Page 26 of Challenge Me

“Love you, man.”

His smile widened, as if he hadn’t heard me say it a million times in the past fourteen years. If I was lucky, I’d say it a million more, because I knew that the dead didn’t haunt us half as much as the words we never spoke.

That was the thing, though. Lady Luck was quick to kiss his cheek; she never looked twice at me.

*****

There was an SUV idling outside, which got me far less excited than the Maserati that had been there on Saturday. I never thought I’d find myself in a car like that, nor did I particularly enjoy how stuffy it was, but at least I could say I’d done it. I’d never again exist as the Remi who hadn’t ridden in a luxury car.

By that logic, I was a brand new man as I climbed into the back seat. The slide might’ve been a bit too exuberant, judging by Amir’s grunt when I went straight to his side and rammed him into the opposite door.

He nudged me away with his shoulder, then smoothed down his shirt. “Do you wake up ready to be annoying?”

“I’m not annoying to people who know how to have fun.”

Leaning his elbow on the door, he stared out of his window. “Why am I picking you up from the bar at six in the morning? It’s like you live in this damn place.”

“I did say that.”

“That was a joke.” He glanced sidelong at me. “Wasn’t it?”

“No jokes here. It’s too early for that.” I winked at him, and I wasn’t sure if he believed me, but he could mull it over while we were on the plane.

As we pulled away from the curb, I stared at the sign above the bar. It felt wrong to leave it like this. Back when I owned The Commons, I’d given myself one day off every week. That was the most I’d ever done. I didn’t have the luxury of vacations, nor had I ever really wanted one. My bar was my baby, and aside from Oli—maybe Dean if I was feeling generous—it was the only thing I cared about. I felt it more acutely with Remi’s. It was my namesake, the only legacy I cared to have in this world.

Once it was out of sight, I turned to Amir. I was about to say something, but he was going through some notecards in his lap. When I tried to grab them, he twisted and put his leg on the seat between us to block me.

“What are they?” I asked.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Oh, I’m worried. I have a gun, remember?”

His eyes rolled, but he didn’t look at me. “Please tell me you brought it so you’ll get arrested at the airport.”

“If you want out, all you have to do is say the word, handsome.”

There was a slight smile on his face, which was sort of confusing. He tucked one of the cards behind the rest and read the next one.

“If you did that, though,” I continued, “you’d miss out on my premium entertainment on the plane.”

“That’s why I got us separate aisles.”

Not sure what to say, I crossed one leg over the other and returned to staring out the window.

“It was a joke,” he said after a minute.

“Too bad. I was looking forward to a peaceful flight.”

When we pulled up to the departure lane, I got out first. It was nearly as stuffy outside of the car as it was inside. Hoisting my bag and backpack onto my shoulders, I headed into the airport without waiting for Amir. He jogged to catch up, and I felt him shoot me a glare, which made it hard not to smile.

Check-in was a breeze, except for when Amir tried to get me to check my duffel. He said it was a waste of space to carry with me. I told him I could always stretch his ass out again and stuff my bag up there, which had not been met with positivity. The girl behind the counter looked like she was about to expire on the spot. It wasn’t my fault she was of the prudish variety.

“You’re going to make my life hell,” Amir sighed when we’d made it through security. It was almost too quick with his fancy tickets that got him a priority security line. Outside of escaping Cole’s reach for the time being, this fake dating thing was the best idea I’d had in a while.

Placing a piece of gum in my mouth, I smiled at him. “I think you could use a little hell, Amir.”

I turned to the right, but he grabbed my arm. Immediately, I whirled on him and pushed him backward. He blinked a couple of times, then jerked his chin in the other direction.