Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 42882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 172(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 172(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
Lane looked like he might have some follow-up questions, but just then, Dave let out a mighty squawk that suggested he was not okay with being ignored.
I found myself laughing. “Keep your feathers on, Dave.” I shook my head at Lane. “You can guess why John was a desperate man when he came to me this morning. The squawking is upsetting his wife and every animal at his place. Worst possible time for me to acquire new family members since the Entwinin’ is coming up, and it’s looking to be bigger than ever this year, but I agreed to take them all ’cause I couldn’t separate Dave from his bros, you know? I put them in here because I didn’t know if it was okay to leave them out in the cold.” I gestured to the four animals making themselves at home in the musty space. “I asked my friend Diesel about it, but he keeps his chickens in a freaking palace, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they had their own Netflix account. I’m not sure he’s the best person to take advice from.”
Lane climbed into the enclosure. “Well, peafowl are pretty hardy as far as the cold goes, but they’ll want a roost. Even a broomstick or two-by-four mounted a few feet off the ground would work. They like to tuck their feet up under their breast to stay warm.”
He approached the troublemaker, who was still hell-bent on shouting over us. “I can’t believe I couldn’t hear this from upstairs.”
“Not yet, anyway. I think he’s been getting louder since he got here,” I said grimly. I pointed at the ceiling. “But I made sure the place was really well insulated before you moved in. I’d hate to disturb you.”
Lane shot me a smile that was sweeter than any smile he’d ever given me. “You really would, wouldn’t you?”
I lifted a shoulder in a half shrug. With Lane looking at me like that, the squirming feeling was back a hundredfold, and it was having all kinds of predictable results on me. “It’s not that complicated,” I said.
“No,” he said softly. “I guess it’s not.”
I frowned, but Lane had already turned back to the peacocks. “These baby gates might discourage the peacocks from walking around, but you should know they can definitely fly over them if they want to. After tonight’s cold weather, we might want to move them out back so they can roost in the oak tree. There are some branches on that one they’d love, and the backyard is fully fenced, right?”
I watched him squat down to inspect the screaming peacock. Lane’s hands were gentle as he smoothed his fingers over the bird’s body. “Dave seems bright. Obviously full of energy.”
I grunted. “This energy is going to keep both of us up all night if he gets any louder.”
Lane turned to smile at me over his shoulder. “If the insulation isn’t enough, you could always try earplugs.”
“Then I wouldn’t be able to hear you if you need me,” I said without thinking. As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I wished them back in. “I mean… heh. Not… not that you’d need me. I just meant, what if someone murdered you? Loudly? Or like… used a chainsaw? I’ve heard about that.”
Lane’s eyes had gotten progressively wider as my mouth had gone off on its little joy ride. “What if I’m chainsaw massacred?”
“That would suck,” I emphasized.
Lane tilted his head at me, the edge of his lips quirking up a little. “Little bit.”
I cleared my throat and looked around. “But I could get you earplugs. I think I have some in my workbench. Hold on.”
I made my way past the piled-up scrap wood, the coils of dried wisteria vines, and other random shit until I was at my workbench with the packed shelves above. “Pretty sure they’re in one of these Cool Whip containers.”
Lane moved from one bird to the other, giving them all a cursory looking-over. “Stop, Jay. I can’t accept your earplugs. What would I do if you were the one chainsaw massacred? I’d sleep right through it. Which isn’t neighborly at all.”
“I’d want you to sleep right through it! You don’t get enough sleep as it is. And just imagine what a hellish day you’d wake up to. No. You need your sleep.” I found the earplugs and shook out a few into my hand before piling the Cool Whip container back on the shelf.
Lane watched me pick my way back over to him. “I’d need my sleep on account of the…?”
I frowned at him. “Crime scene brouhaha. Emergency vehicles and whatnot. It would be a mess, I’d imagine. Here.” I held out the earplugs, but he refused to take them. “Lane. Take them. You need your sleep. And this asshole’s going to keep you up all night.”