Page 64 of Packed Up In Vegas

“Do you not?” Miles asked.

“Honestly, I don’t really know. I feel like most of my experience with them has been negative, but I’m sure there could be good surprises.”

“Well, I’ll tell you that it’ll be outdoors and we’ll head out a bit before sunset. Is that enough detail for now? I won’t make you hike.”

“I don’t mind hiking when it’s a reasonable temperature. Drag me out all you want in the spring or late autumn, but in summer I’m an indoorsy girl.”

“Can I take you somewhere, too?” Miles asked. “I have to go into the office today, but maybe tomorrow?”

“Sure, that sounds good. I’ve got to pick up a decent computer since mine got tossed. Thank god I can access all the projects on the cloud because I have client work I’ll need to start on soon. Could I borrow one of the cars?”

“I can take you,” Kai offered. “We’ll pick you out some kickass hardware. My treat.”

“You can’t treat me on everything.”

Kai narrowed his eyes and booped the tip of my nose. “Watch me.”

“I haven’t had to touch a single dollar in my account yet. I’m itchy to spend some of my own money.”

“And you’ll get to,” Kai promised. “Later.”

“What am I supposed to do all day if you’re being hogged?” Diego asked.

“What did you do all day before me?”

Diego sighed dramatically. “Fine, I’ll go work out so I can keep this rockin’ bod.”

I laughed so hard I snorted, covering my face with my hands. “Don’t make me laugh when I’m eating. I’ll die.”

We poked fun at each other all through breakfast and it was so wildly different from all my mornings with Jerry, and even my family growing up, that I wasn’t entirely sure what to do with it. They felt like a family, one that was happy to welcome me in, and I liked it more than I expected to.

Kai wasted no time in sweeping me off to the electronics store. I tried to be economical about what I was choosing while also not sacrificing performance because video editing software could be hard on the machines. Kai made me do at least one step up in quality for every piece I chose, and he took me for lunch while they put the PC together for me.

“You’re a very stubborn man, you know that?” I told him over our shawarma.

“You need nice stuff to do your work,” he insisted. “No sense in getting something shitty and then having it sound like it’s going to take off into outer space every time you have to do anything.”

“You’re not wrong, but it was still a lot of money. I could’ve paid for at least some of it.”

“Consider it a courting gift.”

I pouted, but I couldn’t argue with a courting gift.

“And now that I’ve gotten you alone and some food into your stomach, how are you feeling about everything?”

I stared into my shawarma. “A lot better than I have been, and honestly a million times better than I was expecting to be.”

“I’m glad.” He laid his hand over mine, stroking his thumb over my skin. “If I need to kick anyone’s ass, you just let me know.”

I laughed softly. “No ass kicking required, or at least none since Amir and I are doing better.”

“You have no idea how glad all of us are that he pulled his head out of his ass about you.”

“I think it might still be up there a tiny bit, but more like a little ass hat instead of living all the way in there.”

Kai started laughing and immediately choked on his food.

“No dying. I just got you.” I patted his back and nudged his water bottle closer.

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