Page 8 of Drive Me Wild
She rolls her lips, trying not to crack up, and continues. “I wouldn’t think of trading. But us babes need to stick together.”
Avery and Serena flop into the water and drag their shark my way while Zoe wades toward the unicorn to hold it in place while the other two climb on.
Once we are all settled, I dangle my legs over the side of my shark and lay across the top, letting the water take me where it wants.
I must have fallen asleep, because I startle when I hear someone shout my name.
I look up and realize I’ve floated halfway across the lake, and I’m damn near to Avery’s parents’ place. Everyone else is hauling their toys out of the water while my stepdad, Buzz, is waving his arms and calling my name.
I wave back and start paddling. When I reach the shore, everyone is dried off and cleaning up.
This is the part of the event when Cole determines who stays and who is allowed to drive home. Being the fire chief of Owl Creek means he’s stricter than almost anyone I know about drinking and driving, and to be honest, I’m damn proud of him for that.
Serena, Trevor, his wife, and Avery all pass muster, so they load their things and head out. Mom and Buzz gather wood for the fire pit, so I slip into the new outdoor shower to rinse the lake off and then grab my clothes to change.
When I walk out to toss my swimsuit in my truck, I catch Buzz as he’s loading the car with cleaned salad bowls.
“Hey, can I talk to you about something?”
Buzz’s blue eyes pierce me with kindness. This man is the best thing that could have happened to my mom, brothers, and me, even if there were times I disappeared between perfect Cole and brainiac Cody.
He reaches out and puts a hand on my shoulder like he always does to let you know you have his attention.
“What is it, son?”
“The robotics team.”
“What about it?”
“I want in.”
He quirks his head to the side. After Buzz retired and sold me his auto repair shop, he got bored and started a robotics club at the local high school.
“Aren’t you a little old to join a high school club?”
I shake my head as a low chuckle erupts from my chest. “Not as a student. I want to lead it with you.”
“It’s going to be a big commitment this year. We’ve got more students interested than last year, and they are gunning to qualify for a national competition.”
I nod vigorously. I want him to know I’m all in.
“There are certain clearances. You have to do background checks to be around students, and—”
“You know I never got into enough trouble that I can’t pass a background check. Besides, that was all when I was a minor.”
“True. True.”
“So?”
He crosses his arms and studies my face.
“I’m curious. What’s the sudden interest?”
I pick at a callus on my hand. “I want more.”
“More what?”
“Just more. You know I love the shop and fixing cars. You know that because you taught me everything. But…”
