Page 11 of Inked Devotion

“For a woman who likes murder shows as much as I do, you sure don’t like to think about the fact that we could be murdered at any minute.”

“You’re just mean.” Paige reached to pick up her cupcakes. “Do you need help filling your car?”

“This is the last of it,” I said, pointing to my provisions.

“Okay, I’m done. I’m done. I’m done,” Annabelle said as she ran out through the hallway, rubbing her hands on her jeans. “And I didn’t want to use your fresh towel, so I used my jeans to dry my hands, and now I feel weird. I love you, have fun, and we’re going to be tracking you on the app.”

“Don’t worry, we all are. Archer has a plan.”

“You guys scare me,” I said, shaking my head.

“You’re taking a Montgomery outside the state borders. I feel like we need to let the world know beforehand.” Annabelle grinned, and that made me laugh.

“You’re right. I should alert the media. The Montgomerys are invading the rest of the US, not just Colorado. It could be an end of an era.”

“And the beginning of world domination,” Paige said as she threw her hair back, and I shook my head before I gathered my things and followed them out the door.

I stuffed my cooler on the back seat floor and looked around my storage area as the girls drove off. There was still half of the trunk, half of the backseats, and all of the space on Benjamin’s side for what he needed. And because I wasn’t that much of an asshole, I would let him drive if he wanted to.

I wasn’t going to force him to watch me drive the entire way, but I wasn’t even sure I had ever driven with Benjamin in the car. Beckett usually drove us around, or Lee. Benjamin and I usually ended up in the passenger seat or backseat if we ever went as a group just because we were the most easygoing.

Which was an odd thing to think because I wasn’t easygoing to anyone except for Beckett. I wasn’t going to think about that, because it didn’t matter. Beckett was happy, and I was going to be happy soon. Not that I was unhappy, but I was going to add more happiness to my repertoire. I was going to stop making things so weird.

I got in the car, checked my mirrors, made sure I had a full tank of gas and that my hybrid was charged, and made my way to Benjamin’s.

My mom texted me as I pulled into his driveway, and I looked down at my phone.

Mom:See you soon. And I can still bring the Jackson boy if you want.

I groaned, knowing that this was only the start. It was going to be an excruciating yet fulfilling weekend.

Me:It’s a family reunion. Stop setting me up on a date.

Mom:It’s a family reunion where we could make a new family. I’m going to invite him. I don’t want the tables to be uneven.

I groaned, my cheeks heating as I looked up, and Benjamin walked forward, he had a large duffle, a small cooler, and that was it. How the hell had he had packed so little when I seem to have packed the rest of the world?

Men.

As soon as I looked at him, the way he smiled at me, even with a little embarrassment on his gaze, I knew I would do something stupid.

Me:I’m bringing someone—no need to invite strangers for food.

My phone rang even as I got out of the car and opened up the back hatch. Benjamin nodded at my phone and went to the back to put his things away.

“Who are you bringing? What is his name? What does he do? How long have you been together, and when are you getting married?”

I ignored most of her questions since she was mostly joking. Mostly. “Yes, my friend Benjamin is coming with me. We’re driving together.”

“Benjamin? As in Beckett’s Benjamin?”

“As inmyBenjamin,” I said, and Benjamin’s brows winged up, and I held back a curse. “As in myfriendBenjamin. Beckett’s twin. He’s coming with me on the trip.”

“Oh, oh, oh, when did this happen? You’re going to have to tell me everything, and I love you so much. And don’t worry. We will make sure that he gets everything that he needs, and I will tell everybody that he’s on his way. Now, no one needs to worry about you.”

And that was the crux of it. Everybody was always worried about dear old Brenna, the last single Garrett, just like Benjamin was the last single Montgomery.

I cringed, knowing that I had put my foot in my mouth, and frankly, I had probably signed Benjamin up for far more than he had thought when he asked me if he could come.

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