Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Well that was awkward.
God, what was I thinking?
Scout makes me so anxious that my mouth just does its own thing. I’m possessed by some sassy monster—probably wearing red stilettos—that is laughing right now as it sits on my shoulder.
Well, I’m not laughing. I definitely don’t wear stilettos. And I’m hanging by a thread. What a freaking nightmare. All of it.
Camile is standing by the other truck.
Thank heavens, she and Beast are here. I have an escape from the grumpy commando. They’re saving me from having to sit in a passenger seat next to a man that’s making my heart hurt and my head spin.
Stupid, I know .
But I’m kind of a mess when it comes to men.
I groan silently, as I close the last few feet of distance to where Camile is standing next to a blue pick up truck.
She’s looking beyond my shoulder with a sly grin on her face. “Girl, I don’t know what you said, but those boys are both catching flies right now.”
I shrug both shoulders as my face heats. “I said I’d be riding with you two since Scout clearly doesn’t want company this morning.”
“Scout never wants company.” Glancing at me, she chuckles softly. “That’s just how he is. Don’t take it personally.”
For some reason her remark really bothers me. I climb in the back seat, as I worry at my lip with my teeth. “Do you know why?”
“Because he’s in the badass club?”
“That’s for sure.” I brush my hand over my face, massaging the tightness in my forehead. The events of last night are making my whole body stiff. “I guess you’re right. Griff, my brother, isn’t exactly easy to get along with, either.”
“Beast has more than a few sharp edges, but I found the key to his heart. Anyway, he talked to your brother earlier. Have you gotten an update on his condition this morning?”
“No. Did he say how he was?”
“This is third hand information. He saw a specialist, and he’s getting some pretty heavy antibiotics.”
“I should call him, but my phone must be in the gear that went with Brundage and your other guy. Have you seen him, he’s got sandy red hair?”
“Yep.” She scrunches her nose. “That man is not a morning person.”
“Seriously.” I blow out a breath. “That man does not have a time of day. He’s also in the grumpy operator club, but…”
She turns to look at me over her shoulder from the front passenger seat, waiting on me to continue.
Should I air my dirty laundry?
“Now that Griff is out of commission, it’s going to be just the two of us—me and Brundage—diving together to help hunt for the missing woman. The man has never liked me. ”
She looks me over with a quick, impatient inspection. “You? What’s not to like?”
“Plenty, I guess. I think he doesn’t want me in the boys’ club.”
Camile’s eyes soften. “I’ve been there. But I can tell you with one hundred percent certainty the men of Agile Security & Rescue are not like that. Even if Scout acts like he stepped in a fire ant nest, he’s very respectful. All of the men are.”
“Must be nice to work with guys like that,” I mutter. “The dive rescue world is full of oversized egos and lots of bad attitudes.”
“I’ll tell Beast to see if he can smooth the way for you on this?—”
She stops mid-sentence. “Uh. Oh. This doesn’t look good.”
I pull my unseeing gaze away from the side window and focus on her man.
Wearing a scowl on his lips with a dark, piercing gaze, he’s standing several yards in front of the truck. Crooking his finger.
Me?
Nerves fluttering, I lean forward between the seats. “Who does he want to come out there?”
“Hmmmm. I don’t know, but I don’t like his expression. When he gets that determined look on his face, things get testy. Hang tight, I’ll find out.”
She slides from the truck and marches toward him with her red ponytail snapping.
For several seconds they talk with him looking down at her upturned face and his hand gently wrapped around her elbow.
They make a great looking couple. He’s got stars in his eyes when he looks at her.
I should look away. Jealousy is the last thing I need to be dealing with this morning. I’ve already got enough of an emotional cocktail in me to give me a hangover that will last for days.
But…I don’t stop watching.
Camile’s so small compared to him, but her energy is just as commanding. I have a feeling she gives as good as she gets.
Like right now. Full of sass, she drops her hands on her hips and glares up at him. He leans close and says something next to her ear.
It’s not hard to imagine he would have a sexy whisper with the deep voice he’s got.
No matter what frustrating thing he’s saying, I bet it sends shivers down her spine.
When he steps back, he watches her with every ounce of his energy.
It's enviable—the way he gives her his all.
But my thoughts about them are swiped away when she casts one look my way with a pensive expression tightening her eyes.
My heart sinks.
Whatever happened out there was about me .
Damn. What now?
I fully plan on questioning her when she returns, but Beast loops an arm around Camile’s neck, guiding her away.
I sag backward into the seat, unease weighing me down.
It’s petty of me to feel deserted.
But that’s exactly the sensation inside of me.
Not that I thought Camile was suddenly a BFF, but she was kind enough to come check on me in the airport terminal—offering words of support and help carrying the supplies I pilfered from Scout’s truck.
Maybe he was scolding her for that.
But why?
I’m so lost in my head, looking down at my cuticles when the driver’s door suddenly opens.
The hat full of snack cakes lands on the center console. The water bottle bounces and thumps into the passenger side floor well.
“Nice mic drop. Now get your ass up here in the passenger seat. I’m not a chauffeur.”