Page 31 of I Just Want to be Yours

He gives me a sideways glance. “Don’t tell me you plan on walking home.”

“Oh.” I let out a laugh. “No. I’ll text Rae and ask her to come get me.”

With an eyebrow raised, he asks, “You’re sure?”

“I am,” I say with a nod. Grateful for an escape, I point up ahead on the right. “You can turn there. Near the pizza place.”

His jaw drops. “You work next to Mimi’s Pizza?”

He’s acting like he just found out I’ve been harboring a pile of gold, and it brings a twinge of a smile to my lips. “I do.”

“Margot.” He shakes his head. “You’ve been holding out on me. IloveMimi’s Pizza.”

I can’t help laughing. “Well, if you ever want me to bring something back for you, just let me know.”

Braden turns into the parking lot and pulls up in front of the small office forDestination Tampa. “Oh, I could never ask you to do that.” He tilts his head to the side. “But if you ever wanted to surprise me, I wouldn’t hate it.”

His grin widens as laughter bubbles out of me. “Okay.”

I don’t even realize how much lighter I feel until Braden’s eyebrows shoot up and he nods to the office behind me. “Weren’t you late or something?”

“Shit!” I frantically gather my things and notice the way he bites back a smile. I’m breathless by the time I get out of the car, standing with my arms full as I duck down to look at him. I’m out of breath when I say, “Thanks again.”

“Leave your keys, and I’ll take a look.”

“Right.” I rummage through my bag and hand him the keys. “Thanks,” I say again.

He nods with that same tight-lipped smile as I close the door. But even with the separation, I can feel that last glance clinging to my skin, and I somehow know he’s watching me through the rearview mirror as he drives away.

17

jackson

The windshield wipersof the RV give a steady, melancholy tempo while I sit on our small couch and play. My fingers pick at the strings, and a soft, slow melody fills my ears as rain pelts the windows and Brian’s hushed voice makes his sixth phone call of the day. He’s been nonstop ever since we hired him. Even though he’s in the RV with us, he’s still all business from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The only time he loosens up is after dinner when he downs a few beers and smokes a joint with the rest of us.

I don’t even know what he does on those calls. Stuff for the band, I’m assuming, but he won’t give us the details. Marty asked him what he was doing on the phone all day, and Brian’s response was, “When I have something to tell you, I’ll tell you.”

So, I won’t be asking him a damn thing. He’s a cool guy. A little intense, but I think we’re all glad he’s here—just a little on edge with it, too. Like we suddenly have a father figure on board, and even though he’s acool dad,he’s still the one we have to answer to.

My head snaps up when Brian shoots out from the back of the RV and points toward the windshield. He still has hisphone balancing in the crook of his neck when he says, “Take the next exit.”

Dave’s eyebrows furrow in the rearview mirror. “But we still have half a tank.”

“Take the next exit, Dave. We’re picking someone up.” Before any of us can say anything, he’s retreating to the back of the RV with his phone pressed to his ear.

“What the hell?” Dave mutters from the driver’s seat.

I look across from me where Marty and Brady are playing cards at a small foldout table. Both guys look as clueless as I feel. Why the hell are we stopping for someone?Who?

Setting down my guitar, I walk to the front of the RV and sit next to Dave while he drives. “Do you know what this is about?”

His bitter laugh bites the air around us. “Do I look like I know what this is about?”

“You look like you might kill Brian.”

Dave grins, giving me a sideways glance. “We’ll see, won’t we?” Looking ahead at the road, he pulls off the highway and onto the exit ramp. He raises his voice when he says, “This might be easier if Brian would tell me where to go!”

Like clockwork, Brian briskly heads toward us from the back of the RV. He claps his hands together, and I give up my seat so he can direct Dave.

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