"You. Are. So. Dead," hewarned.
I laughed evenharder.
* * *
The second thenow bubblegum pink BMW came to a stop in front of the house, I was unbuckled and out of the car. A steaming mad Marv was close behind me. I burst into the house through the garage, screaming for Texas and Bellamy. The rain had stopped halfway back to the house, but the BMW was already wet, the bright, sickly pink just a few shades lighter than the horrified flush that had stolen across Marv'scheeks.
I laughed wildly as Marv growled myway.
"Oh shit!" Texas said from thestairwell.
Bellamy rounded the corner from the kitchen and froze. In that moment, he knew. His eyes flashed to me and Texas. Texas waved the keys to the SUV at me and we took off. Behind us, I heard Marv growling at Bellamy. "Outside," he snapped, "my car.Now."
Texas looked over his shoulder at me and laughed. "We're in so much trouble." He said it so gleefully, I knew it was a state of being he enjoyed verymuch.
I rolled down the window as we sped out of the driveway, glancing back as Marv dragged Bellamy out into the garage. I could hear him yelling as we made our getaway. "Maybe we should go back," I said as Texas turned out of the driveway. "It wasn't fair to leave that all onBellamy."
Texas laughed. "He'll get us back, don't you worry. Besides, that jackass deserves it. Did I ever tell you the time he left me in the middle of the woods on a campingtrip?"
I shook my head. "He came back for you, didn't he?" I pointedout.
He shook his head, his cheeks flushing, but continued anyway. "That jerk left menaked."
My eyes widened at the mental image and when he turned to look at me, I quickly glanced away, my own cheeks burning. I chuckled, trying to alleviate the tension. "Okay, so this is yourpayback."
"You're damn right, it is," he snapped, relaxing back in his seat and slowing as we came to a stop sign. His phone buzzed in his back pocket, and kept buzzing until he groaned and reached back forit.
I slapped his hand as he swiped at the screen. "No phone while you're driving," I remindedhim.
He laughed and shook his head. "It's probably Bellanyway."
I looked down at the screen and sure enough, there were several text messages from someone namedJackass. I laughed and kept laughing as I set the phone in the console, and Texas drove on. I didn't know where we were going but it felt so good to just be out in the summertime with a friend. The wind whipped through the window and my hair rose and fluttered across myshoulders.
"Where are we going?" Iasked.
Texas shrugged. After several minutes of silence, however, and aimless driving, he peeked over at me. "Wanna go visit mama bear?" Texassuggested.
I smiled brightly. "Can we pick upflowers?"
Texas' eyes softened, and he directed the SUV towards the grocery store. "Sure, Princess. Flowers itis."