“Josie, precious, we need five lattes,” Ben called out as he boxed up our food.
Josie’s eyes widened.
“I’ll make them,” Westin said quickly, heading around the counter to the espresso machine.
“Thank god,” Josie said with exaggerated relief. “I swear Harold has been protesting your absence.”
“Harold?” Bear asked, leaning on the counter.
“The espresso machine,” Westin said, winking at us over her shoulder. “He’s a very temperamental Italian.”
We left the bakery laden with pastries and lattes. Westin took a long look back at it before getting in the car. I squeezed in beside her and pulled her close.
“It’s going to be okay,” I murmured.
She nodded and gave me a quick kiss and then we got on the road, leaving New River behind.
“What the fuck is this playlist?”Gray muttered as the music switched from a sad, slow song to some female rapper going on about alpha cum.
“It’s my road trip playlist,” Westin said, leaning forward to rest her elbows on the middle console.
Bear took her phone from her. “Westin’s Road Trip Playlist of Chaos? At least it lives up to its name.” He chuckled as he ran his hand down her back.
Westin rolled her eyes. “Sorry it’s not a tough biker playlist or old man playlist.”
Gray scowled. “I have good taste in music.”
“Like what? U2 and Dave Matthews Band?” Westin teased.
Gray’s silence said it all. Westin sat back in her seat, her shoulders shaking with laughter. I wasn’t about to tell her both bands were on my top playlists.
My maps app beeped and I glanced down at it. “Henry, will you take this next exit?”
“Um, okay?” he said, signaling to get over.
“Where are we going?” Westin asked.
“It’s a surprise,” I responded, putting an arm around her shoulder.
She leaned into my side. “I like surprises.”
I hoped she would like this one. An article on what to do outside of New River listed a middle-of-nowhere taco stand as a “hidden gem,” and I thought it could be a fun road trip stop for my omega.
I directed Henry until we pulled into a gravel parking lot on the edge of an overgrown field. Well, parking lot was probably too generous a term for the ten by ten foot square of gravel in front of a dilapidated truck with the faded nameSeñor Tacoon the front.
There was silence in the car as Westin’s playlist came to an end.
“The surprise is food poisoning?” Gray asked.
Fuck, I wanted to punch that asshole, especially since he was probably right. I rubbed the back of my neck. “This article said it has the best tacos,” I mumbled.
“I like tacos,” Westin said brightly. “Let’s check it out.”
“It doesn’t look particularly safe,” Henry said carefully.
“Come on, live a little,” Bear said, getting out of the car and pulling Westin with him. They walked arm in arm to the taco truck and Westin turned back, waving at us to join them.
“Great idea, Liam,” Gray snapped before exiting the car.
