Page 314 of Rogue Riders Duet

I just let it be.

Because maybe things don’t have to be perfect to be real.

Maybe they don’t have to be clean to be right.

TWENTY-FIVE

A knock on the window jolts me awake, the hoodie I’d balled up to use as a pillow in the car’s passenger seat half-strangling me. Disentangling myself, I squint through the window.

Great.

I crack the door and swing my legs out, rubbing at my eyes as the heat of the day slams into me. “Everything okay?”

Dane crosses his arms like this is about to be some kind of tactical meeting. “Have you already booked your flight to Canada?”

I glance at my watch. Still early. “No. I figured I’d grab one at the airport.” What I don’t say is that I was kind of—maybe, definitely—hoping to wait until Alaina figured out hers so I could get on the same plane as her.

“Our dad chartered the jet for us.” Dane shifts on his heels.

“Seriously?” I blink. “He did that?”

“Yeah. He’s trying. I told him about her plans, and I think it hit him in the chest. Maybe it scared him enough to actually show up this time.”

I stare at him for a beat, my sleep-drunk brain trying to catch up. “And how do we feel about that?”

Dane sighs. “I don’t know. Honestly? If it helps her and gives her something to lean on, I’m all in. I won’t complain about not having to fly coach for ten hours either.”

“Fair enough.”

It’s weird, talking to him like this. Easy, even. But then Dane narrows his eyes and jerks his chin toward the car. “We’re leaving in ten. You riding with us or?”

Wait. “What?”

“Don’t look at me like that.” Dane sighs. “Al wanted me to ask if you wanted to fly with us. I don’t care if you paddle over there in that thing. I’m pretty sure it’ll swim better than it drives.”

I glance at the sad hunk of metal I’ve been calling home and grimace, but my brain is still stuck on the part that doesn’t compute.

Alaina wanted me to come with them?

She could’ve said nothing. Could’ve just let me show up separately and meet them there. But she didn’t.

“Yeah,” I say, a little too fast. “Yeah, I’ll ride with you. Just need to grab my stuff. I’ll leave the car here. Not like I’ll get lucky enough for someone to steal it.”

“You’ve really been living out of this rusty piece of shit the whole week?”

“Hey.” I grab my backpack and duffel from the back seat. “It’s not that bad. Better than that one time we got locked out of the hotel in France and had to sleep on those patio chairs.”

His mouth twitches like he wants to smile at the memory, but won’t give me the satisfaction. “Get in the bus and grab a shower before we leave. I’m not flying in a small fucking cabin with you smelling like this.”

“Noted.” I grab the last bag and reach for my BMX but then hesitate. I can’t bring it on the jet, but can I leave it here?

“Bring it. We have room.” Dane grumbles, then turns and walks off.

I sling everything over my shoulder before following him across the lot toward the bus.

The doors open when we get there, and the second I step up into the cool interior, my heart stutters.

She’s here.