Page 28 of Hale Yes (Highway to Hale #1)

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Kinky recognizes kinky

Nicolette

For some reason, I woke up this morning craving corn dogs. It was the weirdest thing because it’s not something I eat all the time. In fact, I haven’t had one since the state fair last fall.

Brushing that aside, I get dressed and go downstairs, finding Helix and my dad cooking breakfast. “Hey, guys,” I say, and they both turn to greet me.

“Morning, babe,” Helix says, and I get a fluttering low in my belly at the endearment.

So I stand on tiptoe and kiss his cheek.

I didn’t plan to; it just felt like the natural thing to do.

He doesn’t seem to mind, and dips one eyelid in a wink.

Cue more flutters, though these are a bit farther south.

“What are you two up to today?” Pop asks, beating the eggs in a cobalt-blue glass bowl.

Helix flips a piece of bacon in the pan. There’s something so hot about a domesticated man. “I thought maybe you’d like to go to the airport and see the Falcon this morning.”

Pop’s hand pauses and his entire face brightens like Helix just announced we were taking an impromptu trip to the moon where we’d be invited to an all-you-can-eat jambalaya buffet. “Are you for real?”

My boyfriend— fake boyfriend—laughs. “Totally for real.”

I jump in to help with breakfast, putting biscuits on a pan when Rory enters through the kitchen door. “Morning, everyone.”

We all greet him, and then Pop is back to talking excitedly about the morning’s plans. “Helix is taking me to see his plane, Rory.”

“For real? Can I come?”

Helix’s eyes flash to me, and I shrug that I don’t really care. “Sure,” he replies. “We can all go.”

Ma and Angelica come downstairs just as we’re putting the food on the dining room table. We discuss tonight’s party while we eat, and my sister is in her element, the center of attention, just how she likes it.

Rory rests an arm on the back of Angelica’s chair. “Babe, Helix is taking us to the airport to check out his plane. We all get to go. Won’t that be cool?”

Her head whips to the side like something out of a horror movie, her eyes burning like lasers. “ We won’t be going anywhere. Have you forgotten our engagement party is tonight?”

He chuckles and darts his gaze nervously around the table before coming back to his fiancée’s. “Baaaabe, that’s, like, eleven hours away. And you said you got that event planner lady so you wouldn’t have to do anything today and could just relax.”

An event planner? Who the hell paid for that?

Not my circus, not my monkeys, I try to remind myself on repeat.

After Angelica forbids Rory from going with us and Ma declines, Pop, Helix, and I head to the airport.

My dad is in hog heaven. He’s toured the entire plane and even got to sit in the cockpit. Now he’s up on one of those moving ladder things with one of the mechanics inspecting the engine.

“You’ve made his day. Heck, probably his entire year,” I tell Helix as we watch Pop check his phone, frown, and tap out a message before sticking his head back near the engine.

“I hope it was okay that I offered. He seemed genuinely interested, but I didn’t want to come across as… you know…” He shrugs, and his lips twist to the side.

I grip his bicep, and holy beakers! This man is firm . “Not at all. I appreciate you indulging him.”

Helix loops an arm around my shoulders, playing the part of the doting boyfriend. Only… the feel of his warm body next to mine makes me wish this wasn’t fake.

“I wanted to run this by you before I mentioned it to your dad, but I asked Eliora how long it would take to get a flight plan approved. I thought maybe Mr. Bell would like to go for a quick ride.”

Eliora Dubois is the pilot that flew us here. She’s a lovely woman in her forties with dark-brown eyes and a no-nonsense raven bob that hits about chin length.

My eyes almost pop out of my head. “He would freaking love that! What did she say?”

“She said for a short trip, the FAA would probably approve it within the hour since it’s not too busy here today.”

It’s impossible to describe how excited I am for my dad, and my affection for Helix Hale grows by leaps and bounds. The cost to just fire up this plane is probably more than Pop makes in a month.

“I think it’s been years since he’s been on an airplane,” I say, “and as far as I know, he’s never been on a private jet.”

Helix’s grin is as big as my own. “Let’s talk to him and see what he thinks.” He seems genuinely happy, as if doing this for a man he met yesterday brings him actual joy.

I look up at Pop to find him scowling at his phone again as he types. “Pop, can you come down here for a second?” I call, and a few seconds later, he’s back on the ground. I nudge Helix since this is his plane and his idea.

When he presents the offer, my father’s neck cranes in astonishment. “Are you fucking serious?”

Helix laughs. “Yes sir, Mr. Bell. Can I assume you’re interested?”

