Page 27 of Unrest
The guy fidgeted. “You will?”
“Yeah, I will. But you have to swear you’ll leave here with me when I say it’s time.”
J.D. looked down at his thumb nail and chewed his lip. “All right. Fine.”
Sean nodded, then peered around the room as if daring us to argue. Nobody did.
A muffle cry sounded from behind Remy’s hand, clutched over her mouth.
Tater bolted up straight beside her. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s just . . .” She sniffled. “So sweet.” And wiped her eyes. Tater rolled his eyes when he realized nothing was wrong, and the rest of us tried not to laugh. Sean and J.D. squirmed in their chairs, suddenly very interested in the last of their broth.
I stood and stretched, then brought my bowl to the sink.
“I’ll take first watch outside,” Rylen said. He started getting his gear back on, tightening his boot strings and wrapping his head. I watched him go and covered my arms against the blast of wintery wind that came in as he exited. Tex, feeling guilty for blasting the door, rigged up a rope to keep it closed.
Since there wasn’t a ton of room in the kitchen, I offered to do all of the dishes myself. It wouldn’t be hard, considering every bowl and glass was practically licked clean.
The guys and Remy sat around in the living room, sipping water.
Sean and J.D. were quietly talking in the bedroom with the door open. Sean sat on the edge of the bed, while J.D. had scooted up against the headboard, his knees pulled up. I went to mine and Remy’s bags and pulled out our dirty undies. Then I put them in a small pot of boiling water.
“What are you cooking now?” Matt asked from his place on the floor.
My face heated. “Nothing. Just cleaning. Laundry.”
They looked at me funny, and to my horror, Tex stood.
“Oh, my God, go sit back down.” But that only made me grin as he sidled closer to peek in. I laughed and tried to shove him away, but now Mark and Matt were there too.
“Are those sasquatch holders?” Mark asked.
All at once the guys were dying laughing, leaning against counters and falling on the floor.
“What the hell is all this sasquatch shit?” Tater asked.
Remy was staring at me with wide eyes, her lips pressed together like she was trying not to laugh. “It’s their stupid word for a girl’s crotch,” she answered so he’d drop it. “They’re cavemen.”
Actually,Ihad come up with the stupid word, but nobody corrected her. They were too busy trying to breathe through their laughter. Normally Tater was immature enough to laugh at stuff like that too, but he only glared at them.
I was so glad Rylen was outside. I swatted the guys away from me.
“Don’t you have anything better to do than harass me? Go get your sleeping bags out or something.” But I had to admit, their laughter had brightened my mood.
By the time I boiled our underwear and was hanging it in the bathroom to dry, Tater had fallen asleep on the couch, lying down with a sleeping Remy in his arms. Texas Harry, Matt, Devon, and Mark were all passed out on a layer of sleeping bags in front of them with their boots still on. It was probably only five o’clock, so it was weird to see everyone sleeping. My own eyes were heavy, and my body felt weighed with weariness.
I knew I should spread my sleeping bag and lay down in front of the fire like the others, but I wasn’t ready to sleep yet. I wanted to be outside with Rylen. This was our last night before we’d get to the base, which may or may not have allies waiting for us. Or enemies. I shivered and began wrapping my head with the damp clothing I’d shed earlier when J.D. called out from the room.
“Amber, right? You’re going out there?”
“Yeah. Just for a few minutes.”
Sean gave me a soft grin, probably knowing why I wanted to be outside. J.D. climbed off the bed and went to a small closet.
“I know it’s butt-ass-ugly—it was Thomas’s mother’s that she kept here—but you’re welcome to it.” He handed me an oversized women’s coat from a hanger with a plaid scarf and wooly gray hat that looked hand knitted. A grateful smile plastered across my face.
“Seriously? Thank you! It’s perfect!” He shrugged, having no idea what I would have done for this yesterday and earlier today.
