Page 58 of Wild Like Us
Fuck me.
It’s not Akara.
11
SULLIVAN MEADOWS
Gatheredat the motel’s bedroom window, three familiar faces turn around at the exact same time. Like they rehearsed this epic entrance for aWe Are Callowaypromo.
Maximoff Hale.
Jane Cobalt.
Charlie Cobalt.
My three older cousins. The closest thing I have to older brothers and an older sister.
Surprise doesn’t even cut what I’m feeling. Fans revere Maximoff, Jane, and Charlie, and I’ve always held such admiration for them that I’ve joked with Luna how I’m partly their fan. The other part—I’m just lucky that they’re mine. My friends.
My family.
So seeing them in Wisconsin first brings a wave of joy. They traveled miles and miles. For me?
And then Ireallylook at them.
They’re all zeroing in on my wet hair. Banks’ wet hair. And the bathroom we just evacuatedtogether.
Moffy wears hard confusion. Luna says her older brother is a quintessential Captain America—a do-gooder soldier and team leader—but in my life, he’s the only person able to run next to me and never slow down. To me, he’s like his husband’s nickname for him.Wolf Scout.My mom created the Wolf Scouts, a wilderness & scouting organization. Moffy and I were even in the same troop, until he grew older.
As they always do.
I do too.
Though, in their presence, I feel young again.
“Hey, Sul,” Moffy says first, his green eyes pinging between me and Banks.
“Hey, everyone.” I nod probably way too fucking much.Cumfuck, I’m a shit liar.
Charlie slouches his weight on one leg. His head tilted and eyes roaming like he’s Inspector Gadget inspecting all of…this.
Jane—lovely, beautiful fucking Jane who always has the best words in the right ways,please help me.I widen my eyes at her. She wears the brightest pink lipstick, zebra sweater, and green tutu like the Princess of a Fairy Kingdom that I’m sure is fucking great—but I need her to save me in Wisconsin.
She gives me a furtive nod like,don’t worry.Her focus routes to Banks. “Thatcher’s outside with the others.”
The others?
But I see her tactic. Tension will definitely alleviate if he leaves Moffy and Charlie’s intrusive gaze. Which is good. I try to exhale.
“Thanks, Janie,” Banks leaves in a hurry.
Janie?
I frown. And once the motel door shuts behind Banks, I ask her, “He calls you Janie?”
“Oui. For a while now.” Setting her pumpkin-sequined purse on the dusty dresser, she notices my lingering confusion. “I go eat Sunday dinners now and then with Banks and the rest of his family. He’s about to be my brother-in-law.”
“Yeah, I know.”I just haven’t heard him call you a nickname.Or maybe I have and it hasn’t reallyregisteredhow close Jane is with her future brother-in-law. Will she be freaked out that I kissed him?
