Page 75 of In Your Wake

I side-eye him. “I’m sure we will.”

“May I remind you, you’re the one who suggested this little last-minute trip?”

I twist my mouth, and glance over at Max who, if it’s even possible, looks more annoyed than she did before. She’s huddled in what seems like a very intense conversation with Celia.

“From what I remember, I suggested we hang out. You’re the one who said camping,” I reply, and give him a little shove. “How did you convince Miss Grumpy Pants to come along?”

He glances over his shoulder at his sister and smiles. “She needs a break. It’ll do her some good.” He looks back, seeing my skeptical stare and laughs. “Okay, I told her if she didn’t come, I’d keep bugging her about cleansing her chakras. That did the trick.”

Getting a good laugh from me, he smacks me on the back, then we get into my car, the happy couple in the backseat.

“No making out, got it?” I tease.

“Yes, Dad,” Hunter replies, shoving his face into Celia’s neck.

I turn the key of my rental and hear Maxine snort-laugh. “This thing is a monster.”

“It’s perfect for where we’re headed.”

“Not great on gas, though,” she scoffs, switching the radio to some emo-pop station. I grip the steering wheel tightly. “We should have taken my car. It’s so much better than this flashy thing. Deceptively powerful.”

“Will you stop doing that?” I ask, sharply, switching back to my classic rock station. Lack of sleep has shortened my patience.

“Stop what?”

“Arguing about everything. Trying to make everything a competition.”

“Oh, boy…” I hear Hunter whisper.

“Last I checked, we’re trying to get along,” I say. “And we can’t do that if you keep bitching at me all weekend.”

“Aww,” she begins, bringing her hands to her chest. “That might be the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me.”

“Max…” her brother warns.

I glare at her, and she rolls her eyes, dropping her hands along with her fake smile. “Fine, sorry.”

We drive for a few more blocks when her phone pings. She reads a text message, then sighs.

“Everything okay?”

“Yep. Just someone being a pain in my ass.”

“Fucker?”

From the corner of my eye, I see her nod faintly. She remains quiet. Though I’m used to her cold shoulder, something else is bugging her. I’m curious to find out what, but already know she won’t talk about it. Especially not with her brother in the back seat.

We pull up to a stop and wait while an old lady crosses the street slower than molasses.

“It might have been faster to walk,” I joke.

“Patience, my dear,” Maxine says. “That’s Mrs. Talbot. She’s like a hundred.”

“Old Man Talbot’s mom?” I ask, stunned. “Damn.”

The moment the old lady steps onto the curb, I press the gas and haul ass out of town, but the drive becomes too quiet. I can hear the telltale signs of Hunter and Celia kissing in the backseat. Maxine seems to notice, too, and clears her throat.

“Oh, this is going to be fun,” she says, heavy on the sarcasm.