Chapter 31

31

KANNON

A s the plane taxied down the runway after what I thought was a bit of a rough landing, I caught myself thinking about how this trip might change things between us. For the past week, we’d been doing this weird dance. Were we doing this thing? Or was it just sex?

She invited me to Miami for a few days. That had to mean something, right?

The plane finally stopped and the passengers around us quickly stood. This was another round of herding. I glanced over my shoulder to the asshole that tried to steal Merritt’s seat. He was still sitting. Good thing, because I didn’t want him starting shit now.

“Patience, Kannon,” Merritt teased as she noticed my clenched jaw. She touched my hand lightly, a comforting gesture that helped to defuse the tension. I took a deep breath and forced a smile.

We waited for the aisle to clear before gathering our carry-ons from the overhead bin. As we started to disembark, the flight attendant gave us a warm smile. “Enjoy your vacation,” she said. I realized it had been too long since I last heard that phrase.

The Miami airport was a sea of tacky Hawaiian shirts, khaki shorts, and sunburned faces. Merritt was wearing flip-flops and capris and fit right in. In contrast, I was still in my jeans and boots, feeling like a fish out of water.

I followed as Merritt led the way. Her swaying hips mesmerized me as she moved with an easy grace. Her fingers were tightly clutching onto mine. The contact made me feel grounded in the onslaught of overwhelming sights and sounds.

I only had my duffel bag. Merritt had her laptop bag and giant purse. She didn’t need to pack a bag since we would be staying at her apartment with all of her things. I was so glad we got to bypass the baggage-claim fiasco.

We stepped outside and into a muggy, warm Florida day. Dallas wasn’t exactly cold, but it got cool. It was strange to go from chilly to pretty mild. I wouldn’t be sitting on a beach, but it was definitely T-shirt weather. I peeled off my jacket and hung it over my bag.

“What are we looking for?” I asked.

“Lime green Mini Cooper.”

I looked at her, trying to decide if she was joking or not. “Seriously?”

A minute later, the offensive car rolled up to the curb. My bike was bigger. I was certain I could pick up the car and carry it in my bag.

I gave Merritt a questioning look. “Seriously?” I asked again.

She laughed. “There’s more room than you think.”

“No. There is not.”

The statuesque blonde climbed out of the passenger seat and popped the seat forward. I was sure that was supposed to make it easier to get in, but I didn’t see how.

“I’m so glad to see you,” the blonde said and hugged Merritt.

“Thank you for picking us up,” Merritt said.

The woman looked at me. “Hello.”

“Hello.”

“I think you should take shotgun,” she said, looking me up and down.

“No, thanks. I’ll sit in back.”

“Are you sure? I think there might be more legroom in front.”

“Trust me, the difference isn’t going to matter,” I muttered.

I tossed my bag in first and then proceeded to fold myself up and into the backseat. Merritt climbed in next to me.

“Hi!” the bubbly woman said from the front seat. “I’m Lucia. Do you remember me from the funeral?”

“I do,” I said. “Kannon.”

She grinned. “I know.”

The backseat of Lucia’s lime green Mini Cooper was not designed for someone over six feet tall. I felt like a pretzel, my legs folded awkwardly, my knees crammed against the back of the front seat. Every bump in the road sent me lurching forward, my head dangerously close to smacking the ceiling. Meanwhile, Lucia drove like she was auditioning for a stunt driver gig, and Dominique’s commentary wasn’t helping.

“I’m going to puke,” Dominique groaned from the front passenger seat, gripping the door handle like her life depended on it.

Lucia shot her an unimpressed look. “Puke in your purse, not my car.”

The car lurched again as Lucia slammed on the brakes for no apparent reason, then immediately floored the gas. I glanced at Merritt and gave her a desperate look that screamed, Get me out of this death trap.

She laughed. “Lucia, you’re scaring Kannon and he speeds around on a motorcycle.”

Lucia glanced over her shoulder, turning all the way around to give me what I assumed was meant to be a reassuring smile. Her eyes, however, were not on the road. “Oh, please. I’m super familiar with Miami traffic. My dad was a race car driver, and he taught me how to drive. My reaction times are?—”

“Lucia!” Dominique shrieked, grabbing the steering wheel as we swerved out of our lane. The car next to us honked loudly. Lucia responded by flipping them off and shouting a string of expletives.

“Keep your hands to yourself, Dominique,” Lucia snapped, wrenching the wheel back into our lane. “You could have killed us.”

“You were going to hit that car!” Dominique argued.

“Not even close,” Lucia countered, revving up the engine and dodging in between two larger vehicles as if proving her point. I tightened my grip on the handle above my window, wincing as my knuckles started throbbing.

“We’re almost there,” Merritt comforted, touching my knee gently. “I would think this is right up your alley of thrills and close calls.”

“No. I know what I’m doing when I’m in control.”

She grinned. “Ah, so it’s a control thing.”

“No, it’s a living thing. It’s an ‘I don’t want the firemen to have to use a can opener to get me out of this metal box’ thing.”

She giggled again. “She’s always like this.”

“Well, it’s been nice knowing all of you. See you soon, Gary.”

