When the guys finally joined us, Ryan’s plate was stacked high with pancakes and what looked like half a dozen eggs. Austin’s was about half as much.
“Don’t mind him, he’s half animal,” Austin joked.
“Nothing wrong with a man having a healthy appetite,” Nana said. “How else is he supposed to grow muscles like that?”
He had muscles, alright. Lots of them.More than Austin.
Austin had more of a runner’s body, like Jamie. Instead of bulky muscles, he had long, lean ones. He also had a flat stomach and a hard chest.
A chest I’d touched when I ran into him. A stomach I’d burned when I spilled coffee on him.
When Nana asked “What time are you leaving?” I stopped fantasizing about Austin and tuned back into the conversation.
Regret filled Austin’s eyes when he answered. “The sooner we leave, the better.”
“I should go pack.” I pushed my half-eaten breakfast away.
“You have time to eat,” Austin said, nudging the plate back into place.
I wasn’t hungry anymore, but I ate anyway. Sadly, my mood stripped the pancakes and eggs of all flavor.
After finishing, I cleared my plate. “What should I bring?” I asked.
“I’ll help you,” Austin said. “G, can you clean up in here?”
“On it, boss.”
“Boss?” Nana asked.
“I’ll let Ryan explain,” Austin said with a wink.
“I’m sorry, Nina, but you can’t bring your phone or your laptop.”
“But how will I check on my grandmother?” And see the pictures Doug sent me?
“We have burner phones that we’ll use to relay information back and forth.”
I stared at my phone in Austin’s hand while praying this would all end sooner rather than later.
“What am I supposed to do all day?”
“You’ll have your parents’ journal, and you can bring some books, and the safe house has a TV.”
It wasn’t like I grew up in a work mill, but I wasn’t used to sitting around and doing nothing all day.
My parents provided everything I needed, but they understood the value of a good work ethic and insisted the best way for me to have one was to earn it.
So I’d worked at their friend’s restaurant part time on weekends during high school, picking up more hours during breaks and summer vacation. I quit when I left for college, but got a job on campus at one of the local coffee shops. It was a great way to earn money and meet people.
“How long should I pack for?”
“A week, and bring comfortable clothes and flat shoes. Running shoes if you have them.”
Running shoes? “Will I have to run?”
“I hope not.”
That wasn’t comforting at all.
