“Are you tired?” she asks, yawning again.
I shrug. “I could go for a little nap.”
“Same. But let’s be quick about it. We can’t miss Thanksgiving.”
I grin. “Your priorities have been noted.”
“Also, I’ll drive the rest of the way.”
“Your wish is my command.” I’m a sucker, a fool. I’m way over the top. And I don’t even care.
Chapter 23
Karli
Aftersleepingfornearlyfour hours in a cramped car in a rest stop parking lot, I woke up more excited than a kid on Christmas. I sped out of Lake Havasu City like the cops were on our tail. Trent woke up ten minutes later when I started belting Christmas songs. I would have sung Thanksgiving songs, but all that came to mind was the theme song fromJaws. Trent didn’t quite appreciate my offbeat tunes, but he smiled and held my hand anyway as we watched the sun come up together.
He only lasted an hour before he fell asleep again. I knew he was trying to resist it, but no number of questions he or I asked the other could keep him awake.
I feel bad I made him waste all that money on a hotel room we only stayed in for six hours. And I keep thinking if I hadn’t insisted on leaving the perfectly good hotel room maybe Bertha would still be alive. Maybe I jinxed her.
Will that jinx follow me to the Bentleys? Will I be ruining their holiday by wanting to be a part of it? Up until ten hours ago, I wasn’t concerned. But now there’s more at stake. More of my heart. Trent has gotten me to open up and be vulnerable. If he rejects me now, it will haunt me forever. On all those nights I’m alone and he’s with his family who loves him.
“Where are we?”
I jump at Trent’s voice and steady my shaky hands on the steering wheel.
“You scared me.”
“Sorry.” He sits up with a moan. His back cracks so loud I cringe. “Ugh, Baby Bertha was not built for men over six feet.”
“Hey, no talking bad about baby Bertha, there’s no telling what she might do to enact revenge for her mother.”
He puts his hands up in the air and bows to Baby Bertha. “I’m so sorry, forgive me oh small one.”
I shake my head. “We are almost there.”
“Really? That went fast.”
“I’m starting to understand why Sean drugged you. It’s quicker to travel while you’re unconscious.”
“Hey,” he growls, and good news, his grumpy growl is even sexier in the morning. He steals my hand and brings it to his lips, pressing a series of kisses to it.
I giggle with each scratch of his beard and have to pull away before I accidentally kill us.
“Are you excited?” Trent asks.
I glance in the rearview mirror before merging into another lane. “What do I need to know before I go?”
He gives me a quick rundown on the family, not much is new since Juliet often relays funny stories to me. But I try to remember everything possible so I don’t screw anything up.
“I think everyone’s favorite part of the holidays is swapping funny stories,” Trent says.
Something tugs on my heart with the knowledge that I get to be a part of that. To witness a happy family firsthand. “Good to know. I’ll keep some of yours in my back pocket.”
“They are going to love you.” He stares at me, and I can feel the warmth of his gaze on the side of my face. I want to turn and lock eyes with him, but…I’m driving.
“You don’t know that.” I flip on the blinker, then switch lanes.
