“You wish you were cool enough to be a Flappy Bird kid.” He smiles before squeezing my shoulder. “Come help me make dinner. I’ll teach you a recipe that’ll blow the socks off the next girl you date.”
I don’t bother correcting him by saying Kait and I never dated.
There’s no point.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Bailey
NOW
I’d hopedthe storm wouldn’t actually hit, and now I had the added pressure of knowing Henry trusts me to take care of the people he loves most in this world. I thought maybe, at the last second it would veer off course and dissipate over the ocean.
Unfortunately, this is reality, and it did not do that. It’s ended up only growing stronger with wind speeds picking up and changing it from a Category 1 to a Category 3 hurricane.
We finished preparing the houses and the gallery for the storm yesterday, before Henry had to fly to Seattle for an event with the charity he co-founded with his best friend. Per the evacuation orders that were issued, we’re leaving today for Charlotte.
I know Kait and I shouldn’t have eavesdropped on their conversation, but I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it—or the way Kaitlyn looked at me afterward. I’m trying to do the right thing by giving her space since things ended between her and my brother, but it’s nice being around her without having to worry about crossing a line.
Except whatever normality we had was erased the secondwe heard Henry and Mirabelle talking about their plan to push us together, but with all the storm prep, there hasn’t been a chance for us to talk. I don’t even know where to start.
“Is that everything?” Mirabelle asks as I shut the trunk of her SUV.
“I think so,” I say, running through the mental checklist of everything we packed into the car.
“So I was thinking Javi would ride with me, and you and Kaitlyn would follow in her car,” she says, and I hold back my laugh.
She’s really thought this all through. I didn’t think Henry and Mirabelle had it in them to be so devious, but since hearing their conversation, it did confirm a few of my suspicions.
“Okay,” I agree, deciding to go with it. We’re going to be stuck in the car for hours, and maybe I’ll work up the nerve to ask what Kaitlyn’s thoughts are about their plan.
Mirabelle grins, probably thinking I have no idea what she’s up to.
Honestly, I’m a little relieved to know she’s rooting for me and Kaitlyn. Part of me was worried what my family might think, but this gives me hope they won’t hate me for loving my brother’s ex-girlfriend.
After one final lap around the beach house, we hit the road.
“What are you in the mood to listen to?” Kaitlyn asks, scrolling on her phone.
“I’m okay with whatever,” I say, drumming my fingers on the steering wheel. “You think the storm is going to be bad?”
“I don’t think the storm itself will be too bad, but I’m worried about the storm surge,” she says, and I’m grateful I’m driving because I have to focus on the road instead of staring at Kait the whole time.
“The house has survived a lot of hurricanes. Whatever happens, at least all of us will be safe.”
A sad ballad comes through the speakers, and I recognize it instantly since Kaitlyn used to play it on repeat in high school. Luna also listened to it a lot during those months I stayed with them.
“Did you ever make it to one of her concerts?” I ask, changing the topic as I turn onto the highway that leads to Charlotte. My nerves start to fray when I think of the last time I left Wilmington.
“Yeah, last year. Henry surprised me with tickets for my birthday,” she says, kicking off her sandals to pull her knees up to her chest.
I’m anticipating she’ll end up sitting in a dozen different positions by the time we actually make it to Mirabelle’s house. Kaitlyn doesn’t sit still very well, and at this rate, it’s going to take forever.
We probably should’ve left yesterday to avoid some of the traffic, but at least we’re moving, even if we’re crawling at thirty miles an hour.
The next song comes on, and Kaitlyn starts to hum along. It doesn’t seem to matter what she does—Kaitlyn always has a way of capturing my attention.
“So how many times do you think we’re going to have to stop so Mirabelle can pee?” she asks, after Mirabelle flicks her turn signal only a half hour later to take a random exit.
