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—Holly—
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Isaiah twisted in his seat. “Not again? What do you mean not again?”
Ignoring his stupid-ass question, I forcefully shoved my foot into the partially inside-out leg of my track pants, nearing hysteria levels when the constable’s shadow passed over the rear window.
“Fuck, I am so dead!”
“Chill, Mama. I’ll handle it,” Isaiah drawled in his reassuring I’ve got this tone.
But nothing would make me chill. Not now. And my panic shot higher as the officer rapped a knuckle on the Isaiah’s window.
“Sir, roll down your window.”
“Fuck fuck fuuuuuck,” I whisper-screamed.
Isaiah grunted while adjusting himself within his pants, then glanced at me. “I’m not unlocking this vehicle until you’re dressed, Hols. Just g’me the word.”
“Okay, hold uuuup.” I lifted my hips and pulled my track pants over my ass so fast the fabric seam bit into the tender flesh between my legs.
Another impatient knock cracked against the window. “Sir, roll your window down.”
“Wait!” Isaiah yelled.
After one last straighten of my disheveled clothing and hair, I gave him the go-ahead. “Okay. Let me handle this.”
He scoffed and depressed the window button. “I got this, babe.”
I fought the urge to cower out of sight as the officer’s face became revealed. My pulse kicked so hard I almost dry-retched.
Isaiah set an elbow on the windowsill and turned up the charm. “Hey, brother. Wassup?”
The familiar cop glowered from behind dark aviators. “I’ve pulled you over due to dangerous driving. You were all over the road. License and registration, please.”
“Dangerous driving?” Isaiah exclaimed. “Brother, I ain’t been drivin’ dangerously! And I ain’t givin’ you shit.”
The declaration was met with displeased, pursed lips. “Isaiah Morillo, step out of the vehicle please.”
Fuck. There was no getting away with this without making myself known. After taking a deep breath and hoping this gossip didn’t circulate our family, I shifted forward into the space between the driver and passenger seat.
The cop’s mouth dropped open in disbelief. Any other time or place I would have laughed.
Instead, I forced a shaky smile. “Hey, Uncle.”
“Uncle!” Shocked in disbelief, Isaiah whipped in my direction and thumbed over his shoulder. “This guy is another fucking Gatlin?”
I pressed a hand to my mouth, trying to hide how funny I found his outburst. “Uh, yeah. Isaiah, meet my uncle Reed. Scout’s brother.”
My bad influence banged his head against the headrest while letting loose a string of curses.
“Christ, Holly, again!” Reed’s tone pitched. “As if the first time doesn’t haunt me enough...”
I grimaced. “I’m sorry! Please don’t tell Dad. Especially after last week...”
Isaiah glanced between us. “What first time? You guys aren’t referring to the footage leak, are you?”
Reed pursed his lips and shook his head. “Unfortunately, no.”
A wash of disappointment shot through me. Isaiah made a show of twisting in his seat, turning his full attention to me.
World swallow me now.
I looked everywhere but Isaiah’s dark eyes and my uncle’s smirk.
Annoyance eventually got the better of me. “It was like, five years ago, guys. I’m not going to talk about it,” I burst out, throwing up my hands then pointing at Isaiah. “And I’m most definitely not telling you about it.”
Reed laughed. “Dude, you don’t want to know. It was ugly, man.”
“Shut up, Reed!” I yelled despite laughing.
“You’re gonna tell me later,” Isaiah vowed in a low voice, then turned to my uncle. “So, do you still need me to get out of the car? Because, in my humble opinion, it’s not necessary.”
Reed schooled his smirk and looked at me over the top edge of his aviators. “I’m in two minds: I’d never hear the end of arresting my niece’s boyfriend, but then again, this is the second indiscretion Holly has been involved in. Third, if you count last week.”
Isaiah straightened. “C’mon, dawg. We were just—”
I touched his bare chest to silence him. “Reed’s joking. You can tell by his stupid smirk.”
Said smirk turned into a grin, and Reed’s hearty laughter filled the SUV. “Aww, c’mon, Hols. Let me have a little more fun!”
“Absolutely not.”
His snicker faded as he became serious. “But speaking of fun, save it for the bedroom, yeah? Or at least when you’re not driving through fucking town. If someone else had pulled you over, you wouldn’t be driving away with just a verbal warning.”
“Promise I won’t,” Isaiah drawled.
“Good,” Reed snapped, before shucking his professional cop persona once more. “So, how long you in town for?”
Isaiah smirked. “As long as it takes to win back my girl and figure out where we go from here.”
My uncle arched a dark brow. “I’d say you’ve successfully achieved half of that, given the circumstances...”
I playfully slapped Isaiah’s solid pec when he laughed, then flipped off Reed. “We’re done here!” I announced.
The guys exchanged a slapping handclasp in lieu of a handshake, then Reed pointed to me. “Don’t leave town without saying goodbye. I’ll give you coal for Christmas if you do.”
“I bet you won’t!”
“Try me, Holly,” he deadpanned.
After a two-finger salute off his brow, Reed backed up a pace and nodded to indicate he was done.
As Isaiah rolled the window up and burst into laughter, I flung myself onto the backseat and covered my face. “Oh my god, that was mortifying!”
Isaiah craned his neck to look back at me and grinned from ear to ear. “Your bra is still on the front seat, Mama.”
Dead. I was officially dead.
