Page 332 of Romeo

Gator pressed a hand dramatically against his chest. “Why does everybody always assume I did somethin’?”

“Experience,” Jasper said as he accepted one of the coffees.

“Fuck you, cousin.”

“Love you too.”

I folded my arms while the two men looked entirely too pleased with themselves. “Would either of you like to explain why Wade is waiting outside with a getaway car before the sun is up?”

Instead of explaining anything, Gator handed me the other cup. “Coffee.”

“That isn’t an answer.”

“Good coffee.”

I took a sip and discovered he was right. Apparently, he had either remembered how I took it, or Devlyn had told him. That should have made me appreciate the gesture. Instead, I narrowed my eyes at him because bribery was still bribery even when it contained caffeine.

Jasper moved to the SUV while Gator closed the hatch behind our bags. I was still examining the amount of food they had packed when Gator reached into his pocket and handed Jasper a cheap black phone. That caught my attention more than the cooler had.

“What’s that for?” I asked.

Jasper turned the phone over once before putting it in his pocket. “Makin’ it harder for everybody downstairs to ruin our peace and quiet.”

I thought about the phones we had left behind on Granny’s table when we escaped Rosewood. “We tried that already.”

“And somehow they still showed up at our weddin’.”

“They showed up because you tried to marry me without them.”

“Exactly. I learned from my mistake.”

Gator snorted. “No, you didn’t.”

Jasper gave him a look before turning back to me. “I want a few days where nobody knows exactly where we are every second, Ma Belle. That’s all.”

The answer made sense. After the last two days, the thought of waking up somewhere without anyone demanding explanations sounded almost perfect. I still noticed the way Gator’s expression changed when he looked at Jasper, something quieter passing between the cousins before Gator told him the place was stocked and the boat was ready.

“You need anythin’, call me,” Gator added.

Jasper nodded. “I will.”

Gator looked toward the door behind us and grimaced. “And when Moman discovers I helped you disappear again, I’m tellin’ her Devlyn planned the whole thing.”

“Coward,” Jasper told him.

“Livin’ coward.”

I laughed despite myself and let Jasper guide me toward the SUV.

We left New Orleans while the sky was slowly turning pink. For the first hour, I stopped wondering whether Jasper had another reason for leaving and let myself enjoy the absurdity of what we had done. We had gotten married yesterday, spent our wedding night in a room above a biker bar, and were now running away from our families before breakfast. It was not remotely how I had imagined marriage when I was younger.

Then again, I had never imagined Jasper either.

I curled one leg beneath me and watched Louisiana pass outside the window while my fingers kept finding Granny’s ring. I had touched it dozens of times since yesterday, almost needing to make sure it was still there. The metal was worn smooth in places from decades on Granny’s hand. Her husband had put it there and she had never removed it until she gave it to Jasper.

Now it was mine.

Not mine exactly. Something like that belonged to more than one person, more than one marriage. I wondered whether Granny understood what she had handed me when she slid it from her finger. Of course she did. Granny understood almost everything before the rest of us caught up.