Hank and I return to the car where Austin and Jenni stand together, leaning on the Charger. Austin looks so tall next to petite little Jenni, who’s barely 5’. Austin has one hand in the food basket and a piece of cheese between his fingers and his mouth. An idea comes to me. I snatch the food basket from his hand.
“We’re going to a park to eat.”
Austin frowns at me while he eyes the basket. “Why can’t we just eat here and save time? It’ll be like ten minutes and we’ll be back on the road.”
I feel stupid as the three of them glare back at me. “I’d like to go to a park, please. I need to walk around.”
Hanks reaches in and grabs a sandwich. His bite leaves half of it in his hand. He answers me with a mouth full of food as he holds it out to me. “Here.”
Austin flops against the car and shakes his head. “Dude. Shut your mouth.” He looks back at me and hands me the keys. “I’m not sure he’s housebroke, Amy. Seriously.”
Hank’s full mouth flops open again, and crumbs fly. “I am too housebroke.”
I say nothing in return. I blush as Jenni giggles before crawling in the backseat to look out the window at Austin, who stares at me. She tugs on his hand. “Austin. Get in the car.”
I smile at Jenni before giving Austin a withering look. I hand the food basket back to him. “Yeah, Austin. Get in the car.”
I march around the front of the Charger and climb in behind the wheel. I fiddle around with moving the seat up so I can reach the gas. Hank puts his seatbelt on and resumes staring at me while I try to concentrate on driving. It takes a little bit, but I’m satisfied when I pull up to the rope park, which turns out to be a very cool park with Teflon ground covering and a bunch of climbing structures made up of rope. We make short work of our meal, and the guys start an unspoken game of King of the Mountain, scaling the ropes like monkeys on speed while Jenni and I repack the food supplies in the basket before taking a walk.
Jenni leans over and talks low. “I can’t believe you kissed that Neanderthal.”
I giggle in spite of myself. “I can’t believe I liked it.” I shiver. “Way too much.”
Jenni turns to stare at me. “You two didn’t..”
“What? No. Of course not. Geez.”
Jenni looks at me again, questioning. “Do you want to?”
I look back at Hank and Austin, standing on the top of the monkey bars, balancing themselves as they face each other. “I hope not.” Jenni and I look at each other before we laugh out loud. I look back to see Hank go off the side of the monkey bars. He lands on the ground. I turn back to Jenni. “I swear. If he goes to the hospital because he hurt himself on playground equipment, I will be so mad.”
We start walking again, and Jenni answers. “He won’t. He’s Hank the Tank. He’s indestructible.” She elbows me in the side.
I look back at her and watch her face as I ask her a question. “What do you think of Austin, the man-whore?”
She frowns. “You’re being a little harsh, don’t you think?”
I pause a second before shaking my head. “No. Not really.”
She looks at me again. “How do you know? Are there that many girls who come over?”
I hate the quiver in her voice. “Well, no. They don’t come to the house, but I’ve heard the rumors. He goes to lots of parties.”
She crosses her arms on her chest. “Exactly. They’re just rumors. You don’t even know if they’re true.” Her words are biting, and I’m afraid I’ve gone too far. This is the reason we never talk about Austin, and I can’t believe I forgot.
We walk on quietly for a bit and then we come up on a stream. “This park is really beautiful.”
She smiles her little smile. “Are you changing the subject?”
I venture an answer. “May-be.”
She stops and looks at me all serious. I’m a little scared. “Is Austin a deal-breaker?”
“Excuse me?”
She sighs, looking sideways. “If I hook up with Austin, would it ruin our friendship?”
I relax. “No. I mean, if that’s what you really want.”
She grins back at me. “It would be a fun summer.”
I can’t believe her words, or my reaction. “Jenni. You’re not going to hurt him, are you?”
“Me? Hurt Austin? Please. That boy knows how to handle girls.” She looks at me again. “First you tell me he’s a player, and now you’re telling me to be nice to him. Are you sure you don’t care if I go for him?”
I shrug off my feeling of unease. “No I don’t care. It’s just that he only dates a certain type of girl—one without substance. You’re different.”
She takes my arm in hers. We stop at the steep embankment we just walked up. “I think the only one in danger of getting hurt is me. I’m willing to take the risk. Austin’s worth it.” She stares at me a little longer before smirking at me. “Besides, what’s a road trip without a little romance? I’ll forgive you for liking a Caveman if you forgive me for liking a Player.”
I can’t help but smile back at her as I shoulder bump her. “Deal.”
She stares out at the fat pipe crossing the creek bed below. “Shall we walk across?”
I give her a tiny shove. “You first.”