Inheritance

- A Serialized Novel -

 
Sorting out Carson's legacy only leads to more questions.
 

Author’s Note: The boys really are too fun to mess with. Mackenna’s not the only one who thinks so.


Plenty of Sibling Rivalry

“Do you have any spare outfits? Maybe I can talk Carrie into dressing up.”

Mackenna frowned, looking back at Nick. She didn’t know what to think of him suggesting that. He’d been doing a bit of staring since she joined them back by the Legion, and Larry’d been worse, what with his asking for a kiss and all. She’d never gotten this much attention for her clothes before, at least no one had been quite as persistent as Carson’s brothers. Nick turning it into something he’d like to see his wife do was almost endearing, but Larry might be taking it too far.

She couldn’t help wondering why, of all of them, Carson had the least reaction to it. He spent the most time with her, was used to seeing her covered in grease and who knows what else, and her overalls were not the most flattering look ever, so why was it that he only managed to say it looked nice, and only the once? He didn’t stare, either. She might as well have been wearing her jeans and a t-shirt.

Not that she wore the dresses for attention. She did it to be a real part of the run, to give the whole thing a bit of added fun and authenticity—even if her outfits cheated a little.

“Nick, I know you love Carrie, but she’s nowhere near as thin as Mackenna is. She’d never fit in that corset thing that Mackenna’s got on now,” Larry said, and Nick shoved him. Carson gave both of them a look, shaking his head.

“Can you two just… drop it for the rest of the drive? Look at the water, wave to the people, and stop picking fights with each other,” Carson said, tugging on his sleeve. She winced. They’d forgotten the cufflinks. She’d have to remember to get them for him before the parade.

“You are such a mutant.”

“What?”

“You and your watch the water crap. Who’d pay attention to the water when there’s better scenery in the front seat?”

“I already told her she looked nice. I don’t have to make her uncomfortable about it—which is what I’m sure you’re doing. Either you’re going to make Mac pull over and kick us all out, or I’m going to shove you out if you don’t stop, but leave it alone.”

Mackenna smiled, amused by the way Carson had come to her defense, as it were. “He’s got a point. If you fight too much, Mac will make you walk back. He did that to me and Nate once. Just stopped the car and told us to get out.”

“Nate? Who is this… Nate?”

“Oh, Larry, don’t be jealous. Nate’s nothing to me,” Mackenna said, pouring saccharine into her voice as she did. Carson laughed, and his brother shot him a dirty look. She giggled, and Mac gave her a look. She shrugged. The boys were almost too easy to mess with most of the time, and she had fun doing it. She couldn’t help it.

“It’s not like she said she had a boyfriend,” Nick reminded him. “If she had, she’d have said that back when we first assumed she was dating Carson.”

“So there’s hope.”

Mac grunted. Mackenna laughed. “Okay, really, this is a bit much. You don’t have to take it that far, Larry. I know I don’t look much like my usual self, but I’m not the world’s most beautiful woman all of a sudden.”

“You’re prettier than Lynda.”

“Shut up, Nick.”

“Why don’t you just ask him when he and Carrie are going to have kids?” Carson smiled at Nick’s horrified look, and Larry chuckled. Mackenna shook her head—since they’d picked on him by them all his life, Carson had learned a thing or two about manipulating both of them. That one was good. Too good. At least the focus was off of her and her dress for a while, but she had a feeling that these little fights between the brothers had only just begun.

It could end up being a very long weekend, and there might just be blood by the end of it.

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