Page 150 of Shade
She’s right. I don’t know that he’s not going to get hurt, and I know very well what would happen if he did.
“Are you going out to Glen Helen today?”
Do you see the way my shoulders tense? I bet if you were inside my body, you’d notice the way my heart thuds faster.
Thirteen. Glen Helen.
“Yeah, Tiller’s going with me.”
Her last warning? “Stay out of trouble.”
Truthfully, I did everything I could to get out of going out to Glen Helen today, but I knew what it meant to the kids out there to have us come out to their events. I remember when I was younger and the pros showed up at the track.
Tiller’s in the den playing pool with Camden when I go to get him. “We gotta go, man.”
Tiller nods and sets down the pool stick. Camden’s shoulders hunch. “Do I get to come?”
Willa’s warning flashes in my head. I shouldn’t let him go with us, but it’s Camden, and I have a hard time telling the kid no. I’ll make quite possibly the worst parent ever because when he pouts, I give in.
Tiller shakes his head. “God, you’re a push over.” And then he glances at Camden and knocks him on the side of the head. “What’d I tell you about pouting?”
“Not to. You said it makes me look like a pussy, but I thought that’s a girl’s vagina.”
Yeah, so maybe him coming with us is a bad idea. But then again, Scarlet’s coming too, so she’ll protect him.
And no, I haven’t asked her yet. All part of my plan. I grab Camden by the back of the neck. “Help me convince Scarlet to come with us.”
Tiller groans and leads the way out of the den. “Okay, so you’re both pussies now. Awesome.”
DO YOU SEE the three of us standing outside the guest house? Okay, actually two of us. Tiller ditched us to start the truck. Said he couldn’t be a part of begging. It goes against his code of ethics. . . whatever that means.
Camden knocks on the door for me and when Scarlet answers wearing a sundress and her nipple rings visible underneath the lilac cotton dress, I for one, have to make an adjustment, and two, blurt out, “Tiller and I have to head out to Glen Helen today. You coming?”
“And me!” Camden pipes up with, practically jumping up and down with his S3 hat on backward and sunglasses.
She smiles at Camden but then stares at me. “Do I need to be there? I should be packing for Seattle and then Spain.”
“What if I get into trouble? You probably should.” And then I lean in, whispering, “Tiller’s coming. You can’t leave us alone with Camden.”
She doesn’t need to go, but is it so wrong that I’ve grown to want her around? I don’t think so. Especially not considering I’m heading to a track that haunts my nightmares. It’d be nice to have Scarlet around.
“Think of thekid.”
Scarlet crosses her arms over her chest, and it does nothing for my problem making itself known in my shorts. “You’re using the kid against me?”
Raising my sunglasses, I wink. “Maybe.”
Shaking her head, she reaches for her bag by the door. “Fine. But I’m driving.”
“Ha.” I put my arm around her once she’s out of the door. “No, you’re not. We want to get there in one piece.” I wave toward the driveway when we’re out of the back gate. “Besides, Tiller’s driving.”
“Shot gun!” Camden calls out, bouncing toward Tiller’s black Ford Raptor.
I’ve never been so excited to sit in the backseat in my life. I reach for the door and let Scarlet in. She raises an eyebrow. “Wow, manners and everything.”
I shrug. “Figured I’d be nice after stealing the baby from you earlier.”
By her look, she knows I’m trying to be nice for more than just stealing a baby.
