Coop shoots him a look. “Wes, we all know you’re dying to move in on Laken. My death would simply be another door to do just that.”
“I don’t want her that way.” Wes steadies his anger over Coop. “I could have killed you back at Ephemeral. And I won’t lie, the temptation was there. But you survived my wrath, and I’m not raging inside anymore about it. I’ve come to peace with the fact Laken is happy. And with you dead that will trash her happiness. So stop playing the part of hero. If you let some damn time pass, Ezrina and I will be able to mutate the serum enough where it will be able to cover the markers for people like you and Charlie, too. Don’t you know I’d hack the world to pieces for that girl? Stop putting yourself in harm’s way. It will take a little more time, that’s all.”
Coop’s jaw flinches. “We don’t have time, Wes. And the truth is, neither you nor Ezrina is working on anything but a vaccine for the Kingdom Virus that has upended life on this planet.”
Wes growls over at him, “That’s because we are up to seven hundred thousand deaths, over two million infected. Nobody is going back to school or work, everything is remote, all of Europe is closed, half of China is dead, and there’s talk of a mandatory quarantine starting in this country as early as next week. Washington is on fire with this shit, and if you haven’t noticed our proximity to that locale on the mainland, you might want to pull out a map because we are in a shitload of trouble once it comes to the island.” He gives a brief glance around. “In fact, I’m going to find Harrison. We shouldn’t have this many people in such close quarters. It puts all of our families in danger.” Wes stalks off just as Drake walks by with something covering his face and, believe me, it’s no face mask. The world sold out of those ten days ago.
I pull him over by the elbow.
“Drake, what the hell is on your face?” I wince once it hits me. Dangling from his nostrils is a couple of pristine white tampons with their strings snaking toward his mouth. And speaking of his mouth, it’s sealed shut with a sanitary napkin.
I give him a shove into the crowd.
“Hell, I don’t want to know,” I grumble just as Skyla and Laken drift back our way. Bree stops to laugh her ass off at Drake before joining us.
“What do you guys think about Drake’s DIY face mask?” Bree’s eyes bulge with glee. “I’m telling you, my man is always thinking.” She gasps as she looks to Skyla. “I have an idea!” Her arms begin to gesticulate as she wiggles and writhes, and soon enough she’s holding a bright red bra before us, the cups of which are thick and stiff with padding. “We can use these as face masks!” She quickly works it around her head and secures one of the cups over her nose and mouth, and I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was impressed.
Lexy and Michelle pause as they’re about to pass us and Lexy moans.
“Where did you get that?” she snips at Bree. “That’s so freaking cute. My dad is hoarding those gross medical masks, and I can’t find a single outfit to go with them.”
I glance to the entry and spot Gage Oliver standing there like a big dope. He looks angry, and brooding, and like an all-around great addition to just about any party.
Skyla groans. “Logan, we should talk to him,” she whispers.
Cooper nods to Laken. “Let’s chat him up.”
I dot a kiss to Skyla. “Let’s go.”
Gage meets us halfway, looking healthy, furious, and a little sleep-deprived, which I’m not sure I get.
I tick my head toward the rear of the house. “How about we head out back?”
His dimples invert, but that mean look in his eye lets me know there’s no smile to follow.
“Is that where the lynching takes place?” He lifts a brow at Skyla.
She shrugs back. “Nothing else seems to be working.”
We thread our way through the room and end up in the rear of the estate where the Harrisons’ Olympic-size swimming pool gleams like a pale jewel in this dark murky night. Throngs of bodies cluster around it, each holding a signature Harrison red Solo cup. We head over toward a wall of weeping willows as the fog circles around us like a coat.
Gage looks to Coop, then to Skyla and me. “So, what’s going on?”
Skyla ticks her head to the side. “What’s going on with you? I’m surprised you showed.”
“I’m here for the free beer,” he says. “I’m not planning on sticking around. I want to see the kids tomorrow. How are you on food? I hear things are selling out fast.”
“We’re taking inventory of what we have. My mom mentioned she’s going shopping once the stores open after the holiday.”
“Good. I’ll do the same.” He looks to each one of us. “I’ll make sure we have enough. And I mean that for you as well,” he says directly to Laken and Coop.
Wes strides up and slaps a hand on his brother’s shoulder, and in this dim light, my God, they look identical.
“Did you tell them?” Wes sounds as if he’s mocking Gage, and I have no doubt he is.
Skyla bucks with a silent laugh.
“What now, Gage?” She shakes her head with disappointment. I can’t blame her. I’m feeling the same way.
