Page 86 of Resting Beach Face
“Come on, sleepyhead. We should get home so we can talk to Mom about your adventure.”
She peeked out of the covers. “Do we have to tell her?”
I nodded. “We do.”
“She’ll be mad I lied.”
“Maybe, but she’ll understand. You don’t want to lie and keep secrets, okay? That’ll only make everything worse.”
“Can it even get worse?” she grumbled.
“Pretty sure it can.” I yanked back the covers, making her squeal a protest. “Come on. Gray is letting me borrow his pickup. I’ll bribe you with a hot chocolate if you hurry.”
Katelyn grimaced. “You’re not gonna ditch me alone with Dad, are you?”
“Nah. You can come to work with me at the resort later. Hit the pool.”
She brightened a little. “Okay.”
“But you have to be straight with Mom and deal with the consequences.”
She groaned and flounced back on the bed.
“Ten minutes,” I said as I slipped out to wait for her.
Fifteen minutes later, she dragged her butt out of the room and we walked over to The Roost to climb into Gray’s rusted-out truck. He’d gotten started installing the kitchen cabinetry without me. I’d told him he could wait, but he’d waved off the offer and told me to deal with my business.
If only it were that easy…
The engine sputtered and coughed when I started the truck, and the route out was as bumpy as the one in the other day. Katelynn grabbed the oh-shit bar above the window and glared at me. “Do you have to drive like an idiot?”
“Would you rather walk?” I asked sweetly.
She wisely kept her trap shut.
I found a parking space in front of Just The Sip and left her sulking in the truck to go order our drinks.
I was surprised to see Danny slumped over the front counter, chin in his hand, looking more glum than I’d ever seen him.
“Hey, I need a DP Cream and a hot chocolate for my little sis.”
“Okay.”
Danny didn’t make a single flirty comment about my drink order—or call me out for avoiding the menu nameHot Cock-a-Lotwhen ordering for my sister.
The drink names were fun and all, but I had to draw the line somewhere.
“Anything else?” Danny asked as he turned to start making the first drink.
“Yeah. I’d like to know what alien race you are.”
He blinked. “Huh?”
“Obviously, you body snatched my barista, Danny. He’s cute and flirty. Always has a smile and a wink for his customers.”
He pumped syrup into the cardboard coffee cup. “Sorry, guess I’m not myself today.”
I hesitated. “You okay?”
