Page 20 of Never You

“Really, Jay, are we really going to do this?”

“Yes.”

“We don’t even have our stuff with us.” He lets his shoulders hang, looking up at the sky.

“You got your laptop. I got a credit card. What more do we need?” I counter.

“She’s going to hate you.”

I groan, pricking my finger into his chest like a growling bear. “I’m not staying in LA. And if I want to avoid my family for a few more days, what better excuse than to be driving across the country? We can think of a way to get me out of this mess without wedding bells ringing in my ear while we’re on the road.”

“Jay, seriously.” Bodi rolls his eyes, making a futile effort to convince me otherwise.

“Do you have anything better to do?”

“That’s not the point,” he mutters in response.

“You said we needed a break. Here it is,” I hiss, opening the door.

5

Ican’t believe I ended up on TMZ with Jensen on the last day of my LA Knights career.

Johnny is gonna kill me.

I put on my seat belt, blow out a hot breath then press on the start engine button, when the passenger door pops open.

Automatically, I let out a shriek, until I notice those same blue eyes catch mine, accompanied by a cocky smirk.

Confused, and frankly, a little shocked, I watch Jensen get in, then I glance to the backseat when another door opens and notice Bodi doing the same.

“Err, what the fuck are you doing? Your car is right there.” I point my finger at the black Camaro on the other side of the parking lot. I can’t forget what he’s driving because he almost hit me with the damn thing a few months ago.

The man drives like he skates.

Without mercy.

“We are going with you.” The words leave his body with ease, like I’ve missed some agreement in our last conversation.

I’m pretty sure we said Sunday, though.

He pulls his black hoodie over his head of messy hair, then places his aviator sunglasses on his nose, looking like the infuriating bad boy that he is.

“What do you mean,you are coming with me?” I grunt.

He puts on his seatbelt and gets comfortable, leaning back as he crosses his arms in front of his body. Tucking a lock of hair behind my ear, I ignore how he makes my skin pebble with goosebumps when he pins me with a daring look.

Breathe, Rae.

I close my eyes, inhaling deeply before I exhale and plaster a kind, yet forced, smile on my face.

“We are coming with you to North Carolina, and on Sunday, we can drive to New York together.”

My eyes bulge as I just blink, stunned, because this has to be a joke. Some kind of sick prank that is another lousy attempt to piss me off.

Slowly, I turn my head to Bodi, who just shrugs as if it’s the most normal thing in the entire world. He isn’t fazed by Jensen’s latest idea. A stupid one, if you ask me.

“No,” I explain, “the two of you are getting the fuck out of my car, and I will meet you in New York on Sunday.”

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