As she scampered back through the open garage door of Ruff Patch, I called out behind her. “You know Disney isn’t anywhere near Miami!”
“IT’S ON THE WAY!”
“She won't give up on that.” Jaesung rolled his eyes and shepherded Poo-stank into the back seat. I climbed into the driver’s seat and Jaesung hitched himself up into the passenger’s seat beside me. “We might have to stop on the way just to get her to shut up.”
I tossed my backpack into the space between our seats. “I don’t think Mom would mind.”
His slightly harassed expression softened. He nodded, and then his hand extended toward me. I took it, the hennaed mandala standing out a dark reddish black against my skin. Jaesung swept a thumb over it.
“Deepti won't get mad at you for leaving Minnesota, right?”
I shook my head. “I’m not exactly under house-arrest. And anyway, I texted her. She seemed to think it was a good idea, though I think she’s concerned I won’t come back.”
I thought of Morgan, who hadn’t shown back up these past three months. A postcard from Toronto hung on the fridge. There’d been no message attached, but I recognized his writing in the address.
Jaesung’s fingers tightened on mine. “Did you tell her she has nothing to worry about?”
There was a note of concern in his voice, like he secretly wanted me to tell him the same thing.
I twisted in the driver’s seat, looking over at him. He rolled his head toward me along the back of the seat, meeting my eyes. His hair had grown out a bit. The sides were no longer as short and neat, and it had taken him more product to get the long top strands to keep away from his face.
I thought about it. I had no idea what would happen when I went back to Miami, whether I would be struck with disgust or nostalgia at the familiar sights. I was going with the intention of saying goodbye.
“Scared?” I asked.
“Starting to wish I hadn’t suggested it,” he answered. Then he squeezed my hand. “Nah. Not really.” He squeezed again. “Okay, slightly.”
Poo-stank chose that moment to whuff softly in the back seat. We looked over to see Krista hurrying toward us, waving over her shoulder at Sanadzi.
“Don’t,” I said. “Miami was never really home.”
He nodded, and when he glanced at me again, there was a bright look in his eyes that made my stomach tighten. “So,” he said, lips curling. “I don’t mean to be funny, given your—well, our—condition, but….”
I quirked an eyebrow suspiciously. “Yeah?”
He leaned across the space, tugging my hand until I leaned in too. His breath was warm on my lips, and I saw the crinkle of his cheeks as he grinned. “Stay.”
I wasn’t sure whether to smack him or give in to the twitch of happiness in my chest. Luckily, Krista chose that moment to swing open the passenger’s door and hurl herself inside.
“ROAD TRIP, BITCHES!” she screamed, tossing a huge jar of cash onto the floor in front of Poo-stank. “I am ready to go meet Harry Potter and eat a giant fucking Turkey Leg. Poo-stank wants one too, don’t you Poopoo?”
Jaesung twisted back around. “I don’t think they let dogs into Universal, Krista.”
Krista grabbed Poo-stank’s furry cheeks and wobbled them back and forth. His tongue lolled out, licking her wrist. “Who could say no to that face?” she cooed, then leaned in to receive kisses. “Nobody says no to Poopie. No. Hey, I brought music! Turn on the car and go to bluetooth!”
Jaesung looked at me, cringe-smiling under her enthusiasm. “Are we there yet?”
I turned the keys in the ignition, blasted the music, and pulled the SUV onto the street. I thought about checking the rearview mirror, getting one last look at Ruff Patch, just in case, but I didn’t.
I would be back. After all, it was home.
Acknowledgments
Without the support of lots of friends, this book would not exist. Thanks especially to Adryn Erickson, Samantha Dell’Armo, and Raven Wei, who suffered through a terrible early attempt at the book and believed in it anyway. David Bjorlin beta read the shit out of the new draft, and Matthew J. Drake made sure I didn’t shoot myself in the foot with gun knowledge.
Further thanks to Pip Ballantine and John G. Hartness for their kindness in reading and blurbing the book.
The beautiful cover was made by Starla Huchton of Designed by Starla with formatting by Tee Morris and Pip Ballantine.
Also, thanks to my brother, John Winston Harris, for answering my questions about police procedure for picking up female streakers, even if I didn’t get to use that scene. *shakes fist* Book Two!!!
About the Author
Lauren was raised by an impulsive furniture mover and an itinerant TV News professional in a string of homes up and down the East Coast of the United States. Eventually settling (sort of) in Raleigh, NC, Lauren befriended a band of whimsical nerds who found themselves de-facto beta readers for her scribblings.
After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she studied English and Classics, Lauren moved to Tokyo, Japan for three years. While there, she studied Japanese, taught English, and fell in love with the hot drink section in the vending machines.
Now, Lauren balances a day-job of Cardiac Ultrasound with her passion for writing and other creative pursuits. She is the author of The Millroad Academy Exorcists novella series and an Assistant Editor at Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show. Her narration and voice acting can be heard on Audible.com, EscapePod, and various short fiction podcasts.
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Unleash (Spellhounds Book 1) Page 33