Page 77 of The Chances We Take

“Damn, and all this time I thought you were a hopeless romantic,” he teased, winking at me after he made the joke. “What’s the harm in going? Amelia said she was fine and wants you to have fun. We’ve never been theretogether, and like Colt and Ellie said, we’ve got to take chances. Unless you’re scared?”

I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms. “I amnotscared. I am completely unafraid. Totally chill.” I didn’t know if I was trying to convince myself or Reid more. I mean, sure we had a moment last night, but what if that was a lapse in judgment? It’s different when you have separate hotel rooms and can leave to sleep in your own bed for the night. Knowing Ellison, the place they rented was probably a one-bedroom house.

We also hadn’t even kissed. What if we do and it’s awkward? Or…bad?

“Well?” He broke me out of my thoughts.

“All right,” I reluctantly agreed. “Let’s go.”

I was still a bit wary of the trip. But after thinking about it, Ellison was right. Life was too short to live in fear of the what ifs.

We were about two hours into the six-hour road trip when a song Isa had added to our joint playlist came on.

“Ilovethis song!” she screeched as she reached for the volume and turned it all the way up.

“You’re going to blow my speakers!” I yelled, but the music—and her singing—drowned me out. She sounded terrible—kind of like what I’d expect a dying cat to sound like—but I wasn’t mad about it. I couldn’t be as I watched her sing in such a carefree manner and dance in the passenger seat like I wasn’t even here. I think it was my new favorite thing about her.

She rolled down her window and stuck her arm out, waving her hand around with the beat. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her as she screamed along with the song, something about a guy grinning like a devil as he looked up at the girl.

I raised my eyebrows in amusement at the innuendo, and she looked over at me with a massive smile on her face as the song ended.

“All right, Short Stack, you hungry after that performance?” I laughed, shaking my head as she shot me a wink.

Her stomach growled, confirming my suspicions. I don’t think I’d ever heard someone’s stomach make that kind of noise before.

She looked down, a flush spreading across her cheeks. “I guess so.”

“There’s a gas station up ahead.We can stop and get you something. Wouldn’t want you to starve after your pop concert.”

She rolled her eyes, but clear amusement reflected on her face as we pulled off the road.

Before I could even undo my seatbelt, she was already out of the car and walking into the gas station. All I could do was shake my head and follow her inside.

I found her in the snack aisle and walked up behind her as she grabbed a bag of Muddy Buddies and a can of pepperoni pizza–flavored Pringles. She was already holding one of those flavored lemonades in the glass bottles.

“Interesting choices, but I like it. Just need some olives and pineapple,” I teased.

“Ha ha, so funny. What’s your gas station snack then, smartass?” She kept moving to the candy aisle next.

“Usually an energy drink or something. I’m not much of a snacker on the road,” I admitted. I think the last gas station snack I’d ever gotten was a bag of peanuts.

“Well, you need something sweet. Here take these.” She handed me some gummy peach rings as she proceeded to grab three more bags of chewy candy.

“I can think of something sweet that I want.” I smirked as I followed her down the aisle.

Isa’s face turned bright red as she shook her head and pushed me toward the checkout counter. “This is going to be a long drive,” she muttered as we checked out and headed back to the car.

Yes, yes it is.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

isabelle

We pulled up to the “cabin” Ellison and Colter had rented for us, and Reid’s eyes widened to the size of saucers as he took in the house before us.

“Thisis a cabin?”

It definitely wasn’t a cabin, at least not in the traditional sense. While the outer walls were built with logs, it was also a two-story home, with modern features like a balcony with metal railings and big windows, both over the smaller, lower parts of the roof and the lower levels.

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