Page 38 of I Blame the Alcohol

The second my seatbelt clicks into place, her seat cranks back as far as possible, almost disabling me in the process. Within seconds, my leg space goes from comfortable to nonexistent, forcing me to shift sideways so I don’t spend the entire drive kneeing Stella in the spine.

As tempting as that may be.

A young Justin Bieber starts crooning out of the speakers, the repetitive tune of my childhood only slightly less painful than my leg situation. An evil grin flashes at me through the side mirror and I sigh, leaning my head back and closing my eyes with defeat.

This is going to be a long drive.

Chapter 12

Stella

“Isn’t BC the other way?”

Cody’s genuine confusion is the only reason I chose the civil route and resist rolling my eyes. Instead, I let Mo take this one and continue relishing in the fact Cody’s legs are significantly more cramped than they were half an hour ago.

I do love petty revenge.

“Sure is!” Mo shoots me a wink, providing absolutely no explanation for why we’re heading towards Lethbridge instead of Crownest Pass.

I smirk, glancing out my window at the snow-covered corn fields lining either side of Mo’s tinted windows. The clouds are hanging low today, making it difficult to see the white-peaked mountains standing guard in the distance.

If I’m being honest, besides those white-peaked beauties, the flat spans of prairie don’t leave a lot to admire.

“Right, okay.” Cody falls silent once more, letting my spectacular 2000s playlist fill the void in the car. We cruise for about twenty more minutes before slowing down to pass through another small town. My humming pauses as I take in the rickety houses and faded business buildings lining the main road.

“Hey, isn’t this where that club is…” I trail off, squinting at the passing signs in hope something will spark my memory.

“You’re thinking ofLifestyle.That’s in the next town over.” Mo adjusts his grip on the steering wheel, his gaze focused on the road ahead.

Cody laughs from the backseat, “Oh yeah, I’ve heard of that one. Wes and Nico always have a good time there.” He chuckles some more, “Last I heard, it’s the rowdiest gay club in Southern Alberta. And if that’s coming from those two, it must be true.”

Through the side mirror, I watch Cody shake his head and smile. He mustn’t have shaved this morning because stubble is starting to grow in, the dark blonde hair pulling unnecessary attention to that jawline.

Unnecessary because it draws enough attention on its own.

Cody catches me staring and I quickly avert my gaze to the frost-bitten tumbleweed blowing down the sidewalk. After a few minutes of sightseeing, I risk another glance only to find him staring right back at me. I freeze as our eyes lock, the reflection tethering us together while keeping us a safe distance apart.

Sums up our non-existent relationship well.

He leans forward, disappearing from my vantage point, and suddenly I feel warm air brush against the side of my neck. The whisper of contact triggers goosebumps to rise along my skin despite the heat Mo is blasting through the vents.

I feel Cody shift closer, his legs pressing hard into the back of my seat and into the base of my spine.

“Would you mind skipping this song? I’m not a fan.”

His mouth is right next to my ear, the vibrations of his voice flowing through my body and mingling with my other senses. One inch to the left and my cheek would be pressed against his and I’d finally see what that scruff feels like.

Shame he had to ruin the moment with last night’s conversation.

Ignoring the close proximity, I calmly reach for the audio controls, bypassing the skip option and making a beeline for the volume.

And I proceed to crank it.

Miley Cyrus’Party in the USAblasts through the speakers and I take it as my cue to start singing at the top of my lungs.

Off-key, of course.

My older brother, God bless him, either didn’t hear Cody’s comment or chose to take my side, because he turns the dial even higher and pretty soon, we are rocking a duet down the snow-covered roads.

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