Page 26 of Dream Chaser
“I packed flares!” Iz calls out proudly.
“That’s somehow more concerning,” I mutter.
Lexi lifts her phone to take a selfie. “If we die, at least we’ll be cute.”
Sydney laughs. “This is what road trip rebel looks like: reckless optimism wrapped in black and gold fleece.”
I shake my head, amused, a little impressed, a touch jealous, and yeah, I have no idea how the hell Boone, Hart, and Grimes are not insisting they fly with the team … for safety reasons, of course.
Chapter 7
Philly
Izzy
We are less than twenty minutes into the drive when I realize I’ve made a grave tactical error. Not in the planning—I’m always prepared. Not in the snacks—I brought a literal tub of peanut butter pretzels and an emergency bag of sour gummies, just to be safe. Not even in the packing, though the back of the rented Suburban looks like it’s hauling a girl group on tour.
No, my mistake was letting Lexi have control of the radio.
“You touch it, you die,” she says, flipping her perfectly waved hair over her shoulder as she queues up Heart’s “Barracuda.”
London’s in the third row, playing the air drums like she’s on stage. Harper’s next to her, shredding on her imaginary guitar.
“Clearly, you two don’t get out without the littles enough.” I laugh.
“Oh, please.” Harper laughs, still strumming. “Piper and Reed both play guitar, drums, and sing all the damn time.”
“Piper has an old soul rasp I am seriously jealous of.” London flips her imaginary stick in the air and catches it. “My girls play freaking football in the living room. I’ve threatened Logan with no sex for a week if he gives in to them and lets them bring in a real one instead of a Nerf.”
“You better get a stick in their hands,” Ry scolds her.
“Um, what part of the living room did you miss?” London asks.
Now, this entire time, Harper and London have not stopped, as Lexi belts out the first lyric.
Of course, the rest of them join in. Me? I’m focused on the fact that the forecast was bullshit, which, having lived in CNY my entire life, I should have counted on. But honestly, no sweat. I love this shit.
When Lexi reaches for the screen, I block her attempt.
“I wasn’t going to touch it,” she grumbles. “Just wanted to see if we had enough signal to GPS around that accident warning.”
“You got a co-pilot up here already?” Mags laughs.
“Let me vibe in peace.”
“Vibe responsibly,” Lexi mutters as she sits back, bringing her feet to the edge of the leather seat.
The song changes to “Hart of Glass” by Blondie.
“This playlist is?—”
“People act like women didn’t rock,” Lexi cuts me off. “Like we didn’t pioneer entire sounds. You know who gets credit? The sad men. The growly men. The shirtless men.”
“You mean Dad and our brother?” London laughs.
“Just sayin’.” Lexi shrugs.
London cackles. “That’s the problem: women didn’t get shirtless enough.”
