Page 49 of Cold Foot Croc

“I didn’t say it was a smart idea,” Garret joked. “Us Hoffmans have been known for our bad ideas from time to time.”

Wreck snorted. “Don’t hurt her, okay?”

“Hurt Raynah?”

“Yeah.”

Garret pursed his lips against a smile and opened his truck door. Out the open window he said, “I couldn’t even if I wanted to. I know you know what I mean.”

When he looked in his rearview on the way out of the clearing, Wreck was still standing on his porch, watching him leave.

The phoenix was an absolute weapon, and could probably cause an apocalypse without too much effort, but to Garret, he didn’t seem half-bad.

Chapter Eleven

Why wasn’t Garret messaging her back? Maybe something was wrong. What if he’d accidentally Changed at work, or he had slid off the side of the road on one of those mountain passes or something?

Why did she have this feeling that something was wrong?

“Are you okay?” Katrina asked from the driver’s seat.

Raynah forced her attention away from the dimming screen of her phone. “Oh, I’m great.”

“Mmm, that’s a lie.”

“What’s up?” Cash asked from the back seat. He gripped the passenger’s seat, where Raynah was sitting, and flooded the console area with his annoying presence. “Boy problems?”

“Why are you so interested in my love life, creepo?”

“Do you have a crush on Raynah?” Kade asked from the seat beside Cash.

“Nope. Pregnant ladies aren’t my kink.”

“Truth,” Katrina said blandly.

“I know, I can hear truth and lies too,” Raynah groused, crossing her arms over her chest. Everyone in this truck was annoying as hell.

“I mean…” Cash said around a mouthful of cheese crackers. “You’re hot and all…”

“Oh my God, please don’t give me pity compliments—”

“Tits are nice—”

“I’m going to kill you first when I can Change again.”

“Truth,” Katrina announced again.

“We know,” Raynah, Cash, and Kade all said together.

“Why are we moving the baby shower spot to a bar again?” Kade asked. “I mean, no complaints, because it’s been a longweek and I could use four to seven shots, but I’ve never been to a baby shower in a bar.”

“When did you ever go to a baby shower?” Cash asked.

“I saw one on TV, and it was in someone’s backyard, and everyone was dressed up,” Kade uttered distractedly. He was scrolling on his phone.

She could barely see Kade on account of Cash taking up the space between her and Katrina’s seats, so she shoved him back hard. “Quit crowding me.”

“Okay, I’m changing my answer,” Cash said from where he was relaxing back into his seat. “I have a crush on Raynah now. I like my women toxic.”

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