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“Well, Cash doesn’t need you to play wifey anymore so he can pretend to be straight.” She flinches slightly. “He and Johnny can ride off into the sunset together, all the while bickering about which of them has the superior bike.”
Daisy gives a faint laugh at my accurate picture of her two best friends.
“But where does that leave you? You gonna be riding off with them in the sidecar?”
Her normally teasing eyes dim, and her lips turn down. I feel bad for being the one responsible, but besides getting Daisy off my trail, I’m saying something she really needs to hear.
“You’ve been putting your own life on hold to help your friends. You’re smart and gorgeous and one hell of a woman. It’s past time for you to let Cash and Johnny fend for themselves and start going after what Daisy wants.”
“Yeah, well, asshole, that’s not always so easy to figure out.”
“You forget, we both worked the crowds together at the Freedom Festival.” I say, reminding her that we were scanning identities for Eli, trying to help with security. “Seems to me you couldn’t take your eyes off the headlining rock star.”
“I was watching the show,” she says defensively. “Besides, Jonah and I grew up together. He’s just like Cash and Johnny to me. He’s like a brother.”
“Why Daisy, I think I just finally found out something you’re not good at.” I flutter my eyes at her. “You are a fucking poor-ass liar.”
“Shut up.” She wallops me in the arm, hard. “How about we make a deal?”
“Ouch.” I rub my shoulder and wait for her to continue.
“You stop trying to give me life advice, and I won’t grill you about Eli?”
“Done.”
“Okay,” she lets out a relieved sigh. “Then let’s find you a car. At this rate, you’re going to end up stealing a minivan.”
Just as the words are out of her mouth, a classic purpleDodge Challengerpulls into the parking lot. “Bingo,” I say, flashing Daisy a shit-eating grin.
“Asshole,” she mutters.
* * *
Johnny, gearhead that he is, insists on doing a once-over of the Challenger before we take off. He and Cash spend twenty minutes underneath the hood of the car, turning wrenches and debating over the car’s proper idle speed.
Ready to be on the open road with Eli at my side, I groan loudly. “It wouldn’t take this long for you two to jack and strip the car. What in the hell are you doing?”
Johnny pokes his head up from the hood. “I’m trying to make sure that you have enough torque power to give you enough speed to get you out of whatever trouble you’re outrunning.”
He hands Cash his wrench, pulls a rag out of the back pocket of his jeans, and wipes the oil from his hands. Then he walks up to me and practically body-checks me. “The thing is, I’m not sure you realize what a delicate piece of machinery you’re messing with here.”
I’m pretty sure he isn’t talking about the Challenger anymore.
And because it’s Johnny and we rub each other the wrong way, I give him a slow, wolfish smile. “No worries. Just ask Cash; I know how to handle a stick.”
He goes to lunge at me, but Cash pulls him back. Just then, Eli and Daisy walk up carrying his computer equipment.
“Trouble boys?”
“Nah,” I say, sliding my arm around Johnny’s shoulder. “Just a little car talk. Johnny’s giving me a few tips and trips on how to make sure I give us agood ride.”
Eli gives me that look like he knows I’m up to no good, but is choosing to ignore it temporarily. “Come on,” I tell him, excitement bubbling up in me. “Let’s get on the road.”
Johnny shoves me away from him and goes to Eli. “Remember what I told you.” Eli turns beet red and nods. Something tells me I wish I could have eavesdropped on that conversation. “And if you decide running with this asshole is too much,” Johnny gives me a murderous glare and returns his attention to Eli, “Then I’ll come get you no matter where you are, and we’ll come up with another plan.”
“I’ll be fine,” Eli promises.
“Then I guess this is goodbye for a while.” Johnny looks like he wants to hug Eli, but keeps it to himself. Instead, he salutes him and then turns to flip me off. Daisy hugs me and blows Eli a kiss goodbye. Cash and I share a handshake, and then finally, Eli and I are finally in the Challenger, and I’m putting it into first gear.
