The Hazards of a One Night Stand (Hazards #2)(30)
Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy

They wrote back with some good lucks.

I called Colt instead of texting.

He picked up on the first ring. “Did you guys leave yet?”

“Wait. Did you know Davie was coming?”

“He mentioned it when we talked, but I didn’t know for sure.”

“And you didn’t tell me…”

“It wasn’t set in stone. Besides, I had other things to discuss with you.” His voice was playful, but I knew he cared. “If you need to talk, just call.”

“Thanks. I’ll be back tomorrow night.”

“Sounds good. Have a safe trip. Oh, and I can’t wait to hear your answer.”

“Did you have to add that?” I walked outside just as I saw Davie’s Ford Explorer pull up.

“Yes. Be safe, pumpkin.”

“Thanks.” I hung up.

Davie got out and pulled me into a hug like he hadn’t just seen me a few weeks before. I guess emotional experiences can make a separation seem longer. We hugged before a honking horn made us both jump. “Ready to go?”

“Yup.” I tossed my bag in the backseat and walked around to the passenger side.

Davie checked his mirrors twice before pulling out onto the road. He’d been in a small wreck the previous spring, and it seemed to have made him more cautious, particularly in a city that had a lot more traffic than he was used to.

He pressed play on his phone, and we were inundated by blaring rock music. Careful or not, he was still Davie.

I turned down the volume without asking. Getting a headache wouldn’t be a great way to start the trip. “I can’t believe we’re doing this.”

“He doesn’t deserve it, but I figure he fathered us, the least we can do is see the guy.” Davie sounded uncharacteristically bitter. He was usually able to brush off anything Dad did or, more often, didn’t do.

“What if he refuses to see me?” I voiced my fear. It was one thing to be told no over the phone, it was going to be harder in person.

“Then he doesn’t see me either. Besides, do you really think he’s going to turn you away?”

“Maybe.” I leaned back against the seat.

“Well, either way, this is good bonding time for us, right?”

I glanced over. He had a completely straight face. “Bonding?”

“Yeah. Isn’t that what siblings are supposed to do?”

“In theory, but I could think of better ways to bond.”

“Oh yeah? Like maybe telling me what’s going on with you and Colt.”

I groaned. “What makes you think anything is going on?”

“Oh, please. Spare me the run around. I already know you two hooked up the last night you were home. Don’t bother denying it.”

“Okay. Assuming that’s true, why would that mean there’s anything going on now?” I was digging. Had Colton told him anything?

“He’s crazy about you, Mallory. He even checked with me to make sure I was cool with you guys getting together.”

“And are you?” I asked softly, not sure what to think or say at the moment.

“He’s a good guy.” Davie took his eyes off the road to look at me. “He’s not Jack.”

“Obviously, he’s not.”

“Is it really that obvious to you? I get the feeling you don’t really believe that.”

“And you’re getting all of that from ten minutes of conversation?” Davie wasn’t far off. I knew he wasn’t Jack, but they were brothers.

“You’ve had a thing for Colton for years. I still don’t get why you didn’t date him instead. But what do I know? I’m just your brother.”

“Like you’re the expert on dating?” My brother went through girlfriends frequently. I guess some might have called him a player, but I couldn’t look at my little brother that way. “Are you still with that Lindsey girl?”

He shook his head. “We broke up last week.”

“Oh. Sorry to hear that.”

He chuckled. “Don’t be. She wasn’t the one.”

“The one? You’re worried about finding the one at seventeen?”

He shrugged. “Weren’t you?”

“No. I’m still not ready to find him, and I’m nineteen.”

“So Colton isn’t the one then?” He turned down the music more.

“Is Colton putting you up to this?”

“What?” He put a hand against his chest like I’d just insulted him. “No. I’m just worried about you.”

“Worried?”

“Yeah. You seemed really upset when you left, and you’re not even posting pictures of your friends on Facebook anymore.” He grinned.

“How are you surviving without the eye candy?”

“It’s fine. I liked the Delta Mu page.”

I swatted at him. “You are such a perv.”

“How does enjoying photos of sorority girls in sexy clothes make me a perv?”

“Because they’re my friends.”

“So what you’re saying is I should like other sorority pages instead?”

“Shut up.”

“Why don’t you just sleep? You look exhausted.”

“Are you sure? Do you need my company to keep you awake?”

“Nope. I think this is all the sibling bonding I can handle.”

I laughed. “Wake me up when we get to the hotel.”

***

We had to jump through twenty hoops to get in to see Dad. I guess the problem with visiting someone in the hospital who doesn’t want to see you is they don’t put you on any visitor lists. Thankfully, Dad’s assistant thought that some quality time with his children was exactly what my father needed.

Davie knocked on the door frame, but he didn’t bother waiting before entering the room.

“Davie?” Dad asked in a quiet voice.

I walked in and stood just behind my brother. I really hoped Dad didn’t freak out when he saw me.

“Mallory?” Dad’s voice said it all.

I stepped around Davie. “Hi, Dad.”

“Hi.” Dad smiled lightly.

I walked over to the bed and leaned down to hug him. He hugged me back for a moment before I stepped back so Davie could take his turn.

“I didn’t expect to see you two.”

“I’m sure you didn’t.” Davie crossed his arms.

Dad turned to me. “Didn’t your mother tell you I preferred that you waited to visit?”