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Together, we moved outside, and the driver’s side door opened.

And there was Silas.

“What?”

“You didn’t tell me you were road-tripping with the hemogoblin.”

“I’m not.”

“You, in fact, are,” Silas said.

He walked over toward me, taking the rolling suitcase handle out of my limp hand and taking it with him toward the trunk.

“What? Why? How? Does Mr. Lane know?”

I could have sworn he said he was getting me someone to drive me since I’d sold my car when I’d first moved to Seattle and seen how close I lived not only to the station but all the stores I needed. It seemed silly to waste money on gas, repairs, and insurance if I was perfectly capable of walking. I would have remembered if he’d mentioned Silas at all. In fact, I was reasonably sure that if he had mentioned him, I would have insisted I fly instead. Better to spend two and a half hours on a plane with Silas and hundreds of other people than completely alone for eighteen hours in a car.

“He does,” Silas confirmed. “He thought it made the most sense for us to travel together since we are going to the same place.”

“Not to be rude,” Tess said, and we both knew something rude was about to follow, “but do you even know how to drive a car?”

“I was there when automobiles were invented.”

“Yeah, back when you peddled them with your feet,” Tess said, dragging a little chirp of laughter out of me. “These new cars are fancy. They even have—dare I even say it?—electronics.”

“This is, in fact, my personal vehicle. I am perfectly capable of navigating it.”

“In the daytime? Because I’d prefer my best friend not be stuck in the passenger seat with her driver bursting into flames.”

“The windows have specialty film. So long as no one opens a door or window without warning, it will be fine. What is all of this?”

“Maggs?” Tess asked.

I snapped out of my swirling thoughts, all of them having to do with how pointless all the avoiding him was if I was now going to be trapped in a car with him for two days.

“Merch,” I told him. “What about when we stop? Or are you planning on driving it straight?”

“No, of course not. There are hotel reservations.”

Plural.

That was good. After a full day in the car next to him, I could lock myself in there and take a nice, long, relaxing ice bath.

Tess looked at me, likely trying to read my reaction.

“I can cancel my meeting with my agent,” she offered.

“No. No, you need that meeting.” Somehow, the girls had completely changed the direction of their book. Now they had to decide if they could slot this one into the deal they’d already gotten, or if this would have to be in addition to the contract they still had to fulfill. It was important.

Besides, I wasn’t sure Tess and Margo would make the road trip any easier. If anything, I could see the two of them trying to force me and Silas together at every turn. Ever since the dance at the club that night, both of them had been dropping comments constantly about us needing to explore the spark between us.

“Alright. But I want updates. With pictures.”

“Promise.”

She wrapped her arms around me and looked at Silas over my shoulder. “You take care of my girl.”

“I have every intention of doing so.”