“Would you have believed me if I told you the truth?”
He studies me. “Fair point.”
“Great. Now go away so we can finish lunch.”
He pushes back his chair and stands, looking weirdly somber. “I’ll pick you up at nine tomorrow. Be ready.”
We all watch him walk away. It’s depressing how much I like the way that man moves.
“What’s he picking you up for?” Peach asks.
“It must be sex,” Cherry says, all teasing.
I drop my head in my hands and groan.
CHAPTER TEN
Garrick
I park in the lot in front of Blue’s apartment building and text her to let her know I’ve arrived. I’m irrationally nervous about this whole thing, not least because I feel like I owe her a big apology.
From the passenger seat, Barry whines. I reach over and pet her fluffy head. “It’s okay, sweetheart. I won’t let Demon be mean to you.”
Shit, I should probably stop calling her Demon, but it’s going to be a hard habit to break.
I stare up at the apartment building and grip the wheel tighter. I don’t even want to think about what’s really making me nervous. It’s been two years since I’ve gone home for Christmas. Two years since I’ve seen my family all in one place.
The last time I saw them, they ganged up against me and told me I was letting them down by going out on my own instead of joining the family business.
Blue appears at the bottom of the stairs with a big bag over one shoulder and a rolling suitcase by her feet. I jump out of the truck and hurry over to grab her suitcase. “I’ll put it in the bed. It’ll be under a tarp.”
She’s not looking at me, but staring at the truck. I look over and see what she must be noticing. Barrington Evergreen is an Old English Sheepdog and on the larger side of the breed. She’s a rescue and I’m pretty sure there’s some Great Pyrenees in her makeup. Barry lifts her fluffy white head and her tongue lolls out of her mouth.
“Barry’s promised to be on her best behavior and not steamroll you again,” I say. “She really is well trained.”
“She’s going with us?” Blue asks.
“I can’t leave her home alone for four days.”
“She’s in my seat.”
“That’s her seat. There’s plenty of room for you to stretch out in the back.”
Blue gives me a look that makes it clear she believes this is another prank. It’s not, but I can hardly tell her the truth, that I dreamed about her in a very x-rated way again last night and I need some space if I have any hope of keeping things between us platonic. “Barry gets carsick in the back.”
“I wanted to discuss the festival on the trip to your parents’ house.”
“It’s a twenty-minute drive. They live in Sugar Valley.”
She gives me another, longer look.
“There’s a reason I didn’t tell you,” I say. “A very good reason. I’ll tell you everything on the way there.”
“I’m going to regret agreeing to this. I stared at the ceiling all night trying to come up with a way out, but you’d never believe I have the flu and I need you to help me plan this stupid festival.”
“I’m surprised you’re letting me help at all,” I say as I carry her bag to the truck. “You seem like a control freak who won’t trustme to do anything. I figured we’d just fake working together for the council.” At least, I hope that’s the case. I really, really don’t have time to help plan this thing.
She stops next to the door behind the driver’s seat and pulls it open. “Control freak or not, I’m busy, too. And you’ve been to past festivals. You know what the council is expecting. I’m going to need you to pull your weight.”
