"You're not coming?" Bones asked her, his hand on the door.
"Nah, I gotta get to work."
"We can give you a ride," he countered.
"I'll take the bus."
"Get in the damn car," he growled.
"It's not far. I can even walk."
He rubbed the back of his neck. "Fuck, Ari. Get your skinny ass in this damn car before I pick you up and put you in."
She glared back at him.
He released the door and took a step toward her.
"Fine." She threw her hands in the air and got in while I wondered what was going on between the two of them.
"So..." Angel said, glancing at me before merging into traffic. "Have you ever been to San Diego?"
"Nope." I'd flown over a lot of land and seen my share of airports, but I'd visited only a handful of cities. Nothing on the coast, and I'd always wanted to see the beach.
"Bones and I are headed to San Diego for a business trip and would like you two to join us."
A trip to San Diego with Angel? Everything about that sounded wrong and right.
"We'll stay in a hotel and you'll get your own suite, of course," he added. "We'll leave tomorrow and come back Sunday."
"I gotta work this weekend," Ariana replied, still sounding pissed.
I turned in my seat to face her. Posture rigid, arms crossed across her chest, she was looking straight ahead as Bones watched her.
"You can't take time off?" I asked.
"Not after that little episode with the hospital. Not looking forward to that bill, and if I miss more time at work, they'll probably fire me." She sighed, her posture relaxing. "You should go, though. This could be your only chance."
I wished she hadn't said that. I glanced at Angel, but he didn't seem to be paying attention.
"I don't want to leave you alone all weekend. What if Matt comes back?"
"You think I can't handle Matt?" she asked. "And you went to another country and left me alone for an entire year, and I survived just fine. Besides, I'm sick of you being all up in my business. Go have some fun, already."
I eyed Angel and Bones. "No offense, but I don't know you two that well."
"You didn't know anyone in Africa, and youlivedwith them," Ariana pointed out.
"You'll have your own room," Angel insisted. "And I promise we'll be perfect gentlemen."
"See?" Ariana asked. "They'll be gentlemen. Sounds hella boring. You'll love it."
***
The ride to San Diego was comfortable. We listened to music and chatted about bands. It was almost two o'clock in the afternoon when the Hummer rolled to a stop in front of a beautiful little hotel. I made a beeline for the restroom while the guys checked us in to our rooms.
Angel handed me the key and gestured for me to follow him. "We're down the hall and to the right. If you need anything, we'll be next door, okay?"
He stopped beside me in front of the door. I opened it, and we all filed inside. Bones immediately went from room to room, like the bodyguard Myles insisted he was, as I hurried to the patio to check out the breathtaking view. The temperature was in the low seventies, and there weren't many people walking the beach and even fewer braving the water. The tide was coming in, and waves crashed against the sandy beach in an almost angry dance. I couldn't wait to get down there and swim, but unfortunately, I'd have to.
