Page 11 of The Romantic Agenda
Summer releases her and steps back, all smiles. They’re the same height, eye to eye. “Sorry.” She glances at Malcolm, then back to Joy. “Sorry, I’m a hugger.”
“You don’t say.”
“Iloveyour outfit.”
Joy chose to wear a black velvet pinafore pocket dress with copper buttons running down the front. She paired it with a white blouse with flowy sleeves, a wide brim black sun hat, and black heeled boots. Not exactly camping attire.
Summer continues, “I’ve heard so much about you. I can’t believe we finally get to meet.”
“I wish I could say the same,” Joy says, while staring at Malcolm. Her upbringing won’t allow her to be rude to Summer right off the bat—not without her starting it first. Grilling Malcolm, however, is fair game.
Backing up a step, he holds his hands up in resignation. “Oh, Joy”—he points past her—“this is Summer’s friend Fox.”
“We’ve met. He seems lovely,” Joy deadpans.
Summer laughs beatifically. “Sounds about right.”
“Since we’re all here now, we should get going.” Malcolm checks his watch and mutters, “Six minutes behind schedule.”
Fox sighs loudly, rolling his eyes. He leaves the kitchen first with Summer on his heels. She tosses a bright smile at Joy as she goes, bouncing on the balls of her feet with each step.
“She’s certainly excited,” Joy remarks dryly.
Malcolm kisses her cheek. “You’re going to love her.”
Joy decides to take this excellent moment of closeness to grab the back of his shirt and say, “I should rip out your kidneys with my bare hands and then feed your liver to a bear, because I know we’re going camping, you inconsiderate asshole. You know how much I hate that.”
“Violence? Wow.” Malcolm snickers as he pulls her into a hug. “Thank you for coming.”
Joy stares up at him, into the eyes she’s known and loved for ten whole years. “Don’t thank me yet,” she says honestly.
Outside, Fox is bent over and waist-deep into the trunk of Malcolm’s silver Jeep Wrangler Rubicon.
“My bags are still in my car,” Joy says.
Malcolm volunteers to get them and when she pops the trunk of her faithful Honda Civic, he says, “Threesuitcases? Joy.”
“What? This is pretty good forme, all things considered,” she says. “It’s not like I knew we werecampingor anything.”
Malcolm effortlessly pulls each one out and sets them on the sidewalk. “I meant it when I said I didn’t think you’d have a good time.” He wheels the two larger suitcases, leaving the smaller one for her.
“And yet you invited me anyway. Because Summer asked.” Joy nods toward her, already inside the Jeep, having claimed the front for herself. “She’s in my seat.”
Malcolm doesn’t even seem bothered by her thinly veiled accusation, shrugging it off as if her feelings don’t matter. “Summermade a playlist. She’s really excited to help navigate once the GPS drops out for part of the drive.”
Joy stares at him as he plays Tetris with her suitcases to make them fit into the already packed trunk. She gets it—he’s nervous and wants the trip to go well—but it’s hard not to take this personally. Suddenly he’s like a neon sign in the dead of night, so bright it burns her eyes. Joy reads him loud and clear: Summer comes first right now. Chewing on her lip, eyes downcast, she says, “Fine.”
Is it truly too much for him to make space for her feelings too? She won’t get an answer even if she asks, so she doesn’t. When she looks up again, her heart skips a tiny, shocked beat. Fox is there leaning against the side of the car. Watching her.
Joy forces herself to smile, covering the conflicting emotions she knows are written all over her face and locking them away. “Problem?”
Fox shakes his head.
“Good.” Joy moves past him and opens the door to the back seat. “Because if I remember correctly, eavesdropping is rude, right?” She winks at him before climbing in.
Moments later, Fox opens the opposite door and sits next to her. He puts on his seatbelt, slides on a pair of sunglasses, crosses his arms, and slumps down in his seat.
Summer turns around. “You could at least wait until we’ve been driving for a while before you fall asleep.” She looks to Joy. “He always does this.”
