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Tean drove a few hundred yards. He adjusted the rearview mirror. He checked Jem, saw Jem waiting to catch him, and looked straight ahead again.
“You’re not supposed to say crazy.”
Jem shrugged.
Tean fought and lost. “That’s still one of the most romantic things you’ve ever said to me.”
“I’ve got a very narrow target audience.”
They followed the dark tunnel of the trees, and then the canopy parted overhead, and wheat fields unfurled under the starlight, and a big old buck startled and leaped a fence, and then he was nothing but a silhouette of antler tines and the white flash of his tail.
“Ok,” Tean said. “I’m better now.”
Jem kneaded the nape of his neck with one hand. With the other, he worked a phone out of his pocket. He placed a call on speaker. A moment later, John-Henry said, “You guys ok?”
Jem opened his mouth to speak, but the thunder of gunfire across the call stopped him.
In the background, Emery shouted, “Fuck you, you fucking existential excuse for a foot fetish.”
“Are they chasing you?” Tean asked.
“What’s an excuse for a foot fetish?” Jem asked.
“He’s had a rough couple of days,” John-Henry said. “Our friend from the garage is having a hard time shooting while he drives.”
“Hard time?” Emery said. “He blew off the fucking mirror.”
“We’ll be fine,” John-Henry said.
“Do you have any idea what that’s going to cost?”
A grin sparked in John-Henry’s voice as he continued, “As soon as we get to a straightaway, I’m going to drop him in my dust. You two?”
“Fine,” Tean said.
Jem glanced at the rear window. “All clear.”
“Get back to the resort and find North and Shaw. Better wake up Theo and Auggie too. Stick together until we get there.”
“Back the fuck off, motherfucker!” Emery shouted, and then the staccato of gunfire hammered across the call. A moment later, it disconnected.
Letting out a breath, Tean looked at Jem.
“It’s not my fault,” Jem said. “This time.”
“I know it’s not your fault.”
“Also, since I failed to report this earlier, you’re a kick-ass wonder-butt. Did you know that?”
“I don’t have any idea what a wonder-butt is, so, no.”
“You literally saved me from certain death. You’re my hero. You’re officially the butch one.”
“I always thought—I mean, considering our footwear—” Tean stopped himself. Barely. He forced himself to look straight out the windshield.
Then he couldn’t stand not knowing anymore.
Jem was covering his grin, but amusement crinkled the corner of his eyes.
