The Vincent Boys 01 - The Vincent Boys

gate. I remember thinking those snarling dogs were going to somehow gnaw my hand off through the fence.”
    I chuckled at the memory and Lana twirled around on the bed and frowned at me.
    “It isn’t funny. You know I’m scared silly of dogs. And that awful boy made me sing ‘I’m a Little Tea Pot’ to the top of my lungs over and over. Each time he told me to sing it louder if I wanted to get free. And the louder I got the angrier the dogs got. It was horrible.” She stopped and a soft smile touched her lips, erasing the previous frown. “Then Sawyer showed up and scolded Beau then unhand-cuffed me. You finally popped up out of nowhere about that time and made up some lame excuse about needing Beau’s help with something. The two of you took off running with your giggles trailing behind y’all. Sawyer just shook his head as he watched y’all take off and apologized for his cousin. He was so sweet.”
    I’d forgotten that escapade. We had so many I couldn’t remember them all. But hearing Lana retell it I laughed out loud remembering. I’d been hiding behind the big ol’ oak tree just a few feet away. Beau had told me to stay out of sight in case Sawyer showed up. I’d had to shove my fist in my mouth to keep from laughing out loud at the sound of Lana singing so loudly and off key.
    “I was so sure the two of you would end up together. You’re still laughing about my torment seven years later. You two were evil.”
    I leaned up on my elbows and smiled at Lana. “If I remember correctly you had told me I was as smelly and stinky as an old fish and no boy would ever want to marry me ’cause I stunk and my hair was always as stringy as a mangy dog’s.”
    Lana blushed and covered her mouth. She’d obviously forgotten that part.
    “I did, didn’t I?” she replied, looking mortified.
    I nodded and bit back another laugh at the expression on her face.
    “Yep, you did. Beau didn’t like it too much so he decided he’d make you pay for saying something so mean to me. That’s the reason he handcuffed you and made you sing.”
    Lana gave me a knowing smile. “You were hiding behind the tree you came running from when Sawyer showed up, weren’t you? The whole time I was being tortured you were listening.”
    I laid back down, slipping my hands behind my head.
    “Yep, I heard it all.”
    A pillow hit my head, startling me, and I reached for the one beside me to whack back at my giggling cousin. Who knew Lana could be silly?
    “Girls?” My mother’s voice interrupted us and we froze with pillows held high in the air ready to pummel each other. Mom hesitated before stepping inside the doorway. She’d pulled her blonde hair back in a ponytail and her face was washed clean of make-up. I could see the stress and worry in her eyes. This mess with my aunt was draining her emotionally.
    “Yes, ma’m,” Lana replied immediately, dropping her pillow like she had been caught doing something horribly wrong. Mom shifted her gaze between the two of us. A smile touched her lips when it became apparent we were having fun not actually fighting.
    “Sorry to interrupt the pillow fight,” she said, “but I need to speak with Ashton alone for a few minutes if it’s okay, Lana.” Lana immediately nodded and scurried toward the door. “Thank you,” Mom said as she passed and Lana mumbled something, keeping her head down. It occurred to me Lana thought I was getting in trouble and I wanted to laugh. The girl was paranoid.
    I threw the pillow in my hand back at my bed and sank down onto the large soft purple chair beside me.
    “What’s up?” I asked. Mom took a seat on the edge of my bed, sitting almost exactly like Lana had. Her back was straight and her hands were folded in her lap. I never realized how different from my Mom I really was.
    “I need you to do me a favor. Actually, it’s a favor for Lana. Tomorrow night your Uncle Nolan will be here to talk things out with your Aunt Caroline while your father and I referee. We all believe it will be better if Lana isn’t here to witness what is said. I am sure at times it’s going to be loud and emotional. She’s already been through so much. I see no reason to force her to be exposed to this drama. Your father and I want to protect her and if you could take her out with you tomorrow night it would be wonderful. I’ve not forced her upon you since school just started back and you were away from Sawyer most of the summer, but I need your help