Page 56 of The Route to You

“You are so clearly not a country bumpkin,” Francesca said with a roll of her eyes. “It just comes off that way because Tomas has that hot English accent.”

“I’m right here, hon,” Dean said with a snicker.

“Oh, come on. You know I think you’re hot. But so is Tomas. The whole reason Kyle’s show is successful has a lot to do with the eye candy featured. That’s why Kyle has teenage girls commenting on all his social posts.”

“And here I thought it was because of the locations we were featuring,” Kyle said dryly.

Sloan’s mouth twitched as she scanned his face. “Oh, I bet the girls are obsessed with your social media.”

He shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. I don’t even get on it.”

“You don’t get on it ever?” Francesca asked with a look of surprise.

“Nope. I have a social media manager.” Kyle stretched his legs out. “I found out the hard way what a dark and ugly place the interwebs are. So now I don’t touch it.”

Francesca gave him a chagrined smile. “Lots of women sending you unwanted pics, eh? That’s why I don’t let groupies near this one.” She tilted her head at Dean.

“Not just women, I’m sure,” Dean said and squeezed his wife’s shoulder.

Kyle huffed a laugh. “That and the fact that when people don’t have to look you in the eye, they let their mean side come out a lot more easily.”

“I bet.” Sloan’s gaze softened in a way that made him uncomfortable. Like she’d just seen straight through the persona to the bruise underneath. She tore her gaze away. “Are you guys always this loud when you watch TV?” Sloan asked, glancing back with a laugh. “Because I gotta admit, it’s sort of strange to hear you narrating up there and speaking behind me at the same time.”

“Oh, here’s the part!” Francesca paused the TV. “Look at the expression on Kyle’s face on that one.”

The four of them looked . . . and immediately lost it.

“Aw, that had to hurt,” Sloan said through her laughter, with mirth dancing in her eyes.

“Hurt like hell. Then I had to spread glue on my skin and peel the tiny spines out. I will say, it’s not nearly as bad as a jellyfish sting. I got those on a trip last year to Hawaii.”

“Oh, I remember that!” Francesca said. “Didn’t Tomas offer to pee on you?”

“He offered. I didn’t accept.”

“That’s a myth anyway,” Dean said, standing. “I hear it actually can make it worse. So, it’s a good thing you didn’t accept his offer because it wouldn’t have worked.”

“Yeah, that and the fact that it means Tomas didn’t piss on me,” Kyle said dryly.

Francesa cackled a laugh.

Kyle arched a brow at Dean. “You turning in?”

Dean stretched and nodded. “I’m beat. Come on, Franny. Let’s let our guests go to bed before they accuse us of wearing them out and then not letting them sleep.”

“But I haven’t finished showing Sloan Kyle’s top ten most embarrassing travel mishaps.”

“Fran . . .” Dean warned.

“His most daring stunts?” she pleaded.

“Come to bed, lady.” Dean reached for her hand.

She huffed, then took Dean’s hands and let him pull her up. “Fine.” She winked at Kyle. “You’re off the hook.” Then she turned to Sloan and handed her the remote. “But if you do find yourself wanting something to watch, check out the rest of that Mojave Desert episode. Kyle’s not in it for much longer, but it makes you realize what a good egg he is.”

Kyle’s chest squeezed, realizing what part she meant.

He’d ducked out of filming that day. Tomas had carried the rest of the episode while Kyle did a brief wrap-up and admitted Granny had died. Probably the most unguarded he’d been on camera. Ever.