Page 55 of Resist
Lucas stuck his two pointer fingers in his mouth and wolf-whistled. “Winners, yeah!” He turned to me. “Do we get a certificate?”
I laughed. “I doubt it.”
“We should get a fucken’ certificate: Crike Off Champions.” His eyes lit up, and he pointed to the other side of the arena. “Ha! There’s the others. Losers.”
I followed the line of his arm until Brad, Noah, Matt, Josh, and Cori came into sight. “Where’s everyone else?”
“Johnno and Dex are probably by the pool back at the hotel. Baz was sleepin’ in I think, and Patsy mentioned a date with Queen Elsa.”
“Who?”
“Beats me.”
“She knows a Queen?”
He nodded.
“Perhaps Elsa is a transgender friend of hers?”
“Maybe.” Lucas rested his hands on my leg again. “Patsy does knowa lotof people.”
I watched his fingers soothe my skin like it was the most natural of actions. “I’ve actually been thinking about advertising for another MC, to help Patsy out at the shows. She’s sounding quite raucous after Brisbane.”
“First of all, donotadvertise for another MC. Second of all, that’s what she normally sounds like.”
“Like a frog smoking a cigar?”
He chuckled. “Yes. Exactly.”
“Why shouldn’t I advertise? Surely she’d like a break every now and again?”
“Trust me, Patsy won’t want to share her mic with anyone. She’s very protective of us, like a mother. And you don’t just let anyone mother your child, right?”
“Right.” I stewed over his advice for the remainder of the show while dingoes did tricks, hawks swooped for food that trainers threw in the air, and crocodiles propelled themselves out of the water to take dead chickens from a keeper’s hand.
“Crikey, that was great!” Lucas carefully removed my foot from his lap and jumped up.
I cringed “Oh God no!”
His brow crumpled as he stretched, his t-shirt hem climbing his snail trail. “Oh God no what?”
“Oh God no to you saying crikey.”
“Crikey? Why not?”
“Because I’ll plot your demise, that’s why.”
“Crikey, that’s scary.”
I stood and snatched up my purse. “I’m serious. I’ll have you know there are so many horrible things I can do to you.”
He stepped closer and leaned in, one eyebrow cocked. “I bet there are so many wonderful things you can do to me as well.”
“Wonderfulandhorrible.”
A low growl reverberated from his throat.
I smiled. “Come on, Gary the guide is waiting.”
