Page 38 of When The Noise Stops

"With this thing, it isn't a ride. It's a road trip."

"Same thing." She was already talking, fast, the way she did when she was excited.

"So I've got it all planned. Ronny's got the week off—she closed her cases, she's a lawyer, by the way, in case I didn't tell you—and I closed the bakery. Tiny said the mountains were about sixteen hours north. There's a cabin? Or we're camping? I wasn't clear on that part. But I brought supplies. Snacks. Blankets. I made food that doesn't need to be heated, but we have a microwave and I got sandwiches. Ronny brought wine. And a coffee maker. And—"

She kept going. I stopped listening.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

I was looking forward to getting away from her. To put some distance between us so I could think straight. I'd wanted space to look at the feeling I was developing for her without her standing in it. See if they held when she wasn't feeding me or staring at me with those big brown eyes or crawling over me.

So I could figure out what the hell I was doing, feeling what I was feeling.

I was starting to like her.

Not just tolerate her. Not just appreciate her food or her laugh or the way she looked in those sundresses. I was starting to like her. The kind of like that made a man stupid. The kind of like that made him want things he had no business wanting.

I needed space. Time. Distance.

And she'd just shown up in a fucking RV.

"... and I figured we could stop at that bar the guys were talking about and pool," she was saying.

"I play well? Also there's a flea market on the way. Ronny loves flea markets. And I thought—"

"Lila."

She stopped. Looked at me.

"You weren't invited."

The words came out harsher than I meant them. I saw her face flicker with sadness. Just for a second. Then the smile was back.

"I know. But Tiny said—"

"Tiny says a lot of things."

Tiny finally glanced at me. Guilty.

"Grizz," Lila said, softly, catching that I was thinking of denying her.

"We won't bother y'all. We'll follow. You can still do your thing."

I should have said no.

I should have told her the run was brothers only.

But I hated that her voice wasn't as excited anymore.

"I didn't say you couldn't come."

Her eyes came back to mine.

"You kinda did."

"I'm saying Tiny should've asked."

"Oh."