Page 62 of Just Like That

“Cut the shit, Royal. What the hell is going on?” JP was angry.

Very, very angry.

Royal only laughed and leaned in, dragging his little brother from the car. His hands were loosely bound with a thin black cord.

“Oh my god!” I surged forward, untying the bindings. My eyes narrowed at Royal. “I didn’t mean anactualkidnapping!”

Royal laughed. “Oh, come on. It was fun.”

When his hands were free, JP whipped the black bag from his head and threw it at Royal. “Would it have killed you to wash the bag? It smells like your sweaty nutsack.”

Royal caught the bag and sniffed it. “Ugh. Sorry, man.” He pointed at me. “This was her idea.”

Royal shot me a look before he rounded his truck and climbed behind the wheel. It roared to life, and he pulled a U-turn in the clearing, waving and grinning like a fool as he drove away, leaving JP stranded with us.

JP’s eyes whipped to me and narrowed. “What the hell is going on?”

With my back to the skoolie, I spread my arms. “Surprise?”

JP pinched the bridge of his nose. “I have work to do, Hazel.”

“Veda and I discussed everything. One day and one night away won’t actually kill you. She’s handling everything while you take some much-needed time off.” He tried to interrupt, but I raised a finger. “MJalsothought you looked like you needed a break from work.”

My arms were still spread in ata-daposition, but my bubble of excitement was slowly leaking air.

JP looked around the remote campsite. “Time off?”

“We’re camping!” I hoped my smile didn’t waver. “Well ... we have the skoolie, so it’s more likeglamping, but you get the idea.”

I was fairly certain he was about to call the whole thing off when Teddy realized he’d arrived.

“Dad!” He bounded down the skoolie’s steps and launched himself at JP.

JP’s arm wrapped around Teddy’s back and he softened. “Hey, kid.”

“You made it! Are you surprised? We packed you a bag and everything!” His excited words tumbled over one another.

One eyebrow lifted as he looked at me. “Packed a bag?”

Teddy nodded. “Yep! Hazel had to touch your underwear!”

My cheeks heated as JP looked down at him and chuckled. “Well, that’s very helpful.”

I smiled and fought back a laugh. “Teddy was curious why your boxers looked so tight.”

For the first time, I could barely make out tiny red splotches forming from beneath the collar of his rumpled dress shirt.

I lifted his duffel bag from the ground and tossed it to him. “Go on, get changed. First thing we have planned is a hike.”

JP frowned at Teddy, but there was humor dancing at the edge of his mouth. His eyes narrowed playfully at Teddy. “I’m not getting out of this, am I?”

Teddy grinned. “Nope!”

JP sighed and climbed into the skoolie. “If you say so, but only if there are s’mores later.”

I opened my arms, beckoning Teddy to me. He hugged my middle and I squeezed him back, relieved that my haphazard plan hadn’t completely blown up in my face.

Yet.

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