“Well, hell yes, I am. And call me Albert.”

“Okay, Albert. I’ll give the pilot a call.”

When Pop’s phone rings, he checks it and then rolls his eyes as he holds up a finger. “Let me just grab this. It’s Bridget.”

He walks off and places the phone against his ear. We can’t hear my mother’s side of the conversation, but we get the gist of it from what Pop is saying.

“I thought we paid the venue extra since they have an in-house florist… Then why do you want me to come back? I don’t know anything about flowers…

Seriously, Bridget? You need me to come and help you decide where to put the centerpieces?

Put them in the damn center of the tables…

What? I don’t even know what an aesthetic is.

Sounds like some kind of anti-inflammatory pill. ”

I’m getting a bad feeling about this, and when my eyes meet Helix’s, I can tell he’s getting the same vibe.

Pop throws his hands in the air, and his voice lowers, though it’s still audible due to the echoing acoustics in the hangar.

“You made me take out a loan for this party, Bridget, because Angelica just had to have her party at Bridgewater Hall and insisted on this particular party planner… I realize that, but what did I pay the planner six thousand dollars for if you want me to come all the way back and make flower decisions?... Yeah, well maybe someone should pay me six thousand dollars since I’m doing her job…

And not to mention the costs of renting the venue and catering and every other little thing…

Fine, I’ll come back, but we’re not eating anything but beans and toast for the next twenty years because we’re not going to have money for groceries. ”

He slams a thick finger against the phone screen, and I watch as his back rises and falls with his heaving breaths. When he finally turns around, I quickly pretend like Helix and I are deep in conversation about work.

“I’m not sure I like that name for the new mascara.”

My boss catches on immediately and asks, “No? What do you suggest we call it?”

“How about—Oh, hey, Pop,” I say, acting as though I just saw him walk up and hadn’t been eavesdropping on that whole conversation.

He looks miserable, his voice dreary. “I have to go back. I thought everything was planned to a T, but your mother and Angelica need me. I’m sorry, guys.”

Helix’s lips droop at the corners. “It’s no problem. We’ll head back now, and I promise, we’ll get you a ride on the Falcon soon.”

Pop stares longingly at the sleek silver plane and sighs. “Yeah, I guess.” Then he returns his gaze to us. “And it’s silly for all of us to go back. I’ll just catch a rideshare, and you two go get lunch and have some fun.”

I make a fast decision. “Pop, why don’t I go help Ma and Angelica so you can go up in the plane?

I don’t mind, since I’ve already gotten to ride on it.

” Okay, that’s a bit of a fib because the last place I want to be is with my mother and sister.

But Pop deserves a little fun. He works hard with very little thanks.

He shakes his head. “She specifically said me. It will be okay. Why don’t you call your New York friends and see if they want to meet up? I’m sure they’d like to meet your new beau.”

I argue with him, but he’s not having it. My chest almost cracks in two when he glances sadly back at the plane once more before heading out to meet his Uber. I’m fucking fuming.

“Are you okay?” Helix asks, placing his hand softly against the back of my neck. I like the touch way too much.

“Not really. There’s no way she needs his help with flower arrangements. Building a shelf? Yes. Working on the plumbing? Also yes. But centerpieces?” I stomp my foot in anger. “She was just pissy because he was having fun with me.”

Helix’s hand squeezes. “Does she enjoy making other people miserable?” He winces. “Sorry, I know that’s your mother.”

That makes me smile a little. “No offense taken. Ma likes being in control, and she knows Pop won’t refuse if she says it’s something Angelica needs.”

He scoffs. “ Needs . Yeah, right. Your Pop needs to learn to say no.”

My lips twitch. “Maybe he should find his own inner elephant.”

Two hours later, we’re eating burgers at a diner halfway between New York City and my parents’ house in Jersey. Artie, Lehra, and Cruz were all excited to meet up when I called them, and Helix insisted he was fine with going. After all, what else were we going to do with the rest of our day?

Lehra dabs at the tears running down her cheeks with a paper napkin. “No he did not threaten you while wearing a bathrobe and holding a goose,” she wheezes through her laughter.

Helix smiles indulgently. “He did indeed.”

“Never know what will happen in Houston,” Cruz cracks.

“Cruz is from Galveston,” I remind Helix. “He’s the one who gave me all the restaurant recommendations.”

Cruz shakes his head. “I can’t believe La Mariscada is closed. My mom used to take me there for my birthdays when I was a teenager.”

