“Don’t pack too many clothes,” I call after her.
“I won’t,” she chimes back.
That’s my girl.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Abby
Packing involves extra underwear and not much else in an overnight bag.
If Slade keeps having this effect on me I might have to start wearing two pairs of panties.
And where exactly are we going?
I have no idea, but a familiar route on the back of his bike leads us back to Slade’s place.
But only to switch rides.
I figure Slade might be wanting to pack something himself, but he reaches under a tarp covering a car in his yard, answering my question before I can even ask it.
“Holy cannoli,” I exclaim. I’m not into cars, but I know something special when I see it.
“I like to ride,” Slade says. “But with your arms wrapped around me, it’s too dangerous. I might lose control and I can’t have that. We’ll drive instead,” he says and I roll my eyes but feel kinda relieved too.
As much as the bike was fun for all of five minutes, except for getting to hang onto Slade it’s pretty damned scary.
“I’d prefer you drive,” I agree, and help him fold up the long, heavy tarp that he stows under his deck before we’re off again.
“You drive?” he asks casually once we’re on the road.
“I’m learning,” I confess, making him smile.
“You sure are.”
He shifts gears, opening up the huge motor it purrs under his touch.
I’m loving this already, riding shotgun in what must be a classic car Slade’s restored to looking brand spanking new.
It’s like Tasha’s car but nowhere near as tame, and he hits the gas all the harder when we hit the open road out of town.
But I can’t help feeling nagging guilt at taking off without telling my mom and having fought with Tasha.
Not knowing exactly where she is has me a little worried, besides being forgetful Tasha can be impulsive.
And at some point, mom is gonna call because I didn’t text her.
She’ll wanna know where I am, who I’m with…
The same questions Slade wants to know about Tasha too.
As if thinking it puts it in Slade’s mind, I feel one of his big hands slide over mine as he drives.
“You should call your mom,” he rasps in that smoky voice of his. “I don’t think we’re coming back tonight if I have my way, And well…You wouldn’t want to worry her.”
“What am I supposed to say?” I ask sarcastically, not even trying to hide my annoyance which is really just procrastinating.
“Oh! Hi mom, just ducking out for the night so Tasha’s dad can screw my brains out, not sure when I’ll be back, bye?” I groan, but Slade’s body shakes with laughter and then his huge smile is too much for me and I laugh too, still a little annoyed.
“Damn you, Slade. Damn you for being so perfect… and a dad!” I tease him, which sees his expression fall some, but he smiles for my benefit I can tell.
Reminding him about Tasha probably wasn’t such a great idea dummy.
“I can call her too,” I suggest, hoping she’ll answer me now.
“I’ll call her when we stop somewhere, soon,” he says somberly.
The mood shifts, light just a moment ago.
Slade’s silence is part his own, part him waiting for me to call my mom, not just text her. He seems pretty big on that.
Here goes…
“You’re what! You’re where!” Mom shrieks once she picks up. I can hear her getting somewhere quieter so she can hear me over the clatter of the factory.
I must’ve caught her on a break.
Yay me.
“I’m with Tasha’s dad. We’re going to find her,” I blurt out, wincing as I shrug, and look over to Slade who’s giving me a stern look.
Bad reason.
But it's too late now. It sounded good before it flew out of my mouth but I’m kinda committed now.
“Wh-Where are you exactly? This isn’t still about that damned tattoo business, I hope?” Mom asks.
“I’m just calling to let you know. So you don’t worry,” I add hastily, telling her I’ll see her tomorrow and hang up before she can say anything else.
I take a deep breath for what feels like the first since I pressed ‘call’.
“Tomorrow?” Slade growls with disapproval. And yeah I admit I could’ve handled that a little better.
Let’s see how it goes with Tasha, Slade. It’s not as easy as it looks.
But he doesn’t stay moody for long. Not nagging him to call Tasha probably helps.
If I feel this weird about things with Tasha, I can only imagine how Slade must feel.
Getting down and dirty with his daughter’s best friend.
Okay, when I put it like that, with Slade in mind, it makes perfect sense.
It makes me wet just thinking about it.
Thinking about Slade doing anything dirty makes me feel the same way.
But Tasha probably won’t see it that way, and her hunch being right, everything she spat at me last night tells me she isn’t gonna be my biggest fan once she does find out.