Page 15 of Quarter Miles (Runaway 3)

“It was just dinner.” A dinner I didn’t have to cook.

“I thought . . . never mind.” She waved it off.

“Thought what?”

“Just that you were more serious if you’d bring her to family dinner.”

There was an unspoken rule that Friday dinners were for family members only. Why I’d thought bringing Dany would be a good idea, I wasn’t sure. Maybe I’d wanted to see if she could cut it. Stick out my grandmother’s scrutiny and laugh at the Greer family inside jokes.

Dany had survived that like a champ. It was my friendship with Kat that had sent her running. Women. My guy friends had no problem playing second fiddle to my female best friend. I wouldn’t tell Kat this, but Dany hadn’t been the first almost girlfriend intimidated by her position in my life.

But like I’d done before, I’d made the easy choice.

Kat.

She let me tease her and wasn’t afraid to throw it back. She listened without judgment. I’d take her friendship any day over a lousy lay and relationship drama.

“Oh.” Kat kept her eyes on the road, shaking her head.

“It’s no loss,” I said with a shrug.

Our house came into view down the road. The driveway was empty since both our trucks were at Easton’s. My bed was inside that house. My shower. Both were tempting.

But not as tempting as this trip. When was the last time either of us had taken a vacation?

“Let me come with you,” I said. “Please?”

She pulled into the driveway, parking in front of the garage. Then she shoved the Cadillac in park and looked over, studying my face.

Katherine’s long, dark hair was curled today. Normally she left it straight and tied in a ponytail, but this morning it swirled in soft waves past her shoulders. She’d forgotten sunglasses and the sun caught the blue in her eyes, turning them into sapphire jewels.

“Go take a shower,” she said. “You stink.”

“Are you going to be here when I come out?”

“Depends. You have to agree, right now, not to touch the radio.”

She hated music when we were driving. Something about wanting to hear the wheels on the road and enjoy the quiet. It had never bothered me because when we went on trips to Missoula or drove around the ranch, we talked. I didn’t need the radio when she was there to keep me company.

I grinned. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

* * *

“Here.” I handed Kat a sunglasses case I’d swiped on my way out of the house.

She kept one hand on the wheel as she pried it open with the other, revealing a pair of mirrored Oakleys. “What are these for?”

“Just because.” The last time I’d been in Missoula, I’d stopped at the mall to buy myself a new pair. I’d grabbed those for Kat too, thinking she’d like them. The woman was always losing her sunglasses.

She ran her finger over the frames, staring at them for a long moment before turning to me with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. She looked almost sad as she said, “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” I winked, hoping to cheer her up. “Should we take a bet on if you have those when we get home?”

Kat rolled her eyes and slid them on.

After my two-minute shower, I’d packed a bag of my own clothes and my own toothbrush for the trip. True to her word, Kat had been waiting for me in the car, her fingers flying over the screen of her phone, probably shooting off a string of last-minute emails.

I rolled down the window, letting the air dry my damp hair as Kat pulled onto the highway. “How’s this gonna go?”