Page 28 of Not Like The Other Girls

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“That you’re a mean bitch.”

At that, Lily nearly slaps his face.

Angered, she marches out of the room down the rich-ass marble staircase to the kitchen, where she finds a man with salt-and-pepper hair brewing coffee. With way better skill than her, a certified barista. “You want one, Lily?” he asks with a soft smile.

“Do I know you?” She looks him up and down, from the black flannel to the short jean shorts to, surprisingly, an ear piercing.

Seems like everyone here has a thing for short shorts, though.

Weirdos.

“You met me yesterday when I was in the costume, young lady. I’m Every’s dad.”

Lily pauses for a moment before speaking. “Yeah, you sound familiar. That was just a costume?”

“Of course.” He reaches into the pocket of his flannel before producing a pair of frameless square glasses. Wearing them, he squints, as if to study the stupid girl closer.

“I didn't know that.”

“You couldn’t tell?” And his voice is deeper than Every’s, like an older, wiser version of him.

Although Lily hopes that her man wouldn’t grey this fast.

But come to think of it, the look suits the older man quite well. The let-me-do-a-double-take kind of quite well. So maybe Lily wouldn’t mind it much if her boy Every grows older in that way.

Not at all.

She shakes her head, answering him. “Of course not. I thought that he is just a bite-sized version of you. His bedroom is cute, by the way.”

“Thank you, young lady. Initially, I was worried that you may not like it since Evvy and Hardy had such eccentric tastes as teenagers.”

And this is quite some new information for Lily.

At this, Every finally follows down in his Huge Hefner-style bathrobe.

CHAPTER 10: FERVENT FAVOR OF FERVOR

“I’m going shopping today, papa,” Every says slowly, his hair a bird’s nest and his expression a goldfish’s.

A smile spreads on the father’s face. “Great, son. Don’t forget to take Lily right here with you. And maybe let Evie-Ray and Eva-Rhett Tag along too.”

Translation: please take these annoying little shits out of my sight.

“Weird names,” Lily pipes up, “who are they again?”

“Don’t say that, sugartits, they’re my sisters.” Here he is, Every playing the good brother even though he is totally not taking the babysitting job for the day.

“Sorry, babe. And I can’t believe you just called my that in front of your dad.”

“So are you taking them?” Making a tsk-tsk sound, Every’s dad huffs with annoyance.

“Nah, papa, sorry. Taking them little half-sisters along is like walking two tortoises on a highway.” Every shakes his head, dark blonde hair shimmering in the chandelier light.

“Your senses make no sense, bud.” His papa also shakes his head, silvery hair glimmering in the crystal light. Now you know where Every got that show-off attitude from.

“Well, Thursday is the new Friday.”