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“So, what’s with the reaction to the squad?”
“Just don’t like these cars,” she says and folds her arms.
I’m not going to push her for information she doesn’t want to offer up.
I start the squad and drive us toward the Heatstroke Museum. It was one of my favorite places to go as a kid, because of the melted stuff. It’s got some natural history displays, butmost of the museum is dedicated to interesting things that have melted in the extreme summer heat in town.
June, Cash, and Alex meet us outside. Alex is thirteen and too cool for school, but not for melted items or for running at me full speed.
“Uncle Jesse!”
“Little devil!” I catch Alex and squeeze her tight before setting her down and pressing a hand to her head. “Why are you so tall? This can’t be right. You’re going to wind up taller than me.”
Alex pulls herself up straight, goes onto her tiptoes, and measures from her head to mine.
“Looks like I’ll get there pretty soon.”
“No shot. I’m six-foot-one, dude.”
“Watch me,” Alex says, then grins at Marci and gives her a hug. “Hey, Auntie Marci.”
“You look gorgeous, Ally,” Marci says.
“We weren’t expecting two of you,” Cash says, his gaze gliding toward Marci. “But the more the merrier.”
Jayjay comes over, hugs me, and then drags Marci off to one side. The pair chat, and I’m curious whether Marci will let her in on the truth, or whether she’ll stay true to our deal. We’re not going to tell a soul that this is fake. Not our families or our friends. It’s less complicated that way.
Jayjay gasps and shouts, “No way!”
Marci shushes her.
“What’s that about?” Cash asks.
“Dunno. So, we going to see some melted shit or not?” I ask.
“Swear jar,” Alex calls.
“You must have your entire college fund saved up at this point,” I say, and clap my little brother on the back. “Especially living with this guy.”
The women rejoin us, and we head inside, Jayjay casting wide-eyed looks back my way.
“What did you tell her?” I murmur out of the corner of my mouth.
“That we’re dating.”
“What did she say?” I ask.
“That she saw it coming.”
“That’s… interesting.”
“Right?”
Marci starts moving ahead, but I catch her hand and hold it. And I fucking like it too. I like the softness of her skin, the way she looks up at me out of the corner of her eye, sly and sweet. Fiery.
The Heatstroke Museum has high ceilings and polished floors, with a gift shop off to one side and a tractor as the centerpiece, its tires melted over the sides of the display. Three separate paths lead off in different directions, yellow vinyl footprints leading down the different routes.
“Where are we going to go?” Cash asks. “Down Melted Mayhem, Heatstroke History, or Nature vs Nurture?”
