Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 161899 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 809(@200wpm)___ 648(@250wpm)___ 540(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 161899 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 809(@200wpm)___ 648(@250wpm)___ 540(@300wpm)
It was no big thing, but if he was around, he could do that too.
He looked out the side window and nearly cursed, profanely, and loud.
He bit that back and unlocked the door, opened it, and stepped out, which pushed Birch Hannigan back three feet.
Hannigan looked perturbed at having to step back.
Auggie was beyond perturbed the guy was there.
He shut the door behind him.
Then he asked, “Can I help you?”
Hannigan’s attention moved to the door then back to Auggie.
“Does Pepper Hannigan live here?”
This was a sitch.
Because he didn’t know how this guy found his sister.
But that didn’t matter now.
What mattered now was that he didn’t know if he should confirm she lived there.
Easy enough for Hannigan to stake it out. Come back at a time Aug wasn’t there.
But for now…
“What can I help you with?” Auggie decided to repeat.
Hannigan’s brows drew down over his eyes.
He already knew it. He’d seen pictures, mostly mug shots, but the entire Hannigan family, from her dad, to her sister, to this guy, were attractive.
Tall, straight, slim, blond.
“You can help me by tellin’ me if my sister lives here.”
“She does,” Auggie decided to confirm. “But I asked you a question. What can I help you with?”
“Who the fuck are you?”
“Someone who is not okay with you standing on your sister’s porch, a sister you haven’t seen in over a decade, asking who the fuck the man is who opened her front door.”
Hannigan’s head ticked. “You her husband or something?”
“I’m seeing that you don’t get in this scenario that you aren’t the one who gets to ask questions. Now, why are you here when Pepper has no idea that you’re showing at her house tonight?”
“She called me, and we got shit to discuss.”
Auggie nodded. “Yes, she did. And you were really not cool with her. Now, I suspect you understand who I am and how I’m not big on you showing as a surprise while we’re having dinner.”
The man started to get even more edgy. “I just wanna talk to my sister, all right?”
“Then call her.”
“She isn’t answering my calls.”
“Then leave a message that you wanna speak to her.”
Hannigan’s mood deteriorated further. “Listen, bud, I don’t got time for this shit.”
“You don’t have time to listen to me telling you how you might connect with your sister to discuss your mother’s illness?”
“No, I don’t got time for your bullshit. Now go in there and tell my sister I’m out here and I wanna talk to her.”
Aug shook his head. “Right now, I’m gonna ask you to leave. And I’ll tell Pepper you were here, and she should reach out again. Then you two can decide—”
Hannigan’s voice was rising. “I’m here now, asshole.”
Auggie crossed his arms on his chest and kept his tone modulated. “There’s no reason to get agitated.”
Now Hannigan’s face was getting red. “There is, because you’re bein’ a dick.”
“We’re not doing this,” Auggie told him. “You’re gonna go and I’ll talk to Pepper about calling you.”
“Fuck you,” he bit out. “I’m here now, she’s in there, what the fuck’s your problem, bud?”
“My problem is—”
He didn’t finish that because the door behind him opened.
Damn it.
Hannigan looked there.
Auggie didn’t.
He knew who it was, and he didn’t feel comfortable taking his attention away from her brother.
“Birch?” she whispered, and Auggie felt her join them, hearing the door click shut behind her.
Hannigan heard it too.
“So, what? You’re gonna bar me from your fancy-ass house like your husband did?” he demanded.
Aug felt her gaze on his profile. “My hus—?”
He lost her attention when Hannigan interrupted her. “You could take a call, Pepper. What the fuck with calling me and sayin’ Mom’s sick then ghosting me?”
“I told you how you could find them,” Pepper pointed out.
“Well, I don’t wanna deal with that. Or Dad. Or that Stepford bitch we call a sister. I just wanna talk to Mom. And you can get me that.”
“I’ve barely seen her myself, Birch, and I only did for a second because I went to services.”
“Jesus,” Birch clipped. “I ain’t doin’ that.”
“Saffron’s setting it up so I can see her tomorrow,” Pepper told her brother what was news to Auggie.
“She is?” he asked, looking down at her.
She nodded up to him. “I didn’t have a chance to tell you, what with all the stuff that went down when you—”
“Uh…hello,” Hannigan cut in. “Your brother you haven’t seen in for-fuckin’-ever.” He pointed to himself. “Standing right here.”
Auggie wasn’t liking any of this.
But he really didn’t like that.
“Birch—” she tried.
“You know, it’s too bad I don’t have a pussy. If I had a fuckin’ pussy, I could score myself some dick who could give me a sick pad and would come out and deal with all my shit so I didn’t have to do it.”
Auggie’s back shot straight.
Pepper moved to sidle in front of him.
“I’d advise not pissing Auggie off,” she said softly.