Page 164 of Dear #47, You're the Worst
“And that’s when I knew I wasn’t meant to live in a city forever,” Mollie says. “I mean, just think of this hair in the rain!”
Everyone laughs, making me look up from the profile. She points to her smooth red tresses. She’s right; I can easily picture her hair getting frizzy in the Seattle humidity.
Mollie looks around the Family Lounge at Ivy, Wren, and Jessa. Jessa and Mollie get along so well that I’m ateenybit jealous. It’s hard to resist their sunny attitudes, though. The Coven is in full effect, talking animatedly about some ridiculous plan to buy an off-the-grid compound together and raise goats or rescue dogs or both.
“What if we buy a place in eastern Washington?” Ivy asks. “I’m thinking halfway between Seattle and Spokane. It would be in the desert, but I think if we build something new and dig a well, we can sustain ourselves during the apocalypse.”
“That’s very important.” Jessa nods. “Plenty of privacy. Scenic views. We could start a cult. Ivy, you’d make a great cult leader.”
“Interesting.” Ivy taps her chin. “You know, Ihavealways wanted to lead a devoted following to a remote locale.”
“I’d follow you,” Wren chimes in. “If we build a compound, we’re going to have to put a moat around it. Ladies, if we’re going cult, I say we go full cult.”
“All the way, baby!” I agree. Everyone laughs. Just then, Hunter sticks his head into the room, his hair still wet, his dark suit making him look mouthwateringly good.Yu-um.
“There you are, Monroe.” He beckons to me. “Come on. Two rookies got into a fight in the locker room, so Coach Cross is reaming them out. I’m exhausted, so I’m sneaking us out of here.” He purses his lips. “Sorry, girls.”
Ivy waves him off. “I’d be ready to get to the hotel too if I had someone like Juliet to cuddle up to.”
I stick my tongue out at her. “Don’t be jealous. I’ll see you guys bright and early tomorrow when we finally fly home.”
Ivy chuckles, Jessa gives me a quick hug, and then I head out following my very tall, quite dapper fiancé. Should I call him that? I’m not sure how to refer to him now that we’re no longer doing the fake fiancée thing.
“Twenty bucks says Ivy’s the one who ends up actually buying property,” I say to Hunter as we walk out to a waiting SUV.
“You’ve built up quite a community here,” he comments as he tucks me in the back seat before going around to the other side.
I wait for him to climb in beside me before pressing. “What do you mean?”
“The Coven.” His lips twitch. “You all are one TikTok dance away from becoming a girl squad.”
“We’re notthatclose.” I laugh. “We might have been talking about moving to the desert and starting a cult, though.”
“See? Men aren’t friends that way. I love my brothers and all, but I won’t draw up a floor plan for our shared bunker or pick out Kool-Aid flavors.”
I grin. “Dark.”
He shrugs. “Just saying.”
Hunter’s right, though. It catches me off guard how clearly he sees it. The way the girls have included me in their plans and their inside jokes, how fiercely loyal we are to each other.
“When did you get so observant?” I ask.
“I think you’re always surprised that I notice the most obvious things. You’ve set the bar incredibly low.”
“You’re salty today.”
His eyes sparkle. “I’m just trying to tell you to expect more. I pay attention to what matters, Firecracker.”
The way he says it, like I’m what matters, makes my chest tight. Yeah, Hux is so getting laid when we get back to the hotel.
Chapter38
Juliet
“Keep moving.” Hux pushes me through the doorway of the hotel. He closes the door behind him with his foot, unknotting his tie. “Don’t even bother sitting down. I need you naked, now.”
Hunter isn’t the first man to order me to strip, but he’s the only one who can say it in that dead-calm, dangerous voice. He’s also the only one who makes me want to obey his command instantly, even when it’s a terrible idea.
