“Mitch.”
Mary opened a drawer and pulled out the wooden spoon. The big one, worn from decades of use and known to strike fear in the hearts of young Kowalskis. And not so young ones. “You’re going to need the big spoon. And good luck.”
*
Drew heard Mitch lagging behind him and started slowing his pace. Even with anger fueling him, his friend wasn’t much of a runner and he was breathing hard. It was why Drew had chosen the hill he had. The more he could physically exhaust Mitch, the better.
When he reached the clearing at the top of the hill, hopefully far enough away from everybody else to be out of earshot, he stopped and turned to face the music. Mitch stopped, too, glaring at him while he bent over to rest his hands on his knees and catch his breath.
Drew figured it was best to just get it out. “Liz and I were together once before. When she came home for your wedding.”
“Bullshit. She never left the lodge the whole time she was...” He stood up straight, disbelief clouding his expression. “Nobody could find her when it was time to cut the cake. You slept with my sister at my wedding?”
“It was a rebound thing. We were both feeling lonely and a little down and...I guess we cheered each other up temporarily.”
“That was then. What’s your lame-ass excuse for this time?”
Hell if he knew. No matter what his brain said, Drew’s body couldn’t seem to shake off its need for Liz. “I was going to talk to you when we got back to Whitford. I wanted to sit down and tell you.”
Mitch shook his head, shoving at his hair with one hand. “We laughed about it. When that picture of your car in her driveway was on Facebook. You said you’d cut off your own balls before you’d touch my sister.”
“No. You said that, not me. And I should have told you then, but I thought it was just a onetime thing and didn’t want to lose our friendship over it.”
“Friendship? You’re a lying sack of shit.”
Drew felt a flare of temper, but he squashed it. It was a skill he’d learned on the job, and he did his best to stay calm and use an even voice. “By omission, maybe. But it doesn’t change the fact that we’re both adults and when we get home, I’m going to take her out.”
“Like hell you are.”
Drew saw Liz coming up behind Mitch. She was winded and had what looked like a wooden spoon in her hand. He shook his head, trying to signal to her to leave them alone, but she was on a mission.
“Leave him alone, Mitch.”
Her brother turned, pointing down the hill. “You go back with the others.”
“Excuse me? You kiss my ass. How’s that?”
“This is between me and Drew.”
She folded her arms across her chest, tapping the wooden spoon against her upper arm. “No, what there is right now is something between me and Drew. I’m sorry you found out this way, but it’s my life.”
“You don’t understand,” Mitch began.
“If you tell me there’s a damn code or any bull like that, I’m going to smack you so hard with this spoon when you wake up your clothes will be out of style.”
“Liz.” Drew took a step forward, wanting to defuse the situation. Liz’s temper was as bad as her brothers’ and it wasn’t going to help. “You should go back and let us talk.”
Mitch whirled back to him. “Don’t tell her what to do.”
“It’s the same thing you just told her to do.”
“She’s my sister!”
“And her sex life is none of your business!”
It was a critical error, just when he thought he’d been doing so well keeping his emotions in check. While they were talking, he and Mitch had gotten closer than he’d realized and he didn’t have time to dodge his friend’s fist. He managed to evade the full impact, but he took a glancing blow to the jaw that hurt like hell.
He didn’t hit back. He wouldn’t, even though they’d scrapped a few times when they were kids. Maybe it was partly guilt and on some level he felt he deserved to get his ass kicked. But Mitch was also Liz’s brother and if Drew forced a situation where she might have to take sides, Drew would lose.
“Ow!” Mitch spun, rubbing the back of his head, and Drew realized she’d hit him with the spoon.
“If you hit him again, I won’t forgive you for it. I know you’re my brother and I love you, but you’re being a bullheaded idiot right now.”
“I don’t want to hear about your sex life. And my best friend.”
She held up her hands. “Swell! Then don’t. Go make s’mores or take a dip in the pool.”
Drew wanted to beat his head against the nearest tree. Mitch and Liz could bicker a long time once they got started. And he was cold, wet, half-naked and his jaw was throbbing. At least it had stopped raining at some point.
“Liz, I know he’s your brother, but you need to let us talk this out.” She actually rolled her eyes at him. “Please.”