nice, Jetta,” Addie admonishes.
“Remember when she scared him on the stairs and he fell?” Herrick says to Penn. “Funniest shit I’ve ever seen.”
Lafe flips him off before turning back to look at Jetta. “Come on, what are you?” he asks her.
She scowls. “I’m fucking irritated that you’re in my room is what I am.”
“Sorry, we’ll get out of your two-toned hair in a jiffy,” Addie says brightly. “I actually just came here to ask you guys if you wanted to go on a little road trip.”
“A road trip?” I ask. “With who? Where?”
“A group of us,” Addie replies. “We were talking downstairs about how we haven’t been to the beach in forever, so we decided to take a little impromptu trip. So? Are you guys up for it?”
“No,” Jetta says,
“It’ll be fun!”
“Nope,” Jetta says.
Addie looks over at me. “What about you?”
“I don’t know if we should,” I reply honestly, and then I explain about what Igor told us.
She chews on her bottom lip in thought, worry in her eyes. “Okay, I’ll talk to Hugo and see what he says. If he thinks it’s too dangerous for you guys to leave pack land, then we’ll just plan it for another time. But if he thinks it’s fine to go, are you in?”
“Definitely. If there’s room for me.”
I would actually really love to go to the beach. I’ve never seen the ocean before, but I don’t want to go if Alpha Hugo thinks it isn’t a good idea. But the idea of getting away for a little bit and exploring...it sounds freeing.
“Okay, I’ll talk to him. I think it will be good for both of you to come and get to know some of us better without being too overwhelmed. Plus, the beach! Everyone loves the beach.”
“I don’t love the beach,” Jetta supplies.
Addie rolls her eyes. “Stop being contrary.”
“I’m not. Look at me. I’m paler than the moon, and I hate the water. The beach is not my scene.”
“What is your scene?” Lafe asks. “Metal bands and underground street fights?”
She smiles with false sweetness. “How’d you know?”
“Okay, I’ll take my mates before you claw one of them,” Addie says as she starts pulling them away. “Think about it!” she says to Jetta as they walk out. “And I’ll talk to Hugo. We’re leaving tonight at six.”
22
Luca
“Come on, man,” Toby implores. Dude just doesn’t give up.
“No.”
“Why not?”
I sigh from beneath the work truck I’m currently under. “I’m too busy. I have a shit ton of work to get through.”
“The work can wait. This will be awesome. Don’t be a limp dick.”
I shake my head as I lower my wrench. “Who’s going?”
“I don’t know the full head count, but we’re taking two cars I think, maybe more. I can fit seven.”
I pause and roll myself out from under the truck to give him a look. “That’s why you want me to go so bad. You’re bringing your VW bus, aren’t you?”
Toby shrugs. “Well, yeah.”
I get to my feet. “No. Hell no. You just want me to come because that piece of shit breaks down every hundred miles.”
He jabs a finger at my chest. “Hey, that thing is a classic.”
I hike my thumb over my shoulder to where my Chevy Chevelle is parked, wrapped beneath its shiny black cover. “That is a classic. Yours is vintage—but the kind you’d get at the thrift shop, not an antique store.”
He scoffs. “My bus is way better than your Chevy.”
“Why do you make me want to punch you in the mouth?”
Toby rolls his eyes and starts walking away. “We’re leaving at six, shithead.”
“I’m not going!”
“Oh, yeah? Your little rat is.”
With a shit-eating expression, he walks out of my garage, leaving me to stare after him. If Reese is going to the beach, then I sure as fuck am going too, and Toby knows it, dammit.
Taking a look at the clock on the wall, I toss town the wrench on my work table. Flynn comes up and tosses me a rag. “See you in a few days,” he says with a knowing grin.
“Yeah, yeah.”
“Don’t worry, we can handle the shop by ourselves for a couple days,” Krista, my other apprentice tells me.
“Okay, thanks. If you guys have any questions, just text me.”
“Will do. Go have fun with your girl.”
I quickly catch a shower and pack a few things, and by the time I head out to Warehouse Three, there’s already a group congregated outside. I sling my backpack over my shoulder and head towards them, scanning the yard for