Kinley laughed and shook her head. “You can probably have some of mine.”
“Oh, we’ll eat whatever you don’t,” Shane said.
“And still ask for more,” Ghost said.
They ate quickly with little conversation, everyone concentrating on their plates. Despite asking for more, Oakley and Ghost finished before Kinley was halfway through her food.
Shane shot them a look and tilted his head toward the door.
Oakley spread his arms wide in an exaggerated stretch and yawned. “Oh, man. Would you look at the time. Ghost and I should go and figure out what we’re going to do tomorrow. And get some shut-eye. ’Cause…yeah. We’re tired.”
Kinley looked at the three of them, suspicion pinching her brows and turning the corners of her mouth down. “It’s only a little after seven.”
“Yeah, but we had a looong day. Delayed flight. Saving the world. Wears a guy out.”
Shane shook his head while Ghost chewed on a tortilla and watched Oakley make a fool of himself.
“Well, if you’re that tired, don’t stay on my account. I can find my own way back to the hotel.”
“No, no, no.” Oakley stood and scraped his chair back under the table, smacking Shane on the shoulder. “Ban’ll keep you company and walk you back. Let’s go, Ghost.”
Ghost grunted and stood. “Have a good night.” He snagged another tortilla and followed Oakley to the door.
Shane signaled for two more beers and relaxed down into his seat, pulling Oakley’s empty chair around to rest his arm on the back of it.
“So, Kinley. How are you finding Guatemala?”
She laughed. “It’s been way more exciting than I was expecting.”
“It hasn’t all been bad, has it?”
“No, not all of it.”
Deciding not to press any further for the moment, he asked, “Where do you live—when you’re not running around Central American jungles?”
“Well, this is a little embarrassing,” she said, twirling her bottle. “I’ve been couch surfing for the past four months or so.”
“Why is that embarrassing?”
“Because I’m almost thirty-one years old, have two bachelor’s degrees and a master’s, and I don’t have an apartment or a house or any of the other adult things you’re supposed to have by now.”
He didn’t know if this was something she felt strongly about or if it was something other people felt strongly about and made it known. “Who says you have to be an adult by thirty?”
Her eyes widened. “Everyone!”
“I don’t know this everyone, but they sound like real assholes.” He held her gaze and drank his beer, challenging her to tell him why she cared about what other people thought.
“No…that’s not… You know what I mean.”
He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table. “I don’t think having a permanent address is what defines you as an adult. The only reason I have an apartment and am not still living in my kid brother’s basement is because he and his wife are expecting and they need the space. Otherwise, I’d still be sleeping on their pull-out.”
Kinley rested her chin on her fist. “What do you think defines you as an adult?”
“I don’t know. You should probably ask an adult.” He winked.
She threw her head back and laughed, exactly as he was hoping. What he hadn’t counted on was the way it exposed the long column of her neck and drew attention to the skin of her chest above the V-neck button-down.
“Where do you do all this couch surfing?” he asked.
