Chapter 7
“Why the hell did we have to get up at the ass crack of dawn?”
When I glanced up from my phone to find JJ towering over me, a disgruntled look on his face, I jerked in surprise.
I’d been trying to keep an eye on the elevator, but somehow, he’d snuck up on me.
As subtly as possible, I slipped my phone into my back pocket.
I didn’t want him to know I was reading an article about the recent musical collaboration between Xander Jones and Violet James.
Not because I was embarrassed. No one, not even JJ himself, could shame me for being a fan.
This issue was, the more I got to know him, the weirder I felt about things I’d done for years, like checking the bands’ social accounts daily, searching the news for Heartbreakers-related headlines, and watching every video of them that came across my feed.
What used to be a small window into the boys’ lives suddenly felt like an invasion of privacy.
“Early bird gets the worm,” I replied. “How’s your wrist?”
“Fine,” he grumbled. “Just an old injury flaring up.”
“Here.” I held out a steaming to-go cup. I’d also grabbed an assortment of sugars and cream, because as much as I knew about JJ, I hadn’t the slightest idea how he took his coffee. “This will help with the grumpiness.”
JJ made a face but accepted my offering. “Please don’t tell me you’re one of those psychotic morning people, because if that’s the case, we can’t be friends.”
“No, I’m not.” On any other occasion, I’d be just as grumpy as him to be awake before sunrise, but this was different. Today we were taking a trip to the Everglades. I’d barely slept a wink in anticipation.
“Then why are you so damn chipper?” he asked, dumping every packet of sugar I’d given him into the cup. He didn’t bother with the stir stick, just swirled it around and replaced the lid before tossing the empty wrappers in a nearby garbage can.
“Because I get to see my favorite animal today!” I said, clapping my hands in excitement.
My obsession with alligators had started when I was barely more than a toddler.
Uncle Greg, my dad’s brother, was a cruise ship director.
Most of the time, he was off sailing around the world, but whenever he came home, he always brought me and my siblings a present.
The tradition started when we were four and he presented us with stuffed animals: a raccoon for Stella, a brown bear for Drew, and an alligator for me.
The animal-themed gifts continued into our teen years, and by the time my uncle finally gave up his shtick, I’d amassed an impressive number of alligator keepsakes.
“Why gators?” he asked as he scanned the hotel lobby. When he noticed two teenage girls walking toward the breakfast buffet, he angled his body so his face was less visible.
“I don’t know,” I told him truthfully. Other than the collection curated by my uncle, I didn’t have a specific explanation for why.
He stopped his surveillance to look at me. “You have no reason whatsoever?”
I shrugged. “I just think they’re cool, okay? Are you judging me because I like alligators?”
“Not at all.” He blew on his drink. “It’s just an unusual choice. Most people like tigers or dolphins or horses, not toothy water monsters.”
“Well, why do you like griffins so much?”
“Because they’re badass, obviously.”
“So are gators,” I replied. “Did you know their jaws can exert over a thousand pounds of pressure or that their stomachs can dissolve bones? They can also consume a quarter of their body weight in one meal.” Not to mention they were real.
“I don’t know if that last fact is nearly as impressive as you think it is,” JJ said as he patted his stomach. “Pretty sure I can do that too.”
I rolled my eyes and took a sip from my own to-go cup.
“Anyway, what’s the plan?” he asked, glancing around the lobby again.
In that moment, the reality of my current situation hit me like a gut punch. Here was a member of my favorite band, one of the biggest celebrities in the world, casually asking me about our agenda for the day…
Because we were hanging out together.
Like friends.
Holy cow, was I friends with JJ Morris?
“We’re going to Gator Central,” I said, trying my best to sound unaffected. “It’s a park in the Everglades that does airboat tours, live gator shows, and other fun stuff. I figured out the bus route last night. We have two transfers, and the trip will take about an hour and a half, but—”
“Wait, we’re taking a bus?”
I frowned at JJ. “Do you have a problem with public transportation?”
JJ looked at me like I was being ridiculous. “Well, kinda.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “There’s a lot of eyes and phones to deal with…”
Ohhhhh, crap!
For a split second, I’d thought he was being snobby, and as someone who used a bus pass more often than a credit card, it was hard not to feel defensive.
But the poor guy only wanted to avoid being ambushed by fans.
And in all likelihood, he would be. His baseball hat and sunglasses combo wasn’t much of a disguise.
