Page 84 of Fluke
“Because she told me this morning that I can’t have the Amazon password. So I called to get it from Paige, and she said Mom said I can’t have it, and Paige can’t help me jailbreak it.” He looks at Skylar and sucks in a breath. “Is that disrespectful to call it jailbreaking in front of you?”
Skylar smirks. “It’s fine. Keep going. This is entertaining as hell.”
Banks turns back to me. “So if Mom doesn’t want to act like a mom and share her passwords, then she doesn’t get to keep my trophies.”
What? I run a hand down my face.What is happening here?
Just a few minutes ago, I was relaxed and ready to go to Silver Springs with Pippa in the morning. And now I’m on the front porch, with Banks and a cop, listening to Banks complain about Mom’s Amazon password.
What is this life?
“I can’t. I’m done,” I say shaking my head. “Skylar, again, I apologize. But at this point, if you want to arrest me, go ahead because at least I won’t have to be with Banks in the back of your car.”
Skylar turns his head to Banks. Banks slyly looks at Skylar. And together, they laugh.
I recoil, not sure I understand what’s going on.
Why are they laughing?
Are they laughing at me?
“What’s going on?” I ask, my teeth grinding together.
“Jess, I’m sorry,” Skylar says, still laughing. “I told Banks I’d come by tonight and pick up the keys to my wife’s car. He did me a favor this week and took a look at it. They couldn’t figure it out at Mike’s Mechanic in town, so Banks said he’d give it a look.”
“So you thought you’d …what?Pretend Banks called in an emergency because I wouldn’t answer the door?”
“Well, I was here anyway and it kinda worked out,” Skylar says. “We were just playing around.”
“Cool.” I flip my gaze to my brother. He walks backward, his eyes round as saucers. “I’m going to kick your ass.”
“No. Love you. Be safe on your trip tomorrow.” He makes his way down the sidewalk toward Skylar’s car with Skylar on his heels. “And text me if you know Mom’s password.”
“Fuck off,” I shout.
“Buckle up,” he shouts back.
I shake my head and go back inside.
And I lock the door again.
Make it until morning. All things will be okay in the morning.
18
PIPPA
“Naturally, the one day I have off work, you decide to take a vacation with your new boyfriend,” Kerissa says.
I put her on speakerphone and set it on the bed. Then I continue shuffling through my drawers for a lime-green bikini I know I own but can’t seem to locate.
“We could go out to lunch, do a little shopping … grab a latte and hit the bookstore,” she says.
I laugh. “Lattes and bookstores? Pick me up in twenty. Forget Jess.”
She laughs too. “What time are you guys leaving?”
“Soon. We can’t check in until four, but he wanted to leave at eight this morning.”
