Ten laughed so hard that he was afraid he was going to pee his pants. There was no way this story was true. There was also no way he was going to be able to repeat it for a few minutes.
“My attorney’s name is Franklin Haywood. He’s over on Lexington. Don’t tell my nephew, but there are a few surprises in store for him when my will is read. He’s gonna need a trustee of sorts and I think your tasty husband will suit that bill just fine.”
“I’ll let him know, Effy Lou,” Ten said when he was able to catch his breath. “I need to introduce you to a friend of mine. I have a feeling you and Bertha Craig will get on like a house on fire, no pun intended.” Ten noticed Spencer turn an even deeper shade of red.
“I’m right here, Tenny!” Bertha Craig said. “I was the one who brought Effy Lou here today. Smack that stupid boy for me, would you? Toodles!” With her trademark cackle, Bertha was gone.
“Your aunt said her attorney is Franklin Heywood. His office is on Lexington, do you know it?” Ten asked.
Spencer nodded. “You’re not gonna tell them what my aunt said, are you?” His cocky look was long gone, replaced by the young man biting his lower lip.
“No, I won’t tell them,” Ten agreed. At least he wouldn’t while Spencer was here. “Come with me.” Ten led the young man out of the conference room and into his office, where the box was sitting on the table. “Here’s Effy Lou. Look, I know this isn’t really my place to say anything, but your aunt loved you. She could have given the proceeds from her estate to an animal rescue or a food bank, but instead she left it to you. Try to do some good with it. Think about it.”
“Yeah, thanks.” Spencer grabbed the box and practically ran out of the room.
Chuckling to himself, Ten headed back to the meeting room. He couldn’t wait to see the look on Ronan’s face when the told the tale of the singed frank and beans.
11
Ronan
“Everly!” Ronan shouted from the kitchen. “Are you ready to bake with me?” Nana Kaye had given Ronan her treasured kitchen sink cookie recipe and he planned to bake several dozen for the Elementary school fundraiser.
“Here I am,” Everly bounced into the kitchen. “This is gonna be so much fun, Dad.”
Ten had taken Ezra to story time at the library with Cope and Lizbet. Jude would be here any moment with Wolf to help out.
“Woofie’s here!” Everly ran out for the front door before the bell rang. Moments later, Jude and Wolf came into the kitchen.
“Both of you, wash hands.” Ronan pointed to the kids, who scampered off to the bathroom.
“Hey, how’s it going?” Jude asked, walking to the fridge to grab a soda. He popped the top and took a seat at the kitchen island, where Ronan had set out the ingredients they’d need to make Nana Kaye’s cookies.
“Good,” Ronan grinned at his friend. “We’re gonna kick ass with these cookies at the fundraiser.”
“Just like we did last year with Kaye’s turtle brownie recipe.” Jude’s eyes glowed, as if he could still taste the ooey-gooey treats.
Ronan loved being the center of attention. All of the mother’s had been begging him for the brownie recipe last year and hewas sure the same would be true for the kitchen sink cookies. Not to mention all of the accolades he was sure to garner from his heroic turn in the dunk tank.
“Do you have a bathing suit yet for the dunk tank?” Jude asked, seeming to read Ronan’s mind.
“Not exactly,” Ronan snickered. “I’ve got something even better.”
“Even better than a bathing suit?” Jude asked, looking both curious and concerned.
“I’ll show you.” Ronan hurried from the kitchen into the laundry room. He dressed quickly in his costume before coming back into the kitchen, where the kids had joined Jude at the counter. “Tah dah!” Ronan wore a blue cape along with a chicken costume decked out in yellow feathers, complete with large orange feet. He flapped his arms and clucked around the kitchen to the delight of the kids, who couldn’t stop laughing at his antics.
“What the actual fuck is that?” Jude grabbed his phone and started taking pictures.
“I’m a chicken. I’ll make chicken noises at the people who come to my booth and try to dunk me. Genius, right?” Ronan had ordered the costume from Amazon two weeks ago and had been dying to show it off. If this foolishness didn’t bring people to the dunk tank in droves, he didn’t know what would.
“Wouldn’t you get more attention if you wore a tiny speedo?” Jude asked.
“There would be nothingtinyabout it.” Ronan waggled his eyebrows. “Wouldn’t want to scare the mothers in the crowd.”
“You’re ridiculous,” Jude said.
“You think so? Hold on a second.” Ronan ran from the kitchen back to the laundry room, where he had a surprise waiting for Jude. “Here you go.” Ronan held out a second chicken costume to Jude.
