Page 39 of Dirty Daria

“Are you sure?” Quinn asks.

“Yes.”

“Huh, I thought all the tropical places were in the Caribbean,” Quinn says.

“Hawaii is tropical,” Mack says. “And not in the Caribbean.”

“Right, but it’s in America so it doesn’t count,” Quinn retorts.

“Can’t argue with that fucking logic,” I add.

Quinn smiles big. I don’t point out that it wasn’t a compliment. How can I be so attracted to someone who bugs me so much? She’s just so . . .

Case in point.

Quinn is now pantomiming some sort of dirty hula dance and humming tiny bubbles. And fuck me if I can’t take my eyes off her. She sees me watching her after a moment and winks. I return my attention to my phone.

“Flights are going to be a pain in the ass,” I tell Mack. “It’s going to take over thirty hours of travel time and they are half a day ahead. No way will Uncle Sam spring for anything more than economy. David will arrive way before we do, we’ll lose him anyway.”

“We won’t lose him,” Mack says, as he sips coffee and watches Daria and Quinn whisper to one another off to the side of the room. “How much is first-class?”

“An additional nine thousand per ticket.”

Mack chokes on his coffee and looks at me wide-eyed. “Jesus Christ. What about business-class?”

I look down at my phone. “An additional three thousand per ticket.”

“Fuck me.” He groans. I don’t blame him. Economy class isn’t comfortable for a guymysize for any longer than three hours or so, so I can’t imagine how it is for Mack. “How much of the travel time is actual airtime?”

“Twenty-two hours.”

He runs his hand over the back of his neck, squeezing. “Book the fucking economy.”

I nod.

“Wait,” Daria says. I look up at her as she approaches. “I may have access to a private plane.”

“You may have?” I confirm.

“I do have,” she amends.

“That we can use?” Mack hedges.

She nods. “On one condition.”

“Anything,” Mack promises.

I glare at him, he ignores me.

“We go with you,” she says.

“Who’s we?” I ask.

“Quinn and me.”

“No fucking way,” Mack says, at the same time I say, “Absolutely not.”

Daria takes Quinn’s hand in hers. “Okay, have fun in economy.” The ladies walk out the door and turn down the hall.