I threw my head back, laughing. “You sound like Ma now.”
“Maybe she’s got a point. You definitely don’t sound like the Clint Clarke you used to sound like.”
I shrugged. “Shit changes. But not always for the worst. The girls need to know that. Because I think this college things is freaking them both out way more than it should. Also, you’re a dick.”
“What? What did I do?”
“I’ve always been wise. Just never had anyone to share my wisdom with.”
Mike looked down at the clock. “Shit.”
“What?”
He sighed. “
I told the girls we’d be there to pick them up with enough time to swing through somewhere and get lunch.”
“So… what?”
“Look at the time.”
My eyes fell to his very fancy dashboard and I snickered.
“Whoops.”
Mike took a sharp right. “Yeah, they’re not going to be happy.”
“Wait, where are we--?”
“The coffee shop. Coffee will smooth this over.”
I snickered as we pulled into the parking lot. He had a point, and I knew exactly what to get Rae. I remembered it from so long ago. Back last year, when she scared me so badly after coming back from picking up coffee and pastries. We walked inside and rattled off our orders. Then I picked out some treats for Rae. Mike and I piled everything into his car before slipping into a sandwich shop on the corner, grabbing all of us small meals just in case.
“Think this’ll be enough?” Mike asked.
I snickered. “I fucking hope so. We have enough food to feed a small army. I’m sure they’ll find something they like in all this.”
“Think it’ll make up for being an hour late?”
I shrugged. “Guess we’ll find out.”
I sipped my coffee as Mike drove us toward Ally’s house. I mean, the college was only an hour away, at the most. Check-in for the hotel wasn’t until three anyway. There was no reason for us to leave at noon in the first place. I leaned back in the seat, watching as the world passed us by. We were lucky that Mike’s father had an ‘in’ with the hotel we were staying at. Because otherwise, we wouldn't have been able to check in without an adult present.
Thank fuck for connections.
“This weekend is going to be awesome, dude.”
Mike sounded absolutely jovial as he wiggled around in his seat.
“I’m going to have Allison all to myself. I mean, assuming we’re going to be switching up rooms. We’re still doing that, right?”
I shrugged. “If the girls want to, yeah.”
“Yes. I think I can convince Allison. I haven’t slept with her yet. I mean, not sexually. But not like that, either. I think it would be great, waking up to her like that. Making her coffee. Snuggling her close. Maybe turning on a movie before we get out of bed for the day.”
I smiled. “Oh, yeah. You got it bad for her.”
“Can you blame me? She drives me nuts, but she’s still perfect as ever.”