“When you and Lehra come to visit, we’ll take you to The Tapas Table,” Helix tells him. “They have a lot of the same dishes.” I don’t miss the we in that offer.

Leaning across the table, I lower my voice. “When Helix took me there, he said we were going to a tapas bar, and I thought he said topless bar. I was completely freaked out until I figured it out.”

The table erupts in laughter again. We’re having so much fun, and Helix fits right in with my friends. He and Cruz begin talking about football while Lehra and Artie ask about everything going on in my life. God, I’ve missed them.

“Sounds like you have great neighbors,” Artie comments after a few minutes. “I mean besides Stefan almost committing assault with a deadly weapon against your boyfriend.”

“Shhh,” I shush him, waving my hand and glancing at Helix, who is still engrossed in a conversation with Cruz about the best running backs in the league. “I told you, it’s only fake.”

Artie, the master of dubious looks, lifts a perfectly waxed eyebrow. “Whatever you say, baby doll.” Luckily he lets it go and changes the subject. “So you said Stefan and Lukas are drag queens?”

“Yes, and they gave me two tickets to the grand reopening of the club where they work. I wish you were available in two weeks so you could fly to Texas and go with me.”

He mock pouts. “I’m going to be in Seattle that weekend or I totally would. Plus, I really wanted to check out that Cowboy Yoga class you were talking about.”

I swirl one of my french fries in ketchup. “It’s fine. I’ll just go by myself.”

Helix, who’s sitting to my right, turns his head with a scrunched brow. “Where are you going by yourself?”

“Stefan and Lukas’s drag club. It’s in a couple weeks.”

He purses his lips. “Hmm, I’ll go with you, if you want.”

I gape at him with the fry halfway to my lips. “You don’t have to do that, Helix.”

With a nonchalant shrug, he replies, “I don’t mind. I like drag shows.”

“You’ve been to a show?” Artie asks him, skepticism edging his tone.

“Yeah, when I was a freshman at MIT, my roommate had just come out. He enjoyed going to the shows, so I would go with him.” His lips bump up at one corner, forming his cute, dimpled half-smile.

“Mark was still a little skittish and wasn’t ready for anyone to approach him yet, so I was there as kind of a buffer. But I had fun.”

Popping the crispy potato into my mouth, I chew and think. It couldn’t hurt anything, right? “Okay, if you’re sure you don’t mind.”

“Not a bit, queenie. After all, what are fake boyfriends for?” He winks, and I’m pretty sure he heard what we were talking about earlier. Great.

“Oh. My. God,” Lehra says dramatically the second we’re in the restroom. “Helix is so hot. Tell me what’s going on with you two.”

“Nothing, I promise,” I say, holding up one hand like I’m taking the witness stand in a trial.

She huffs her displeasure. “You should date him for real.”

“He’s my boss,” I remind her, going into one of the stalls.

As soon as I pull my shorts down and sit, I hear my friend in the one beside me. “That only makes it hotter,” she sings. “He’s so perfect for you. Smart and sweet. I mean, really, Nic. He volunteered to go home with you and pretend to be your boyfriend when your sister was acting like a bitch.”

“He was just being a good friend.”

“And,” she goes on, ignoring my argument, “he’s taking you to dinner every Friday night. Not to mention that bit about him going with his friend to a drag club in college. That’s a really good man. He’s not some intolerant boob who thinks going to that type of show would lessen his manhood.”

“Great. Now I’m thinking about his manhood,” I say dryly, and Lehra snorts out a stream of giggles.

“He definitely has a crush on you, and I think you might just be crushing on him as well.”

I let that statement hang in the air, grateful to have the excuse to flush so I don’t have to answer right away. While I’m washing my hands, my friend exits her stall and meets my eye in the mirror while she takes the sink beside me. She’s not going to let me get away with not responding.

“Okay, fine. He’s attractive.” When she tilts her head, I admit, “ Very attractive, okay? But I’ve sworn off dating other scientists. You know this.”

She rolls her pretty blue eyes. “I think he could be different though. I bet he could light your Bunsen burner right quick.”

“Oh my god, you’re so ridiculous,” I scoff, though I can’t say I haven’t thought about Helix’s big hands all over my body, setting my skin on fire with every touch. “He’s just a really nice guy.”

“Mmmm, I bet he’s got a hidden dirty side though.”

I cut a side-eye at her. “What makes you think that?”

Lehra dries her hands and then taps her temple. “Kinky recognizes kinky, and I think Helix Hale is a freak.”

Super. That's just the image I need in my head when I have to share a bed with this man for another night.