Page 62 of Take a Hike
“I know, and thatissuper irritating.” To her surprise, Bones wasn’t behind them yet. It was possible Kieran had lost their tail by just basically going around the block, but Charlie doubted that. No, it was more likely that Rhys had a devious plan. Figuring the white VW and green Jeep would pop up again later, Charlie left her rear-window vigil and turned to face front.
“Irritating? More like enraging.” His cold look of death was back, and Charlie smiled at him as she reached over to give hima consoling pat right above his knee. He glared at her hand as if it had personally offended him, so she left it there just to be contrary. “Why aren’t you enraged?”
She considered the question, enjoying the feel of the tense muscles beneath her palm. “I used to get enraged, but it happens too often now. I have to save my fury for special occasions, like when Fifi was kidnapped, or when Norah was strapped into that bomb vest.”
He made a choked sound as his quadriceps clenched even tighter under her hand. She watched the play of emotions on his face, fascinated, until he relaxed into something that looked like resolve. “You’ll give me a list.”
“Okay.” She waited for more information, but he just gave a satisfied lift of his chin at her answer, so she had to ask for clarification. “A list of what exactly?”
“People we need to kill once this is over.”
“Oh yes.” She beamed at him, feeling like her heart was going to burst. The man was perfect. Not only was he requesting a mortal enemies list, but he knew how to prioritize. All the new and confusing emotions she’d felt since watching Kieran patiently wait for a squirrel to cross the street made sense now, her thoughts clarifying into one crystal-clear, unquestionable truth. “I love you.”
He startled, and the car jerked slightly to the side before he straightened the steering wheel. His mouth opened, but nothing came out before it closed again.
Charlie grinned even wider, rather proud she’d managed to discombobulate Kieran. “You don’t have to say anything.”She meant that. She was content to have told him. Things only bothered her when she kept them inside. Now that the words were out, everything would fall into place—maybe not exactly how she wanted it to, but she was hopeful. When he shot her a dubious look, she laughed. “I mean it. I didn’t say it to make you uncomfortable. Just go to your happy place of scowling silence.”
He huffed a sound that was halfway between amusement and bewilderment, then he did as she suggested.
Humming tunelessly, Charlie pulled out her phone and checked her messages. Seeing that Molly had checked in, Charlie sent a text that the plan had gone off without a hitch. Her sister responded immediately with a whole line of emojis, which likely meant she was on a stakeout and bored. Charlie snickered.Better Moo than me.
“What’s funny?” Kieran asked, still sounding stiffly panicked.
Charlie gave him a fond smile. “Just enjoying the fact that I’m not bored out of my mind on a stakeout.” She realized that she was never bored when she was with Kieran. Just more proof she’d been telling the truth about loving him.
“How do you know?” The words burst from him, sounding much too serious for the topic at hand.
Eyeing him curiously, she shrugged. “stakeouts are almost always boring.”
“No. How do you know…?” His side-eye was projecting so much desperation that she felt bad for him, but she wasn’t able to help him out when she honestly had no idea what he was asking. “You know, about the love thing?”
Despite his utter seriousness, she had to bite the inside of hercheek to keep from laughing. Thelove thing? “I just…know?” She was well aware that she wasn’t the most introspective person, so she shrugged as she struggled to describe the process, since there really hadn’tbeena process. He looked so desperate, however, that she tried her best to explain. “The feelings are just…there. Similar to how I feel about my sisters, but I also want to have sex with you.”
He made another choking sound and then was silent long enough for her to check that he was still breathing. He was, although he looked a little bit shock-y.
Squeezing his leg where she still rested her hand, she asked, “You okay?”
“No.”
This might work out to her advantage. “That’s too bad. Need me to drive?”
His laugh sounded strangled, as if it had been torn from him against his will—even more than usual. “No. I’m fine to drive. You just need to explain this better.”
With a huff of frustration, Charlie lifted her free hand in the air and then let it drop. She knew it would’ve been more dramatic if she’d used both hands, but she wasn’t willing to give up her hold on Kieran’s leg. She really liked touching him. That was probably a love thing too. “Why do I have to explain it at all?”
“Because it doesn’t make any sense!” His voice rose, and she blinked at him in surprise. As much as he’d growled and grumbled, she’d never heard him sound quite this hysterical before.
“Of course it doesn’t make sense,” she said, keeping her voicesoothing despite her exasperation. She wasn’t a philosopher. Why was he askingherof all people to explain romantic love? “It’s not supposed to make sense. It just…is. People love and are loved. It’s not convenient—I mean, this is probably the worst time for me to have gotten all squishy and distracted, since Mom’s first court appearance is tomorrow, and we don’t have herorthe necklace.” Panic crept in as she started talking faster. “She’s going to skip out on her bail, and then Barney will take the house in the most sneering, offensive way, and then all of us are going to be out on the street, and then Dad’s house will be razed so Barney can build something gross, like a hotel where you can shoot mountain lions from your balcony or something like that, and—”
“Hey, enough with that nonsense.” Kieran’s voice was gruff, but his hand was gentle as it curled around hers. He probably just wanted to get her to stop digging her fingers into his leg, but she still appreciated the gesture. “We still have what? Eighteen hours?”
Charlie did the mental math. “More like fourteen.”
“Plenty of time.”
She stared at him but then laughed, feeling the anxiety drain out of her as she did so. Apparently, the way to figuratively slap Kieran out of his hysterics was to indulge in some of her own.Good to know.
“You still haven’t convinced me.”
