Page 28 of Dream Chaser
I lean in and rest my head on her shoulder. “I love him for you. Hell, I love him for us. Forever grateful.”
We all go quiet again.
Until Lexi turns her gaze to me. “What about you, Iz?”
“Nope.”
“Come on?—”
“Nope. Not interested. Not in a player, and definitely not inthatone.”
Lexi cackles. “You meanCaptain Tight Shirt?”
I roll my eyes so hard it’s a miracle they don’t get stuck back there. “Hard pass. I like my brain intact and my dignity fully operational.”
Lo smirks. “You’re blushing.”
“It’s the heater,” I lie. “And I have to pee, so hit the next stop pretty please.”
They all laugh. Crisis averted …
It’s after nine p.m. when we pull into the Philadelphia Plaza Hotel. A valet opens the hatch, and I whisper profuse apologies for the sheer amount of baggage that comes with the eight of us. The cart is overfilled, and so are our arms, filled with copious amounts of snacks. The valet takes the Suburban, and the doors of the lobby open, and heat and the smell of whatever they pump through the HVAC system to make it smell even more like …I don’t know—something expensive with a hint of cinnamon?—hits us.
Then they all head our way. Who? Our family, of course.
Dad and Mom are waving from the elevator bank. Riley’s fiancé, Hudson, is already grabbing her bags, and I can’t help but laugh when she curls her lip and yanks back her giant bag of dried apricots. And yes, he laughs, too.
Sydney’s catching Lily midair and twirling her around, crooning about how much she loves her pink and gold Knights hoodie. Boone watches them from a foot away, chest puffed out with pride. Harper’s husband, Maddox, looks like the weight of the world has just been lifted off his shoulders.
Kolby is looking at Lo like he wants to eat her, and she’s looking at him like she wants to be eaten.
London’s hubs is giving her a fuck-me look, too. “Turn it off, Links. It’s girls’ night.”
“You won’t last all night, sweetness.” He chuckles and wraps her in an obnoxious hug, swaying her back and forth, making her fuss.
“You’re squishing my Swedish fish,” she says from somewhere in those arms.
“Swedish fish don’t squish.” He chuckles.
Mags, Lexi, and I look at each other, happy for them, of course, but we have shit to do.
“I’ll check us in.”
“Already done,” Dad says from behind me.
I turn, and he hands me a fistful of room keys.
“Download the app for when you lose the card.”
“I will … do that.”
He kisses my head. “Going to dinner with the team. I’m sure you have plans.”
I feel bad about ditching them all the time lately. “Want me to?—”
“No.” He chuckles. “Stick with your plans, kiddo.”
And then I turn and see … Skinner.
