Page 40 of Flat Out
"Wait a damn minute. How did Dubois even know?—"
"I didn't. You gave yourself away." We all turned to look at her. She just shrugged casually. "What? You're the ones who continue to underestimate me even though I'm quite smart. That's on you."
"Oh my God. I love you," I murmured, grabbing her chin and pulling her in for a kiss.
Kimi looked between us. "Whoa. Did we just witness you saying that to her for the first time?"
Aurélie sipped my sake. "No."
"When didthathappen? I've never heard him say that before. Not even to his mum," Marco said.
"You don't tell Malina you love her before hanging up the phone?Callum."
I groaned. "Don't listen to him. He's never around when I talk to her."
"Or you just don't call her enough. You didn't hear her on the phone that day."
"Trust me, I got lectured. Full name and everything."
She hummed. "Good."
The waiter returned. Marco ordered chocolate mochi—surprising given how adamant he was that gelato was better, which was on the menu. Kimi asked for whiskey. Aurélie declined anything further and swatted at my hand again when I tried to touch her.
Wait."When did you get on a first-name basis with my mother?"
"Since she friended me on Facebook."
"You're friends with her onFacebook?"
"Are you having a difficult time keeping up through all those painkillers? I feel like I'm explaining this in English pretty well."
“Hey, that reminds me,” Kimi said suddenly, reaching for a black paper bag hidden under the booth. “We got you something.”
Aurélie narrowed her eyes. “Why?”
“Because,” Marco said with a smug grin, “your Frenglish is iconic.”
"My… Frenglish? Did you just come up with that term?" She grabbed the bag, then pulled out a folded piece of fabric and unfolded it. It was navy blue, with the Monaco track printed in white along with the words:
Les Twisty-est Virages
Aurélie gaped at it, mortified. “You didnot.”
“Oh, but we did,” Kimi said proudly. “We’ll all be wearing them next year. Matching. It's a new Grid Gremlin tradition.”
“I hate all of you.”
“You love us,” Marco said.
She glared at me. “Callum, say something. Were you in on this?”
“No, but I think I’m going to marry you in that shirt,” I said with a straight face. “My mum really is planning the wedding.”
Her jaw dropped. “Wait, what? I thought you were joking.”
Marco groaned. “Finallysomeone said it out loud. I've been dying for an update on this.”
Kimi raised a hand. “I give them a year. Max.”
