I was certain Jaxson helped him with his ‘game.’ I had a feeling that the addition of brothers was his doing though. I guess it was easier than saying my sister’s connections. My brothers-in-law. Brothers being plural.
“We’re going to the best,” the mean step sister said with another hair flip. “You and your brothers can come with us.”
“Actually,” Kade smiled as he looked at the girl that was now hiding in the back. “I was hoping you would show me,” he directed the statement at the slightly awkward but still pretty girl. “You know, just as friends because we aren’t from around here,” he quickly added.
“I’m new here, too,” the girl blushed as she muttered her response.
“Then we can go together and see if it’s cool together,” Kade offered.
The girl looked at him suspiciously. “Why just me? I’m hanging out with them
today. You don’t even know me. And how am I supposed to know if you’re not some sicko?”
The other girls gasped at her audacity, while I smiled at the girl’s moxey.
“Hi, I’m Kade,” Kade held out his hand. “Now we’re not strangers, and I promise you I’m not a sicko.”
She shrugged. “Maybe I’ll see you out there then. We’re going to triple S’s.”
“Can I get your number?” he asked stuffing his hand into his pockets. I frowned wondering how he was going to get a number with no phone.
She placed her order with the barista and then picked up a napkin and pen off the counter, then scribbled her number on a napkin. “Here, but just friends. You’re not from around here.”
I quietly giggled.
Kade walked away and the other girls immediately started treating the other girl better. I assumed they thought if they were nicer to her, they could all hang out with Kade as well.
“How are you going to text the girl?” I asked Kade as we left the coffee shop exactly four hours after we got there.
Georgia, Texas—both brother and sister from the Illinois team—and Yaris had relieved us from the coffee shop. We had began packing up as we saw them enter the establishment. We wanted to make sure they could inconspicuously slide into our newly vacated seats without it looking to obvious.
“I’m getting him an early Christmas present,” Jaxson stated. Then he looked over at me with one of his dimpled smiles. “I already texted Dad, and he’s going to add him and Micah to the plan. Then I’ll just buy them the phones. I already googled the phone store and it’s right down the street. Do you want to walk or drive?”
I looked at him in bemusement. “Shouldn’t we discuss this first?”
“Mom and Dad didn’t let me have a phone either. I was the only ninth grader without a phone,” Kade said with a shrug.
I had gotten Ella a burner phone for emergency calling only. She didn’t have all the bells and whistles that most of the kids in her class had. It wasn’t neces
sary, especially at their ages. I just didn’t understand the logic behind some of them having phones yet. My Dad’s old-fashioned beliefs had rubbed off on me.
On the other hand, Micah and Kade were mature enough to have them, and I couldn’t imagine them using them for anything inappropriate.
I looked Kade. “If Jaxson wants to get it for you for Christmas then I won’t stop him, but no sexting, posting anything inappropriate on social media, and just be careful to remember we are now in a secret facility, so don’t take pictures you shouldn’t.”
Kade turned bright red as Jaxson guffawed.
“You can check my phone anytime you want, and I don’t have social media!” Kade muttered in embarrassment.
“I already planned to,” I teased him.
“Really?” Jaxson asked me in surprise. “Even Dad didn’t do that to us.”
I raised my brow at him. “Knowing Tamara and the girl’s you guys surrounded yourselves with, he should have.”
Jaxson actually reddened confirming my suspicions. “Oh, look there’s the store,” Jaxson said with feigned excitement. “Are you thinking Apple products or Droid?” he asked Kade.
Kade started laughing. “I would like to take a look.”