Page 53 of Harmless Scandals

“I am so fucking tired,” Adam said.

“Yeah. We might be getting too old for this.”

He smiled as he sped around a pokey sedan. “Why don't you call Serenity and let her know we're back on the island?”

He said nothing for a moment, which gained him a side glance from Mick. “What?”

“Nothing.”

“No. That silence meant something, especially coming from you. You are never quiet.”

“Fuck off,” he said with little heat. “I'm just happy you seem to be accepting Serenity.”

“I never said I didn't accept her. I just worry that everything happened so fast, that she might get overwhelmed.”

He nodded as he called her. She answered on the second ring.

“Hey,” she said, her voice husky with sleep. “Whatcha doing?”

“We just landed. Adam wanted me to let you know.”

“Okay.”

“You were sleeping?”

“Yeah. No. I'm not sure.”

He chuckled. “Go back to sleep.”

“'kay. Love you guys.”

Then she hung up the phone. Adam took the Pali Highway exit and still, Mick hadn't hung up the phone.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothing, just she was sleepy. Never mind.”

“No, something happened.”

Mick hesitated, thinking about the words again. “She told me she loved us.”

Adam blinked. “Loved us?”

“Yes, she said, ‘love you guys,’ then she hung up.”

A car horn sounded behind them, so Adam snapped out of it and turned onto the highway.

“She was asleep when you called?”

“I think so. If not, pretty dammed close.”

“Uh.”

“Yeah.”

At first, there were no feelings at all. He was stunned. She hadn't given him any inkling that she had those feelings. Sure, there was that connection in bed, but she hadn't said a word about it.

“What's wrong?” Adam asked.

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