Lucia and Dominique both gave me confused looks, clearly not getting the joke about Gary’s recent passing, but Merritt surprised me by laughing. It was enough to make me relax for half a second—until Lucia made another sudden turn that nearly sent me flying into Merritt’s lap.

“Lucia!” I roared, louder than I intended, as I was thrown back into my seat.

Her eyes flickered in the rearview mirror and her lips curved into a wicked grin. “Relax, Mr. Tough Guy. I’m a professional.”

“At what?”

Just then, the lime green monstrosity of a car skidded to a halt. By some miracle, we made it to Merritt’s beachfront condo in one piece. I climbed out of the car like a man who’d just been released from captivity, stretching my legs and vowing to never ride with Lucia again. My aching limbs from the bike wreck were really screaming now.

“See? We’re here, safe and sound!” Lucia said cheerfully, locking the car.

Dominique muttered something under her breath, but I was too busy glaring at the Mini Cooper to care. Merritt touched my arm, her expression amused. “Come on, drama queen. Let’s go upstairs.”

We headed up to Merritt’s condo, and once inside, I had to admit it was a nice place. The kind of spot you’d expect from someone who’d landed on their feet. Floor-to-ceiling windows framed a view of the ocean and the salty breeze drifted in through an open sliding door.

While Merritt stepped away to make a quick call, I found myself alone with Lucia and Dominique. They wasted no time zeroing in on me.

“How’s Merritt been?” Lucia asked, her tone more interrogation than curiosity.

“Is she holding up okay?” Dominique added, crossing her arms like she was the enforcer of the group.

“She told us how mean you were to her the other day,” Lucia said, her eyes narrowing. “We don’t like that. She’s our friend.”

“We watch out for her,” Dominique said.

“She doesn’t need to be treated like shit,” Lucia said.

Fuck me.

I felt like a pinball in a machine set to destroy me. I held up a hand, trying to slow them down. “Can we take it one question at a time?”

“How come you never called her while she’s been in Miami?” Dominique pressed.

“Didn’t you miss her?” Lucia piled on.

“And why did her dad never tell her you guys saw each other every other weekend?” Dominique finished, raising an eyebrow like she’d just delivered the knockout punch.

I looked between the two of them, my brain short-circuiting under the onslaught. “I—uh—can we take a breather here?”

Before they could come at me again, Merritt walked back into the room. She stopped in her tracks, taking one look at me and tilting her head in confusion. “Everything okay?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted honestly, feeling more than a little shell-shocked.

Merritt laughed, shaking her head. “Don’t let them ruffle your feathers. Their barks are worse than their bites.”

I wasn’t so sure about that. The identical smiles Lucia and Dominique flashed me reminded me of the twins from The Shining . I swallowed hard. “Uh huh.”

Merritt turned to her friends, hands on her hips. “Thanks for the ride, but Kannon and I have to go. I made dinner reservations at my favorite restaurant tonight.”

She reached for her purse and motioned for me to follow her. I didn’t need to be told twice. As we walked downstairs, Dominique and Lucia waved us off, and I tried not to look too relieved.

The valet pulled up with a white Cadillac. I let out a low whistle as Merritt climbed into the driver’s seat. I followed her, sliding into the passenger side and buckling up.

“What?” she asked, glancing at me as she started the car. “Too flashy for your tastes?”

I scoffed, leaning back in the seat. “Nope. Just remembering how your dream car used to be a yellow Ford Ranger with a lift kit. Oh, how the times have changed.”

She laughed as she pulled out onto the street. “That was a phase. I’ve upgraded since then.”

“Clearly. This is very…”

“What?”

“Not the Merritt I knew,” I said.

Her smile froze for a second before she shook her head, taking a deep breath. “People change, Kannon. Just because you knew me once doesn’t mean you know everything about me now.”

She wasn’t wrong. The Merritt I’d known wouldn’t be caught dead in a Cadillac that a grandmother would love. She was more of a pickup truck kind of girl. I’d also never expected her to be living in a beachfront condo and talking of dinner reservations at restaurants I could hardly afford.

“You’re right,” I conceded quietly, looking out the window at the passing scenery.

The Cadillac was a welcome change from the chaos of Lucia’s Mini Cooper. I stretched out my legs, grateful to have space again. For the first time since I landed in Miami, I wasn’t convinced Merritt had brought me here to die.

“So,” I said, glancing at her as she navigated the Miami streets with a surprising amount of confidence. “You really live here, huh?”

She smiled, her eyes fixed on the road. “What gave it away? The condo? The car?”

I shrugged. “It’s just, you seem settled.”

Her smile faltered for a split second but she recovered quickly. “It’s been good for me. A fresh start.”

I wanted to ask if she meant that or if she was just trying to convince herself, but I kept my mouth shut. Instead, I leaned back and watched the city pass by.

“We’re going to stop by my office before dinner,” Merritt said.

“Sounds good.

We pulled into the parking lot of her office building. She parked neatly in a reserved spot near the entrance. “I’ll just be a minute,” she said, unbuckling her seatbelt. “I need to grab a file.”

“Want me to come with you?” I offered, already reaching for the door handle.

She smiled. “I would like that.”