Page 44 of The Ex-Best Thing
“I’m cursed.”
He glares at his cousin. “And Colby’s misinformed. Anyway, Bree needs a break for a minute, so we’re trying to give her that. Grandma knows she’s here, but everyone else thinks she’s an old friend of mine called Anne.”
“Okay.” Colby doesn’t look convinced, his words stretching in suspicion. “You’re telling me no one recognized the global pop singer and longtime reality show star?”
“My disguises are pretty good.”
“Like Mrs. Doubtfire good?”
“No prosthetics, just a wig and makeup. But it works. So, can I trust you, or will I be forced to one-star your house on my Airbnb review?”
Colby laughs, the sound deep and loud. “There’s the nails.”
I roll my eyes, tossing the dishrag on the counter and taking my stool again. Benny is covering chicken breasts in spices and grilling them on the stove with the peppers and onions. When he pulls out a garlic press and an actual clove of garlic, I can’t take it anymore. “When did you learn to cook?”
“When I moved back to Montana,” he says over his shoulder. “It took a few years before the buzz around my name died down, so I didn’t leave my house much. I had time to kill, and I wasn’t really going out.”
“He’s being modest.” Colby swipes a strip of red pepper that didn’t make it into the pan and pops it in his mouth. The crunch is loud in the kitchen. “He was a total recluse for years. Things slowed down eventually, right in time for Grandma to have a heart attack.”
My stomach squeezes. “No.”
Benny pulls out tortillas and tosses one in a second pan. He’s focused on dinner, but I think he’s using it as a distraction so he doesn’t have to add to the conversation. “She’s doing better now. This was a few years ago.”
“A little better, but still not great.” Colby swipes a piece of sliced cooked chicken. It’s clear now that Benny is throwing together a chicken fajita quesadilla, and it smells divine.
“She’s lucky to have you both watching out for her.”
“We’re lucky to have her,” Colby counters.
Benny slices the first quesadilla and sets the plate in front of me, then starts on the second one.
“Thanks.” I catch his eye.
He holds my gaze for a beat. “No problem.”
The kitchen is silent for a moment before Colby lets out a low whistle.
“Enough of that,” Benny snaps.
I’m halfway through my dinner before he sets a second plate on the counter, and Colby joins me.
“You’re home in time for Peter’s birthday.” Benny startscleaning up while the last quesadilla sizzles on the stove. “Smoked pork and bonfire on Friday.”
“He mentioned it.”
“And we have a BBB meeting Wednesday at Sierra’s if you want to join.”
Colby takes a bite and groans. “Is there anything you can’t do, man?”
Benny laughs. When he joins us at the island, I’m satisfied, leaning back and swiveling on my seat.
I look at Colby. “You know, I’m not planning on going anywhere until I have to.”
He grins. “Which is why I was going to crash here.”
Benny takes a bite of his dinner. “I figured as much.”
“So, Bree, I heard your new song today.”
