Chapter 8 Wren
CHAPTER EIGHT
WREN
If you ever want to know what tension feels like, try being stuck in a vehicle for several days with four escaped convicts and an FBI agent. Well… former FBI agent.
They are constantly scowling at each other, as if we’re not all on the same team, and it has me on edge. How can we possibly expect to take Robert down when they can’t even agree on what to eat for dinner? The only time they ever seem to agree on anything is when it comes to my safety.
I love that they all care about me, but it is getting a little stifling.
I get the sense that my boyfriends don’t want to leave me alone with Elias at all.
They don’t trust him. I’m not sure what they thought would happen.
I was glad I got to speak to him before we left the hotel two days ago.
We’d been alone then, and nothing bad had happened.
They may be my boyfriends, but Elias is my best friend. After everything he had done for me, I could no longer hold it against him that he’d disappeared so abruptly. His life since had pretty much revolved around getting me out of there, and I hadn’t even known.
I find myself catching glimpses of this new version of him. One who has filled out into a strong, attractive man. He still has that boy-next-door charm, a term I learned from The Bachelorette. But it’s like he’s upgraded to man-next-door. He doesn’t seem so sweet and innocent anymore.
And if the way he looks at me sometimes means what I think it does, he doesn’t see me in the same way anymore, either.
Thanks to the other guys, I have a good idea of what those looks mean.
And they aren’t the way you look at your best friend.
It is the same way the others look at me, but with a bit more longing and pain infused.
I have no idea what to do with this information.
It’s not that I’m not attracted to him, because I am.
I really am. It’s that I already have four boyfriends, and getting that far has been a huge hurdle.
Just thinking about broaching the subject makes me feel sick to my stomach.
So every time my mind drifts in that direction, I think about something else before I have a panic attack.
Like Robert.
He’s stopped in Montana, which is where we’re heading now.
Elias has found a safe house for us to stay at, and thanks to his new gadget and hacking skills, he’s confident the FBI won’t know we’re there this time.
I’m looking forward to having a little more space for the six of us to cohabitate together.
Hotel suites don’t offer many options for privacy, and the guys were getting on each other's nerves.
I’m surprised they lasted this long without a fist-fight breaking out.
“Turn off here,” Sly tells Dex, who moves us into the exit ramp.
“What did we decide on for dinner?” I ask excitedly. Trying new food is becoming one of my favorite parts of the day. Well… that and cuddling.
“We’re going to an all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant,” Sly tells me.
“Sushi? Isn’t that raw fish?” Pete asks with a scrunch of his nose.
“I think you could all stand to add a little culture into your lives,” Sly says calmly.
“I don’t care what it is, you had me at all-you-can-eat!” Dex says excitedly as Sly tells him where to turn.
I glance over the seat at Elias as I ask, “Do you like sushi?”
He nods. “Yeah, it’s pretty good. And don’t worry, there are cooked options too.”
“What’s your favorite sushi?”
“Well, my favorite thing to get at a sushi restaurant is probably the spicy salmon roll.”
“Oh! I definitely want to try that! Sly?” I ask, turning back to the front where he’s seated in the passenger seat. “What’s your favorite?”
“I’m fond of salmon sashimi.”
“You both like salmon best. I bet it’s really good,” I say, rubbing my belly to get it ready for our feast.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Elias asks. “Being out in public like this? You’re all wanted fugitives after all.”
“It’ll be fine, we’ll just eat and leave—no drama,” Sly says before pointing toward the next turn. I glance over my shoulder at Elias. He has his arms crossed and looks skeptical. What trouble could we possibly get into at a sushi restaurant?
Dex pulls into the lot and parks toward the back. Sly scans the area before anyone gets out, then gives a slight nod telling us it’s clear.
As I step out of the SUV, Dex is there, offering me his elbow as he escorts me to the building.
Inside the restaurant, I notice it smells faintly like soy and grilled meat.
The hostess leads us to a corner table, and Sly gestures for me to sit first, with Pete sitting on my left, moving his chair close enough that our thighs brush.
Dex squeezes in on my other side, with Jagger and Sly seated on either side of them as they both scan the room.
Elias sits at the other side of the table, leaving an extra chair on either side of him, making him look like an outsider.
I frown, not liking that, but unsure what to do about it.
Light catches my attention, and I watch Dex tapping away on a tablet.
“Alright,” he says, “how’s this work?”
Sly answers, “Don’t order everything in one go. They charge for any wasted food.”
