Page 88 of The Lipstick Flip

Auggie was grinning.

“Get the fuck out of here with your fucking card,” I said. And maybe it was because tonight felt special, or maybe I was turning into a softy, or maybe I really was just a raging homosexual, but I hooked an arm around Theo’s neck and kissed him on the cheek. I did the same for Auggie, although I messed up his hair and added, “What’s up, babygirl?” before he could squirm away.

Theo was laughing. “What got into you?”

“Nothing got into me, you big-dicked knob. Jesus fucking Christ, who the fuck taught you your manners?”

“This is why I didn’t want to send a card,” Auggie said. He was still trying to fix his hair in the mirror, and he was still grinning. “Hi, Cart.”

Auggie handed me a gift bag, and the living room was getting crowded, so we moved into the kitchen. The bag held a framed watercolor of the house.

“Well,” I said. And because I didn’t have anything better: “Shit.”

“That means he likes it,” Theo said to Auggie.

It was perfect. They’d gotten the old Craftsman exactly right.

“Theo did it,” Auggie said. “He’s really talented.”

Theo shrugged. “It was Auggie’s idea.”

“I just saw the idea on Esty,” Auggie said, and he sounded—I wasn’t sure. Nervous. Uncertain, maybe.

“It’s great, Skippy. Thank you. You too, you big knob.”

A huge smile spread across Auggie’s face. He leaned into Theo, and Theo slipped an arm around him. And the part I liked—because I really was a softy—was they didn’t even seem to know they were doing it.

“I guess he liked the video,” Theo said dryly, glancing toward the living room, where Noah’s laugh carried clearly.

“He looks so happy,” Auggie said.

“Yeah, well.” And because I couldn’t think of anything else, I said, “Thank you. Both. Again.”

For some reason, that made Theo laugh until Auggie elbowed him, and Theo kept laughing as he went to get them each a soda.

“I’m so glad you guys are staying in this house,” Auggie said. “It must mean a lot to both of you.”

“Yeah, well.” Which I’d said about five seconds before. So, I added, “Noah’s selling his condo. The money will help with grad school.”

“That’s great.”

Theo came back and said, “What about you?”

“Well, Si’s still out of commission for a while, so I’m going to be handling the jobs she’s got lined up. Then, I don’t know. I might do another rehab. I talked to this guy, Otto Pang—”

“You’re working with Otto Pang?” Auggie interrupted. “Oh my God, Cart, that’s huge.”

“Hold your water, Squirt. I talked to him. We’re still trying to figure out the details. He liked the idea of pitching me to some of his clients as an influencer or whatever, but that shit, as they say, went down the fucking can.” I hurried to add, “Not that I’m complaining. He’s just not as interested.”

Auggie shot a look at Theo that was surprisingly…combative.

Theo sighed.

“It’s a good idea,” Auggie said.

“I didn’t say it wasn’t.”

“You don’t have to. I know what it means when you keep saying, ‘Sure, babe,’ every time I bring it up.”