She squints at him, assessing. “Funny. I never heard of you before today.”
He pins her with the same look long enough for me to tap my screen thinking it’s frozen. “Nah, that’s a joke,” he finally says.
Bri quirks a brow. “Is it though?”
Dubs snaps over to me, face damn near Blair Witching my screen. “Shaw, do you really not talk about me?”
I can’t get a word in edgewise because Bri’s all too happy to answer for me. “Never. Not once.”
Dubs mimes a knife to his chest. “My man. That one cuts deep, bro.”
I snort but ignore his antics. I look to Bri. “Where’s Mom?”
“Resting. PT was rough this morning. She said her head was hurting. And before you freak out, remember headaches are normal after a traumatic brain injury. They’re less frequent now than they were a month ago. That’s good news, Ro. It means she’s improving.”
Eyes fixed on the faucet, I clear my throat and nod. Bri would know better than I would, but watching Mom struggle this much—still—four months later is a hammer straight to my heart.
“Wonder Woman, Shaw.” I catch my best friend’s steady gaze, willing me to remember how strong my mother is.
She’s Wonder Woman.
“Not to interrupt the little bromance moment you two seem to be having, but he’s not staying.”
Walker clutches his pearls on a sharp gasp. “Bri, baby, you wound me.”
She rolls her eyes. “Listen, Chuck…”
Dubs’ smile splits his entire face at the ridiculous nickname. This type of back and forth is what the sniper lives for.
Before I can parse out whatever other nonsense the two of them can bicker about, the wrench in my hand slips. Water spews from the faucet in every direction, and my shirt is doused in a matter of seconds. I grumble a string of expletives and slap the handle to the off position.
I look back at the screen, shaking away the excess water on my hands. Dubs and Bri ramble on like I’m not even here. Her, unmoving on the plan to kick him to the curb. Dubs, cranking up the charm to eleven.
“Darlin’, you seem very stressed. I’m concerned for your health,” he volleys.
“Do you have a pet name word count you’re trying to hit?” she volleys back.
“Why? You like it?”
I wave in front of the screen. “Okay, kids. As fun as this has been, my hands are full. I gotta go. Bri, Dubs is harmless. Dubs, behave.”
He gives me a tight salute. “Don’t worry your pretty little head, boss. Go find your runaway bride and I’ll hold down the fort here.”
Bri’s nostrils flare. “Rowan, no! He will do no such thing.”
“Sugar, what side of the bed do you prefer? I hope you like playing little spoon, cause big spoon is my jam.”
Dubs’ smile reaches his temples in slow motion like the cartoon Grinch, eyes bugged out. Bri shudders.
“I’m out,” I declare as I disconnect the call before I can get sucked into more of their bickering.
Truth is, Dubs is as genuine as they come. In his own charming, obnoxious way, he’ll wear Bri down, I have no doubt. He does what bestfriends do—what family does. He showed up to help even when I told him not to because he knew I needed it.
I only wish I’d been as good of a son, grandson, and brother as Walker Willis is a friend.
My phone buzzes from the window with a series of texts from Bri.
Bri