That Way” was the greatest love song ever written.”
“No,” she returned, sounding confident even when Loren was forcing her to play defense. “But I do think “Goodbye Earl” is pretty killer.”
“‘Goodbye Earl,’” I echoed from shotgun. “Isn’t that a song about a woman who killed her husband?”
Braxton shrugged, still staring at Loren.
I need you to notice me.
My head had my heart all twisted up. The feeling only intensified when Braxton finally looked my way. Her attention was like phantom fingers tiptoeing down my spine. Goose bumps appeared on my skin just as those full, red lips of hers moved. “I said it was killer.”
She smiled at me like I deserved the privilege.
My heart skipped a beat while warmth filled my belly. Braxton must have read it on my face because her smile disappeared, and then she was pulling out her phone. I watched her tap the screen a few times, and after helping her connect her phone to the car using Bluetooth, Tool’s “Sober” spilled through the speakers.
Unable to forget her confession four days ago, the lyrics took hold with an icy grip. They did their job and left only a warning.
I’m no good for you.
Braxton stared at me until she was satisfied that I’d gotten the message. Her red hair became a veil shielding her expression as she stared out her window. I could reach out my hand and touch her easily, yet she’d never felt so far away. Shifting my body forward, I rested my head against the back of the seat before closing my eyes.
I wouldn’t listen.
I never did.
Emily hadn’t warned me away like Braxton just tried to, but my friends did.
No one spoke again for the rest of the drive. We were too distracted, dissecting the lyrics of each song she played. We hit up the zoo first after Braxton admitted she’d never been. I didn’t even want to know how someone reached adulthood without ever visiting a zoo. Even a petting one would have counted.
Xavier had made some calls and was able to get the place shut down for a couple of hours. Braxton’s excitement level, which had been stuck on neutral, revved once we got inside, and she saw the first exhibit.
She actually thought those creepy-ass fucking lemurs were cute. I swear one of them stared at me as if he knew me or something.
Loren griped the entire time about the smell.
Houston remained impassive even when a male lion charged the fence and roared. It baffled even the keepers who admitted he was a pretty vocal lion…just never toward guests.
Braxton explained that Houston had that effect. Apparently, it wasn’t limited to humans. Houston got some curious looks from the staff after that as they not-so-covertly whispered to each other. We moved on, and when we reached the giraffes, Braxton lost her shit. She talked endlessly with our tour guide about some chick named April, who’d given birth last year. I was confused along with Houston and Loren until she saw the looks we exchanged and filled us in.
April wasn’t a friend of hers.
She was a giraffe we’d never heard of before. At the time, we were too busy fighting in vain to keep Calvin alive to realize a fucking giraffe had set the internet ablaze.
Braxton claimed the wave had only lasted a couple of months but that it helped the world lose themselves in something meaningful. At least for a while. As she talked, we nodded, pretending to give a damn until she turned back to our tour guide.
At some point, as we made our way through the park and for no reason at all, Braxton slipped her hand in mine. I wasn’t sure if she planned it or was just caught up in the moment, but I didn’t let go. If she noticed my tension, she didn’t comment on it. She was thoroughly enthralled by the guide’s boring facts about fucking flamingos.
I glanced at Houston, who was currently hiding behind his black shades. I could tell by the set of his lips that he’d noticed, and he wasn’t thrilled. Braxton wasn’t only defying orders. She was risking it getting out that we were making more than just music behind closed doors. Liking the fact that she’d chosen me to make her stand, I tightened my grip.
Houston could kill me and then pry her from my dead body if he wanted me to let go.
Braxton’s hand was soft and small in mine, and I suddenly had this urge to go all alpha-dick and stake