Page 153 of Trapped With You

I narrowed my eyes. “Did you do something, Josh?”

Everyone swivelled their heads in his direction, almost accusingly. Except for Dacia, who pinned him with a frosty stare through the rearview mirror.

“I didn’t do anything, I swear!” He threw his hands up in surrender. “But it’s like she’s got these fears…about us. She’s afraid to become more than friends.”

Layla definitely knew how Josh felt about her. And it was clear to everyone that she was equally smitten with him. However, Remington boys were intense and loved wholeheartedly. She probably just needed more time to make sense of how their relationship was progressing before taking the next step.

“How are you going to convince her to take a chance on you?” I asked.

Josh let out a long sigh. “I’m going to get her name tattooed so she knows we’re a forever thing.”

“Oh my God,” Darla gushed. “That’s so romantic.”

“Yes!” Hera agreed, clapping her hands together. “Where will you get this tattoo?”

“Right here.” Josh smacked his right pec over his shirt.“Lay.” And his left. “La.” Then he giggled. “You think I should get it, show up to her doorstep, and rip off my shirt in surprise?”

We burst out laughing. Josh was kidding. Sort of. And while Layla was used to his prankster self, she’d most likely be spooked out by that gesture.

“You’re a nutjob.” Dacia chuckled. “Don’t do that. She’ll go running for the hills. Pun intended.”

“So no to ripping off my shirt?” he asked, still giggling at his own joke.

“Absolutely not.” We shook our heads.

“But after we complete our mission, we’ll help you brainstorm other sane ideas to prove your undying love,” I amended.

“Deal.”

Dacia floored the gas as we entered the highway. “By the way, what excuse did you give to your parents, Hera?”

“Um, I said I’m sleeping over at your place.” She glanced around the car. “What excuse did you give to your mother?”

Darla winced. “We said we’re sleeping over at Ella’s.”

“Ella, what excuse did you give to your parents?”

I grimaced. “I said I’m sleeping over at your place, Hera.”

“And I didn’t give my parents any excuse because I’ve been kidnapped!”

“You’re not being kidnapped, Josh!”we yelled at him in unison.

He giggled again, high as fuck.

“Okay, so we’re all sleeping over at each other’s house.” Darla was on the verge of panicking. “It’s fine. It’s okay. No one’s going to find out what we’re really doing, right?”

The car was silent, except for a Beyoncé song playing quietly in the background.

“Right?” Darla reiterated, louder.

“Totally.” Dacia, Hera, and I said solemnly.

“Oh, I forgot to ask. Whose place are we breaking into?” Josh chimed in.

Darla started explaining the whole story to Josh. He listened attentively—as best as he could in this state—and actually looked offended on our behalf. “No fucking way. She’s a snake! What are you going to do if you find proof that Callie is behind all of this?”

The question was mostly aimed at me.