ben kept hopping from one foot to another. He was anxious. I had a feeling he wanted to get up to his room for some alone time with London, so I served up the opportunity. “Well, I think Linc and I are going to head out.”

“Yeah,” Linc stretched. “We need to make dinner for mom. Chris is teaching me how to grill.”

“Oh really?” Ben said. “That’s very impressive. Will you make dinner for us?”

“Maybe after I learn what I’m doing. Come on, Chris.” The kid was so deadpan matter-of-fact. I loved it.

And so did my family. Ben and London giggled their way upstairs. Which is when Linc and I doubled back to the kitchen to Scott’s confusion. “What are you two doing?”

“The whole point of a prank is to hear or see the results.”

Understanding dawned on Scott’s scruffy face. “You’re brave dragging the kid in on this.”

Linc scowled.

“Hey, you’re the one who got to him to help prank me.”

Scott shrugged. “I knew you’d let the kid live. I’m not sure Ben will.”

“Ben’s a gentle giant,” I countered.

“Not when you mess with ‘alone time’ he’s not.”

And right on cue we heard a shriek. And then, “Ow! What the hell?”

And then, “Chris Kaine you are DEAD!”

And then I heard footsteps on the stairs. I looked at Linc. “We’ve got to go!”

We ran outside and I had no idea where to hide. Luckily I was with a kid. Linc yanked on my arm and dragged me down the dock to the boat. We huddled up, knees to chest, and waited out the shrieking.

“I like pranks,” Linc said quietly. “It’s doing something you’re not allowed to do, but it’s okay.”

“To be clear, you can’t do something wrong and call it a prank. This is a long established game with my brothers. There are rules.”

“Are there though?”

This