Page 20 of Adam's Rising

If Lala thought she was interested in Thomas’s brother, she would insist they go to the ranch tonight. Although the idea was intriguing — because Claire was certain that Lala had mistaken Adam for Thomas — the idea of going to the ranch at night, with the ranch hands doing God-only-knows-what, made her skin crawl. Most of them creeped her out.

Lala grabbed Claire as soon as she left the bathrooms. “Come on. I need a Tab.”

That gave Claire an idea. She didn’t want to miss the next movie because Boyd couldn’t keep his hands to himself.

She stepped up to the counter after Lala and scanned the shelf behind the glass, smiling. “A pack of Good & Plenty and Milk Duds, too, please. And a small popcorn and two Cokes.”

Lala laughed. “You eating for two, Claire-belle?”

Claire blinked. “Two, as in… me and Boyd? Yeah.”

“No,” Lala said, still laughing. “That’s not what I meant. Never mind. Just remember…” She pinched her waist. “You don’t want to be able to pinch an inch!”

Claire rolled her eyes. “I know, I know.” She didn’t actually worry about gaining weight — she didn’t have Lala’s curves, and honestly, she wished she could put on a little muscle. Then maybe people wouldn’t laugh when she told them she wanted to work search and rescue. “Besides, the candy’s for Boyd,” she added with a grin, knowing Lala would catch the subtext. Lala might not be an honor student, but she definitely knew how to handle guys.

Normally, Claire would have brushed off Boyd’s possessive move, but her feelings toward Boyd had shifted the moment he hopped into the Blazer and flicked her skirt. Touching her hand and asking where she was going, she might have let slide. Questioning her clothes, though, and then trying to stop her from leaving the truck? That little show of ownership hadn’t sat right.

* * *

Back at the Blazer,Boyd hopped out of the driver’s side. “Took you long enough.”

Lala rolled her eyes. “I…” She pointed to herself. “… was in the bathroom, Boyd. You gotta problem with that?”

Looking like he did have a problem with that, Boyd strode around the front of the truck.

Lala didn’t move, just stared at him.

Instead of responding to Lala, Boyd walked past her and opened the passenger-front door. “We’re up front, Claire. Roger wanted to sit in back.”

Lala wagged her eyebrows at Claire. “Ooh… Looks like Roger doesn’t like disco, either.”

Claire set her goodies on the dash and reached for the grab handle. She pulled herself into the cab, glad for the seat change. Maybe she’d actually be able to watch the movie.

When Boyd hopped behind the wheel, he stared at the candy boxes and Cokes.

Claire smiled. “I don’t like candy, and I couldn’t remember which one you liked, so I got two kinds.”

Boyd reached for the Milk Duds but frowned. “I got money, Claire.”

“Oh, yeah… I-I know,” Claire stuttered. It seemed nothing she said or did improved Boyd’s foul mood. Well, one thing probably would, but that was something she wasn’t willing to give. She grazed his arm, trying to relax him. “I just feel bad making you watch this movie. Everything okay?”

Boyd leaned back and dug into the Milk Duds. “Everything’s fine. Just a long day.” He held up the candy. “Thanks, but for the record, I like M&Ms.”

Claire forced a smile then faced forward. The screen flashed from images of dancing hotdogs, popcorn bags, and drink cups to a landscape of New York City. Then again, it could be Manhattan or Brooklyn for all she knew. She’d never been to New York — she’d never even left Alaska.

A chorus of car horns and subway trains rattling across the tracks blared from the speaker propped on the driver’s side window.

Then the music kicked in.

The hypnotic, strutting beat ofStaying Alivefilled the truck like a heartbeat, matching the rhythm of Travolta’s footsteps. It was like watching a song come to life. Goosebumps prickled her arms. Thankfully, the long-sleeved blouse she wore hid her excitement.

Not that she would admit it, but Lala was right. Ever since she’d watched Adam groove toYou Should Be Dancingon the back of his brother’s truck, she’d been a fan of the Bee Gees — and Adam. She’d even been trying to learn the lyrics, but the vocals were so high and fast, it was difficult and time-consuming. Still, when no one was around — like climbing in the barn yesterday — she belted out her versions at the top of her lungs.

Travolta strutted down the street as if he owned it. She couldn’t imagine dressing like that while working — he was holding a paint can — but she loved his powerful vibe. Claire leaned against the dashboard, resting her chin on folded arms. She drank in the visuals: pizza (right off the street), clothing stores, and the people — more people than she’d ever seen in one place.

No way could she ever live in theCity That Never Sleeps— she had a hard enough time trying to fall asleep in theLand of the Midnight Sun. Still, there was something strangely appealing about being able to walk everywhere you went. Her mouth watered as she watched him stack then fold two pieces of pizza, eating them like a sandwich.

When Travolta started getting ready to go out, Boyd wrenched her from the dash to his side. “You don’t need to watch another man in his skivvies, baby. I got everything you need.”

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