I nodded before turning to our best girl.
“After you,” I said with exaggerated courtesy, almost bowing. “After you, or would you like me to carry you?”
Her face grew pink, that creamy complexion flushing the most beautiful shade. But her aunt’s supposed injury was more important because instead of yelling or sniping back, she merely took a deep breath and pointed to the hatchback in the driveway.
“Well, if I can convince you to get into this deathtrap, then we can take off,” she said tightly. “Or is the ride not nice enough for you?”
I quirked a brow at her. Clearly, Katie was her old sassy self still, no wilting wallflower here.
“It’s fine,” I said with exaggerated courtesy once more. “But should I drive or do you want to? Seems like you’ve had some excitement recently, maybe it’d be better if I took the wheel.”
And rolling those big brown eyes, the brunette tossed the keys at me.
“Fine, let’s go,” she said shortly, getting into the beat-up old VW. Shit, this thing really was a death trap. The window wouldn’t roll down and the seatbelt on the driver’s side was busted, stuck as I tried to yank it forwards.
“You want me to drive?” my girl said archly to me. “I don’t mind going without a seatbelt. After everything that’s happened, that’s the least of our worries.”
I just growled once more, pulling again hard. No luck. Forget it. And looking straight ahead with a determined expression, I jammed the key in the ignition and revved the motor, the car roaring to life before settling into a distinct putter.
“Naw,” I growled. “No seatbelt’s gonna save me from this vehicle. If we don’t explode in a ball of flames on the highway first.”
Katie just rolled her eyes again, crossing those arms over her soft breasts.
“We’ll be fine,” she said sarcastically. “We’ll be fine.”
And I grunted, eyes fixed on the drive while pulling the car out onto the road.
“Hopefully we survive,” I growled.
But once the car got going, I turned to the girl, looking at her from the corner of my eye. The air inside crackled with energy even if it was silent.
“So what was that all about?” I asked, like nothing was wrong. “What was that?”
Katie turned towards me.
“That was my Aunt Mae trying to protect me,” she said tightly. “I told her everything about us. About me, you and Mason, about the fake engagement, the fake everything, and she was disgusted. She was just trying to protect me.”
I snorted because that statement was certainly wrong. Auntie Mae wanted Katie to be with us, it was the opposite of what the brunette thought, she just didn’t know it. But there was no point in getting into that just yet.
“But why’d you take off?” I asked, my voice a low growl. “Why’d you jet like we were lepers or fucking criminals?” Because deep inside, that was the part that hurt the most. Katie, Mason and I had developed a bond I thought, something real even though we were acting out a play. And even if she didn’t feel it, surely it was weird to take off with no warning? So why had she done it?
But the girl refused to answer, instead turning towards the passenger side window and staring out stonily, mouth in a line. I had half a mind to drag her into my lap even as we sped down the highway, to force her to kiss me, opening those lips and breathing some answers. But fine. We’d wait. We’d wait until Mason was here to start with the real Q and A.
And with a squeal of tires, I pulled into the hospital parking lot. Shit, there was the black sedan, and sure enough, there was a pair of orderlies wheeling Auntie Mae into the emergency room as the old lady clutched her leg, screeching, “It hurts! It hurts! Get me a doctor!”
So now it was her leg now, huh? No more back pains? I exchanged a glance with Mason, who trailed the wheelchair into the nondescript building. Clearly, he’d had a talk with Auntie Mae on the ride over, and knew exactly what was going on.
But Katie didn’t know and was frantic with panic.
“Is my aunt going to be okay?” she asked, rushing up to the front desk and gripping the counter. “She’s all I have.”
Oh shit, the brunette had tears in her eyes again, lip trembling. This was just a farce. This was just a small lie within our bigger make-believe story, and there was no reason to be so worried. But of course, the nurse had no idea that Mae was faking, and acted bored, snapping her gum.
“I’m sorry Ma’am, there’s no way we can tell without doing a thorough evaluation first,” she replied, not even looking up. “But we have a load of forms for you to sign, here you go,” she said, pushing a giant stack of papers towards Katie. “You’re next of kin right? Be sure to sign everywhere there’s a yellow X,” the woman said before turning back to her computer, fingers fluttering away at light speed.