Addie nods along, soaking up the information, laughing at my brothers’ stories about me, and throwing in questions. They didn’t need to tell her I cried when I ran over a bird on my bike when I was five or how I passed out drunk at a frat party and woke up in the middle of the forest... naked.
But whatever. I don’t mind.
It’s oddly peaceful watching her banter with us as if she’s been a part of our life for years, not hours.
“I think we should get going,” Cody says, close to nine. “I can take you home, Addie, but you’re riding in the back.”
An adorable frown crosses her face. “I’m not going home. I’m staying here.”
“Are you now?” I ask.
“Well, yeah. We need to be at the airport at seven in the morning and my house is in the opposite direction.”
My asshole brothers hide their stupid grins behind their Coronas. “Makes sense,” they say, nodding in unison.
Yeah, perfect fucking sense if not for the fact I’m racing soon.
SEVEN
Colt
“YOU’RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO STAY THE NIGHT,” I tell Addie as soon as Cody and Conor have closed the door behind them.
They didn’t pass up the chance to theatrically bounce their eyebrows at me as I saw them off.
Assholes.
“It’ll be easier in the morning,” I continue, “but I’m going out in half an hour and won’t be back until two or three in the morning, so c’mon. I’ll show you around before I take off.”
“Wait, you’re leaving?” Her wide, questioning eyes latch onto mine. “Where are you going?”
“Out. Come on, I don’t have much time. You know where the bedroom is, and I—” I stop mid-stride, glancing over my shoulder when I realize she’s not following. “Something wrong?” I ask, my voice softening at the deep lines etched into her usually bright face.
As if roused from a trance, she swallows hard, wiping the sadness from her expression. “No, nothing, I’m fine.” She straightens her back, heading toward the exit. “I’ll get going. Don’t worry about tomorrow. Will it be okay if I pick up my car next week? I shouldn’t drive after all that wine.”
Two wrinkles crawl onto my forehead. She seems shaken up, annoyed even. I catch her wrist as she tries to pass, halting her in place. “What’s wrong? We agreed I’m coming with you.”
“No.” She wiggles free, her voice tight. “It’s fine. I’m sorry, I... I...” She releases an exasperated huff, replacing the hurt-kitten look with a stern face. “It didn’t occur to me you were seeing someone. It seemed improbable given the Express Dates.”
“What?” I spit out. As stunned as I am by her assumption, I can’t deny the sadness painting her face is a fucking kicker. She’s disappointed I might have a girlfriend. A real one. “You think I’m leaving you here to go see another girl?”
“Where else could you go this late on Saturday?”
A smile breaks out across my face. I look her up and down, making a split-second decision. No way I’ll let her think I’m hooking up with someone else.
“How easily do you scare?” I ask.
“Um... not that easily, I don’t think.”
“Alright, you can tag along if you want, but there are rules, Audrey. One, you do everything I say without fail. Two, you stick with me at all times, and three, if you ever meet my older brothers, you don’t breathe a word of this to them. We clear?”
She folds her arms over her chest. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see. My girl trusts me,” I say, putting a special emphasis onmy girl. “Something tells me you’ll enjoy it.”
She takes a deep breath, nervously twisting her fingers. “Okay. I follow orders, I stick with you, and when I meet your brothers, I know nothing about this.”
“Good. Grab that wine, and let’s get moving.”
