“Oh fuck,” Coop said, scrambling. “Run.”
Heather squealed, and we took off across the rest stop to where the cars were parked, the boys piling into Mint’s Range Rover, the girls into Heather’s convertible.
Heather revved her engine and tossed the gas-station owner a kiss.
“You kids are delinquents!” he yelled, waving his kerchief after us.
“We’re so sorry!” Caro said as Heather reversed and then roared forward, trailing Mint.
“No, we’re not,” Heather yelled with a backwards wave. “We improved it!”
We slid onto the highway, which in Myrtle Beach was a two-lane road running parallel to the coast. The sun was setting, casting a softer, golden light. With every break between the houses, I could see the ocean, waves tumbling. The salty wind whipped our hair.
In front of us, Jack leaned out the window of Mint’s car and whooped in victory. Heather whooped back.
“You’re insane,” I told her, spitting hair out of my mouth, where the wind had kicked it.
“It’sspring break. You know I love you dearly, MissStraight-A’s-or-Hara-Kiri, but try loosening up for once in your life.”
Caro snorted at Heather’s words, turning in the passenger seat to grin at me. Her dark hair flew over her shoulders, streaming into the back seat.
“I’m not uptight,” I said. “I’m very loose.”
“Ha! That’s not what Mint told me.”
I glared at the back of Heather’s head.
“That’s it!” Caro squealed, pointing at the mansion on the corner.
“No way,” I breathed. “It’s huge.”
Heather whistled. “Well, thankyou, Momma Minter.” She turned in her seat and winked at me. “Whatever you do, hold on to that one.”
Mint’s car slid smoothly into the driveway. Heather followed, sighing dramatically as she hand-cranked her convertible top. “God help me with this car. I need a new one, desperately.”
“It’s an Audi,” I said, popping my door open.
“Yeah, and like,fouryears old.”
I caught Caro’s eye. We both started laughing.
“What?” Heather asked. “What’s funny?”
Coop raced over to us. “Jess, you’re going to love this. There’s a deck in the back that looks right over the ocean.”
Frankie popped Mint’s trunk. “Why Jess and not me? I enjoy decks.”
“For sunsets,” Coop said, as if Frankie was an idiot. “So she can draw then.”
Mint swung his bag over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow. “You draw?”
“I don’t… It’s just a hobby,” I said.
Caro practically tripped over her own feet. “Remember she drew our entire float last year? The castle? It was so much work.”
“Gross—no one’s working on spring break,” Heather said. “Even hobbies.”
“I call dibs on the master.” Jack ran for the front door, then turned back with an impish grin. “Suck it, Mint. Rule of first possession!”