“Nothing I order ever goes to waste,” Dex says in amusement. I have to agree with him. I’ve seen the way these guys eat; I can’t imagine us possibly ordering too much food.
Sly holds out his hand toward Dex, who rolls his eyes but gives him the tablet. “We’ll start with a large variety but small quantities to see what everyone likes.”
Dex groans. “You’re killing the adventure, man.”
“What adventure?” Elias asks.
“The adventure of ordering a heap of food and having to finish it!” I smile up at Dex in amusement, and he leans down to kiss my temple.
I watch as Sly presses his lips together and shakes his head as he adds things to the order. “We will try a variety of rolls, sashimi, tempura, a few cooked options, and gyoza. That’ll do to start.”
Pete leans in front of me to point. “Oh! Order some cheese wontons. Wren will love those!”
I smile up at him and lean against his arm; he then wraps it around my shoulders. “I will?”
“Yep, they’re my favorite, so they’ll probably be yours, too.” He grins down at me as Sly concedes and adds some to the order.
After Sly has submitted the order, Dex sits back, looking content as he rests his arm along the back of the booth, his fingers playing with my hair as if he can’t help himself. Elias’s gaze flicks toward the motion, and his jaw flexes.
“Maybe this isn’t smart,” he says quietly. “Being out in public like this.”
Pete squeezes me a little tighter to his side as he answers. “It’s just a meal, we’ll be fine. No one here will recognize us anyway.”
Elias leans back. “You hope.”
Dex fingers move to the back of my head, stroking in a soothing motion as he looks at Elias. “If you’re gonna be this cheerful all night, we’ll have to order sake.”
Jagger raises his hands and signs. “You’re not drinking in public.”
“I was kidding,” Dex says, though his grin says otherwise.
“What’s sake? I want to try!” I say, excited for something new.
“It’s alcohol, Wren,” Elias explains. “Jagger is right. It’s best to stay sober when we’re in public.” I can tell it cost him something to agree with Jagger, so I just nod in understanding as the server arrives with several plates.
My eyes widen as plate after plate is set on the table, all of it brand new to me. I’ve never made Japanese food before, so I’ve never even tried any of this stuff. I lick my lips in excitement, unable to contain my grin.
Pete snorts. “She’s like a kid in a candy shop.”
“There’s so many new things to try!” I explain with glee.
“I’ve never had any of this either,” Dex says, offering me a smile of support.
“I admit, most of this is new to me, too,” Pete confesses. “I’ve only been twice, and both times I ate chicken cutlets, noodles, and cheese wontons.”
“As I said,” Sly says, picking up a pair of chopsticks. “You could all use a little more culture. Here.” He places a roll on my plate. “Start with that.”
Pete nudges my knee under the table. “Bet you drop it.”
I give him a challenging glare as I try to mimic the way Sly’s holding the chopsticks. I pick up the roll and drop it halfway to the soy sauce dish. Pete laughs, Dex snorts, and Sly picks it up, making it look so simple as he places it back on my plate.
“Here,” he says, calm as ever. “Try again.”
I manage it this time, although it almost doesn’t make it. When I finally place it in my mouth and chew, a delicious burst of flavors fills my mouth. I moan in approval and cover my mouth. “That’s amazing.”
Dex grins. “I wanna try.” I watch as he tries to use the chopsticks, but it’s like his fingers are too big for them. Using my chopsticks, I pick up his roll and dip it in the soy sauce before moving it toward his mouth.
He smiles at me, and I can see the spark of joy in his eyes. He takes the roll in his mouth and chews. “Umm!” he hums in surprise before turning to me. “You’re right, that was delicious.”
Pete’s hand rests against my thigh under the table as he maneuvers his own chopsticks to try the different foods. After a few minutes, he points his chopsticks at a smear of green paste. “What’s that?”
“Wasabi,” Elias says. “Careful, it’s spicy.”
Dex scoops up a chunk with the end of his chopstick and sticks it in his mouth.
“Don’t—” Elias starts, but it’s too late. Dex starts coughing hard, and his eyes start watering as he grabs his cup of water and starts chugging it down.
Pete bursts out laughing. “You okay, Dex?”
Sly slides him a second glass of water, shaking his head. “He warned you.”
Dex chokes down a few more sips before he finally croaks out, “Totally worth it.”
I pat Dex’s arm, smiling. “Maybe less wasabi next time?”
He wipes his mouth. “You may be right.”
Elias shakes his head. “It’s like being with a bunch of kids.”