Page 47 of Maple Mountain
“Better get going,” Brooks announced.“I’d like to get home before Poet crashes.”
“Good luck,” I said.“She’s about to fall into a meat coma.”
Brooks stood and held his hand out to Archer.“Great kid you’ve got there.I hope mine turns out half as good as yours.”
“Can’t really take credit for that, can I?”Archer asked, slapping his palm against his brother’s.
Brooks didn’t reply, but he nodded.“See ya later, Wyn.”
“Bye, Brooks,” I murmured at his retreating back.
A moment later the door closed, and I was alone with Archer.
“Looks like you guys had fun,” I remarked as I popped a chocolate candy into my mouth.
“We did,” Archer said.
I started to gather up the cards.I flipped Brooks’ cards over—it was a worse hand than what Lenni had thrown down.“No way.”
“What?”Archer asked as he began to help clean up.
“She really beat him,” I remarked.
“Did you think he let her win?”
I shrugged.“I thought he might have.”
“We can’t let her win.She has to earn it and always know where she stands with us.If he’d let her win and she’d found out he lied about a better hand, she wouldn’t trust him anymore.One day that will matter.”
He handed me the card box, and I stuffed the cards inside.
“Tea?”I asked.
“Sure.”
I went to fill the kettle with water.“She was pretty comfortable around him.”
Archer nodded.“Just not around me.”
I turned the stove burner on and set the kettle on top of it.“Patience, young Jedi.”
“Because I’m so good at that.Was your night fun?”
“Yeah.It was nice to catch up with Poet, just the two of us.Since I’ve been here, it’s been kind of ...”
“Nuts?”
“Nuts,” I agreed.
I opened the mason jar of raw honey and stuck the honey dipper into it.
“Did you know Brooks bought land on Elk Ridge and they’re building a house?”I asked.
“Of course I knew.”
I grunted.
“You didn’t?”
