Page 111 of Finding Fate

“Thanks,” Izzy replied as she tugged her hand back from her sister. “But we better go.”

“Right,” Jet replied, leading the way outside.

* * *

“Izzy, I think you’re going to have to start sitting in the front in my car,” Jet commented in the school parking lot as he watched her struggle her way out of the small opening the Mustang offered from the backseat.

“Whatever, Jet. I’m fine,” she retorted, frustrated at how difficult climbing in and out of the confined area had become. She felt like a freaking sardine.

“You’re sure about that?” he asked with doubtful sarcasm.

She paused to look up at him in detest. “Yes, I’m sure.”

“Do you want some help, love?” Tucker asked, extending his hand towards her.

“No, I don’t want any help!” she snapped. “What do they think I am, crippled?” she thought, frustrated. They had walked out to find Tucker’s truck with a flat, and since her own truck was in the shop, cramming into Jet’s smaller car was the only option.

She gripped the headrest of the front seat and the side of the car and managed to set one foot on the pavement of the parking lot, carefully angling her body while she pulled against the car to her freedom. “There. See? No problem,” she remarked in self-satisfaction. She straightened her shirt and adjusted the clip that held her hair.

The three friends exchanged looks, but none of them said a thing. It was obvious Izzy was not in the mood for constructive advice.

“How is this gonna work once Destiny is here?” Annie asked as she pulled Izzy’s bag from the car, handed it to her, and shut the door.

“How’s what gonna work?” Jet asked.

“Us all fitting in the same car when we go somewhere together.”

“Uh, my truck,” Tucker replied.

“That and I’ll need to get a car. Since you’ll be taking the truck to college next year,” Izzy added at her sister’s exasperated look. “I can’t just rely on carpooling with Tucker or Mom all the time.”

It was a little upsetting to think about. She loved her and Annie’s truck, but she had to be reasonable. She had so much to be reasonable about now.

Tucker rubbed at the back of his neck as his forehead creased. How were they going to pull this one off? He was already working as much as he could handle with school, and next year he’d be even busier with basketball. His checks seemed decent enough now, but there was still so much they had to buy for the baby, and Destiny sure as hell wasn’t going to be cheap when she got here.

“Damn, and I thought we had all the hard stuff figured out.”

Jet clapped Tucker on the back of his shoulder. “Dude, calm down. It’s gonna be fine. You’ll figure it out.”

Tucker rolled his eyes. Sure, it was easy for Jet to say.

For a split second, he wished his friend had a baby on the way so that he’d know what it felt like to have the weight of the world, your small, early family’s well being, held on your shoulders.

“I bet Jet wouldn’t be so calm and collected all the time then.”

He quickly dismissed the thought, though. That was cruel. Jet was just being Jet, and, as much as Tucker loved his daughter, he wouldn’t wish his situation on anybody who didn’t want it. Hell, probably not even on someone who did want it at their age.

Isabel reached up and gave his upper arm a reassuring squeeze as they reached the back of the ticket line. “Don’t worry, Tuck. I think I’ve got it covered. I’ll just have to price around.”

They all looked at her, surprised and curious. “What do you mean you’ve got it covered?” Tucker hedged.

“I’ve got some money put away. I do work every summer.”

“Yeah, babysitting,” Jet retorted.

“And we’ve all been working summers since we turned sixteen, Izzy,” Annie added. “And I think we can all agree that we’re nowhere near having buying a car covered.”

“What? Do y’all think our parents have been paying me in pennies the past four years? Not two, Annie. I’ve been working since fourteen remember? It adds up.”

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