“You’d be jumpy too if you got tied to a chair in the middle of an abandoned Burger Palace, and smacked with a rubber chicken.”
“I wish Miles had recorded it. That video would have been fantastic content for your social media pages.Relationship mogul Ryan Ford bested by a bodyguard and firefighter in a Burger Palace.” I pecked his cheek. “Tacos are always the answer. That’s like . . . relationship 101. I’m disappointed in you, Ford.”
Ryan’s arm swung around my waist, keeping me trapped against his body. “I’m playing the long game.”
My heart lifted, but realization sunk in, dashing those hopes. “Right.”
The door opening as Wander let herself inside saved us. Jack was quick to follow, with Whitney and Miles on their heels.
Ryan looked a little green as Miles pointed two fingers at his own eyes, then at Ryan while he mouthed, “I’m watching you.”
I patted Ryan’s shoulder. “If it makes you feel better, I’ve never seen him kill someone. Well . . . at least not all the way.”
“What?!” Ryan exclaimed as he whipped around.
But I was already hugging Whitney and Wander. “I’m going to miss you guys.”
“No crying before pancakes,” Whitney said. “It’s against the code of carbs.
“When are we going to see each other again?” Wander asked.
Whitney immediately pulled out her phone and rambled off the travel schedule that her assistant, Ophelia, had meticulously put together. “I’ll be in San Diego and Phoenix in the fall, so I won’t be at the November Rom-Con. And then I’ll be in London in the spring, and back in New York for the June Rom-Com ”
“I’ll be in Phoenix, but after that, I’m on deadline until eternity.” Wander said. “But I’ll be at the June Rom-Con.”
I groaned. “I’ll be in Portland the same weekend as the Phoenix event.” Usually we all crossed paths at conventions.
“What about Rom-Con?” Whitney asked.
I glanced at Ryan. “I’m not sure they’ll let me back in, even just as an attendee. I haven’t gotten an email yet, but I’m getting ‘banned for life’ vibes.”
“Who knows!” Wander sing-songed. “You guys could be the headlining success story! How cute would that be?”
“Not cute,” I hissed as I glanced over my shoulder to make sure Ryan wasn’t listening in.
Luckily, he was in conversation with Jack and Miles about their respective workout regimens. Turns out, he and Miles had found some common ground since they were sponsored by the same health supplement company.
“Look at them bonding,” Wander said with a giggle as she loaded her plate with pancakes, eggs, and fruit. “I think Jack is gonna miss him.”
“Have the boys started a group chat yet?” Whitney asked.
“Why would they have a group chat?” I piped up as I filled a mug with hot water and dunked a tea bag in it. Coffee would make me too jittery this morning.
Whitney shrugged as she doused her pancakes in syrup. “Jack and Miles talk all the time. I just figured they’d bring Ryan into it.”
“He’s not permanent. It’ll be awkward at the end of this.” Just saying the words made me want to vomit.
The three of us made our way to the kitchen table and held a ceremonial court over breakfast food.
Wander just shook her head. “Have you gotten tired of the way your shoe tastes yet? Or are you going to keep it in your mouth for the rest of the summer?”
I rolled my eyes.
She looked at Whitney. “Am I wrong?”
Whitney’s expression wavered somewhere around empathy. “I think you’re right and they’ll end up together. It’s a classic rivals to lovers with some forced proximity. The road trip was an interesting plot twist.” She brought her fingers to her lips and did a chef’s kiss. “Amazing combination, but it’s never without denial.”
I groaned. “Not you too.”
