The Model Couple [on hiatus]

🌻 Chapter 24

🌻

Hayden looks over his sunglasses out the car window at me as he calls, "Get in loser, we're going shopping."

I get his reference instantly and can't help but reply, "So fetch!" as I quickly get into the back with Ellie. I see that Ry is driving. He gives Hayden a disappointed look, "Dude," as he peels out of the parking lot at a speed that could be classified as reckless.

Hayden laughs, "What?! You've never seen Mean Girls?"

Ry shakes his head, "I don't know, maybe. But I don't have it memorized."

We are zipping away down the road, surrounded by the beautiful Hawaiian greenery when I realize we are forgetting something, or rather someone. "What about Neil?! He was getting the camera." Gosh. "And Ry, you are driving too fast."

Ry doesn't slow down, but looks back over his shoulder at me like he is trying to see if I'm for real. Thank goodness he focuses back on the road before he says, "You seriously want to be filmed all day? I, for one, am glad to get a break from the cameras."

I'm still frowning, "Neil is going to think I ditched him. And besides, Rhiannon said we could only take the cars if we had a cameraman." I grip the handle on the door. "Can you drive the speed limit on these curves please?"

Ry scoffs, "First of all Buttercup, you are supposed to be learning to break rules, remember? This is a great opportunity for less obedience on your part."

Hayden pumps his fists in the air, "YES! Bad girl Brooklyn incoming!"

Ry continues as if Hayden hasn't interrupted, "And secondly, Neil isn't supposed to be filming you. Stacy told him to stay away."

Now I'm really frowning, "She did? Why?" We are leaving the shady wooded area and are starting to enter town. He hasn't slowed at all so I whine, "I'm getting kinda sick back here, can you please, please slow down?" 

Ry looks back at my face which scares me to death that he is driving this fast and not looking out the window. I almost scream but he slows down fast and mutters something under his breath. But then I'm not sure he really slowed down for me because he pulls into a parking lot of a Starbucks.

I get out of the car on wobbly legs and walk around to Ry. I grab the key fob hanging from his fingers and tug. I sigh with relief as he lets me have them. "You drive like a maniac."

He gives me a cheeky smile, "You'll get used to it." No, I won't. He will not be driving again today. I put the fob in my pants pocket.

We head into the coffee shop and give our orders. There is remarkably a lot of people in here. People in line to order, people waiting for their drinks. Some sitting at tables with laptops. 

It is one of those independent stores that has a slightly different vibe with miss-matched chairs and local art. There is a bookshelf of used books by the door with a sign that says, FREE LIBRARY: TAKE A BOOK OR LEAVE A BOOK. It's been so long since I've read a book. Seriously like almost two weeks. Maybe I should get one for our next plane ride. They've let us do pretty much what we want on the planes.

I kneel next to the bookshelf and run my fingertips along the book spines as I look at the titles. "Fondling the contraband?" I look at Haydie with confusion. Normally I understand him. He clarifies, "We're not allowed to have books, Hometown. Contraband."

"I just thought, for the plane, maybe they wouldn't mind."

His shoulders drop, "Dang, I thought you were bein' a bad girl." He points at me, "Someday. Someday soon, you are going to break some rules. And I'm going to be all here for it. Your biggest cheerleader." He smirks as I pull out Return of the King. "Why is it taking so long?" He pauses. "I hate waiting."