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“It sounds like so much fun!” Jamie smiled at him. “I sure wish I was coming.”
Noah frowned. “I thought you didn’t want to.”
“I don’t want tobike. I’d love to come on the trip, but I have to work.”
“Dang.” Noah ignored the obvious explanation for her wanting to come on a quick biking trip as a non-biker. “Well—”
“But maybe I could call someone to cover for me since it’s only one workday.”
Oh, please no.“Pretty late notice,” he said, trying to discourage her without being too obvious.
“Who’s driving?”
“I am. We’re taking my brother’s SUV.”
“With Chris and Jake and Melissa?”
Noah reached for his water bottle, his brain spinning. “Right. I hope we can fit all our gear in.”Hint, hint.
“Hmm.” Jamie’s brows furrowed. “I guess I could ride with Grace and Alec, but that might be awkward.”
Noah nearly choked. Grace was coming? And Alec? He took another drink.
Jamie’s mouth pulled to one side as she thought it through. She really was cute, but Noah wasn’tdrawnto her like he was—
He cleared his throat.
Jamie startled, her smile returning. “But your brother’s car is a five-seater, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Well,” she said as if something had been decided, “I don’t mean to keep you. Good luck helmet hunting!”
With that, she abandoned her run and turned back the way she’d come, a frightening spring in her step.
Chapter 57
One Bird
“I really wish I couldgo.”
It’s the eleventy-first time Jamie has made this declaration. I make a conciliatory sound and continue packing. Where did I put my gloves?
“I mean, I wouldn’t do the biking regardless, but it would be so fun if I could come down.”
“Anyone you could ask?” I know she has tried everyone to cover her shift, having witnessed her many phone, text, and voicemail rejections yesterday, but she’ll enjoy telling me again.
“No one. It’s so last minute.”
“Yeah.” It’s Sunday, and we’re supposed to be leaving here in ten minutes. Yesterday morning as I was leaving for work, she returned from a five-minute walk all hot and bothered, determined to find a way to Moab. She even hinted at getting a ride down with me and Alec, but there won’t be room in the car with our bikes taking up the back seat and trunk. Not ideal, but neither of us has an SUV or a rack.
Speaking of which—Alec, bless his heart, is outside in the heat squeezing both our bikes in while I gather up the last of my things.
I’ve mostly tuned out Jamie’s monologue exploring road trips as an ideal opportunity to strengthen relationships when I finally locate my gloves stuck between the wall and the edge of my bed.
“Yes!” I say as I zip them into the front pocket of Trusty, being extra careful where another tiny hole has opened up the seam. It might be time to invest in a new pack, but I hate to retire the last present Benson ever gave me. Maybe I can get Mom to show me how to stitch it back up next time I’m home.
“—because I really feel like there might be something there, you know?”
