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“Care to make a wager on that?” He lifted one eyebrow in cool challenge.
“You’re in the back.” I pointed with my thumb over my shoulder as I attempted to rein in my frustration.
“We already went through that.”
Did he have an answer for everything?
“Keep it up and you’ll be on the roof.” I softened my tone when I turned to my brother. “See to it Miss Adeline gets in safely.”
The van had a little height to it, and I didn’t want her to get hurt climbing in. Eric held the door open for her.
“Thank you, honey.” She clambered up like it was nothing. “Our van is higher than this.”
I wanted to kick myself. I forgot they had a van of their own. I forgot that she was Superwoman.
I didn’t forget that Lincoln hadn’t bowed out of a ride gracefully, as he should have.
The dogs jumped into the van through the open side door, their noses going crazy with all the scents of the food. I’d read that if there was a pot of chicken soup, humans basically smelled chicken soup. Dogs could smell the carrots, celery, chicken, individual spices . . . it was incredible to consider and also hard to relate how remarkable their noses were.
If you think you can snap them into submission now, good luck, buddy.
Once again, Lincoln stood at the opening, whatever thoughts going through his mind impossible to tell. Was he worried about his custom suit being soiled? Spoiler alert, it would be. Was the idea of riding in my lowly van beneath him? Or maybe the thought of sitting on the floor was appalling?
Hopefully something would keep him from taking that final step inside.
“I’ll drive,” he finally said, holding out his hand for the keys.
“I don’t think so.” I lifted my chin and rounded the back of the van. “Train’s leaving. With or without you.”
This man took the term egomaniac to a new level. Or was dictator the word I was looking for? It was obvious he had control issues.
In my van, he’d have to get over them. Because I was in charge.
I climbed in the driver’s seat.
Eric scrambled in the back, with Beau right behind him, and moved some boxes. “Sit here, Lincoln.”
He only hesitated for a moment before he obeyed.
And again, the pendulum of my emotions swung. Because I was ninety-nine percent sure if anyone else had commanded the great Lincoln Hollingsworth to sit on a van floor, he’d have laughed. Well, probably grimaced. Either way, there was something about my brother he respected.
And that meant he had my respect in turn. A little.
Eric slammed the back door and the dogs swarmed them . . . except Sadie, who was investigating every nook and cranny on the hunt for food. Muffy plopped down on Lincoln’s outstretched legs, while Ash nestled against Eric.
I cranked up the engine.
“Me and Bobby McGee” blasted from the speakers.
“Ready to roll?” I called over the music.
“Ready,” Eric yelled.
We waved at Teague and Pepper as we cruised away.
I glanced in the rearview mirror and found Lincoln’s pissed-off face.
I grinned.
Maybe giving him a ride wasn’t so bad after all.
