“What if my stupid sister didn’t tell you to?”
“Well, now that’s not nice. Don’t go calling your sister stupid.”
“She is, isn’t she?”
“No. Lea isn’t stupid. You’re just angry.”
“Well, what’s your answer?”
“I would have picked you even if she didn’t ask me to. I felt like you deserved a little payback for the way you treated me this morning,” I say, toying with her.
“I didn’t treat you like anything this morning.”
“I know.”
“So, how was I supposed to treat you? Like you’re royalty or something?”
“Why are you so hot-tempered?” I hear the tired drawl coming out in my words, and I realize I’ve been bickering with this woman for what seems like half of the day today.
“Why does everyone ask me that?” Kai replies with a true sense of questioning.
“Maybe it’s because you have low blood pressure,” I offer as an excuse.
“Nice try. I was lying.”
I can’t help but laugh. She’s a riot without intending to be. “Am I taking the next exit?”
“Maybe,” she says, glancing out her window.
“Want to get to the hotel tonight or drive around until the sun comes up?”
“Yes, it’s the next exit,” she answers.
“You may want to let Lea or Noa know where you are. I don’t want them to worry about you,” I tell her.
“Let ’em worry.”
Okay, then I will text Noa myself. She must be like this all the time. Impossible.
I spot the hotel sign and feel relieved that I was able to find it with little direction, thanks to lushy over here.
“You can park in employee parking,” Kai says. That she can tell me, but directions, not so much. I pull into an empty spot, drop the clutch, and bring the gear to neutral. “Emergency brake.”
“I told you, I’ve driven a stick before,” I remind her.
“Ha! I knew it!”
Damn. For being drunk, she’s incredibly quick-witted. “Happy now?” I ask.
“I’m not sure.”
“I’m going to come around and open your door, so you don’t have to climb over the seats again,”and flash me a second time. That would be tragically amazing.
“Oh, no, I can open the door from here,” she corrects me, showing me that the door can, in fact, open from the inside.
“Right, I had it confused,” I tell her.
I hop out and rush around to her side, so I can make sure she doesn’t tumble over. “You’re confused because you’re drunk,” she squeaks as she tries to poke my nose but misses and pokes my eye. “Oh my God. I’m so sorry!” She snorts into laughter, covering her face as if that might cover the fact that she’s laughing. “Are you okay?”