Not when he was wearing one of his standard sleeveless shirts that put his tattoos on full display.
“I’m sorry, JJ.” A tendril of worry curled inside my chest. I had no backup plan. I wasn’t old enough to rent a car, nor could I afford one. There was always Uber, but I didn’t want to think about how much a trip like today would cost. “I didn’t even consider—”
He waved me off. “No worries. I’ve got a solution.” JJ dug out his phone and made a call. “Hey, Courtney,” he said five seconds later. “I need your help. Can you get me a car?”
* * *
“No.”
“Come on. It will be fun.”
“Absolutely not,” JJ said, crossing his arms as he surveyed the stretch of water before us. He had his jaw clenched so tightly, I was afraid his teeth might crack.
The truth was I hadn’t been entirely forthcoming about our plans for today.
Not because I wanted to trick JJ but because I thought it would be a fun surprise.
Yes, we were going to Gator Central, but first I wanted to explore the Everglades.
After some research, I’d found a place near Homestead, Florida, with a beginners’ kayaking trail.
We didn’t even need to worry about transporting a boat; once I paid, the rental shop emailed me a code to unlock an on-site storage rack filled with kayaks and canoes.
I’d expected JJ to be excited—he seemed like an adventurous, try-everything-at-least-once kind of guy—but he wasn’t having it.
“We came all this way,” I reminded him as I slathered my arms with sunscreen. If JJ didn’t want to join me, he could sit in the car for all I cared. I wasn’t going to waste an opportunity like this.
“Yeah, for you to hold a baby alligator in a safe, controlled environment,” he said through gritted teeth. “Not to go paddling out into the middle of a death trap.”
“Does this really look like a death trap to you?” I gestured at the peaceful pond. The water was as still as glass, and a reflection of fluffy clouds drifted across the smooth surface. In the distance, a heron strode through the reeds, occasionally spearing its long beak into the shallows.
“Cara, there’s a sign that says, ‘DANGER ALLIGATOR HABITAT’ in capital letters,” he exclaimed, gesturing at the warning posted a few feet from the water’s edge.
Wasn’t that every body of water in Florida? “Obviously,” I said, squeezing one last glob of sunscreen onto my palm, “but we’re going canoeing, not swimming.”
“And what if we tip over?” he demanded as I rubbed the lotion into my face. “If you haven’t noticed, I’m a big dude, and these boats look rickety as hell.”
Holy crap. Was this oversize, brazen guy actually afraid? I grinned at him. “Then I’ll be the sacrificial alligator meal while you swim to safety.”
JJ snorted. “Did you really think that would convince me?”
“No, but since when are devilish rogues afraid of a little danger?”
“Since always? We have survival instincts. That’s why we outlive all the brainless knights you princess folk fancy so much.”
“Does that mean you’re not willing to go on a quest with me?” I crossed my fingers that mentioning his sister’s game would convince him.
“The reincarnation of Steve Irwin could spawn right here, offer to be our guide, and my answer would still be no.”
I rolled my eyes. Good grief, JJ was more dramatic than me and Willow combined. “What if I bribe you with snacks?”
This morning, I’d walked to the nearest 7-Eleven so we’d have something to eat during our expedition. I slid the drawstring bag off my shoulders and showed JJ my haul: Combos, Zebra Cakes, fruit snacks, and beef jerky, not to mention the box of orange Tic Tacs I’d grabbed specifically for him.
His eyes lit up at the sight of food, and for a moment, I thought I had him. Then a large splash echoed across the pond, and he nearly jumped out of his skin. “Tempting, but no.”
I let out a long sigh. “How about this? If you come with me, I’ll let you pick the music on the drive back to Miami.”
“I listened to your bubblegum pop the whole way down,” he replied, swatting a bug away from his face. “It should be my turn to control the radio regardless of whether I get in that boat with you.”
“Careful, JJ,” I said, allowing myself a wry smile. “It sounds an awful lot like you’re insulting my taste in music.”
“And what if I am?”
“Well, joke’s on you considering the Heartbreakers are my favorite band.”
The look JJ shot me was laced with irritation. “Hilarious, but my answer is still no.”
Brows furrowed, I put a hand on my hip and stared up at him. “What would it take to convince you?”
“Sorry, but there isn’t a single thing in this entire universe that—” He cut off abruptly.