“...once we were loaded, Jeff asked us how it went. Ryan cleared his throat. "Well, I got to use my first public bathroom. That was interesting.""I made out with the Aussie," Rylee stated matter-of-factly."I made up with the ginger," Miguel said and grinned back at her. Jeff stared at us."I got slapped in the face," Billings offered."By me," I supplied."And we got to talk to Cain at the station on the big screen," Merrick said happily. Jeff still stared while Marissa giggled into her hand."So it went good then," he stated. "Great.”

“After all, I got you in the end, didn’t I?”“Nuhuh, I got you,” Merrick whispered in my ear.”

“We turned our attention back to Jeff, who just started his interrogation of Polly, who looked horrendous. I didn’t mean that in a hateful way. She really did look awful. Like someone took the sick-and-pale stick and beat her senseless with it.”

“You almost got hit by a truck because you were checking me out?" I joked and he laughed loudly."Yeah. Good thing you saved me. It would have been your fault if I didn't make it," he said through a grin.”

“What are you doing here, Bish?" I asked as Caleb asked Kyle the same question but with much more edge to his tone."I'm your chaperone," Kyle said grinning in clear enjoyment of the situation and Caleb's reaction."And I'm his," Bish muttered and glared at us. "They couldn't spare anyone else so I volunteered to come. Kyle insisted on coming too. So here we are. What are you doing?""We were just about to go to the beach," I answered."Great. I'll go put on my suit," Kyle said chipperly and flung his duffel bag on the club chair before running upstairs.”

“We've got work to do. Strip." "Strip for what?" "I'm going to measure you for your dress. Strip!" Rachel saved me…sort of. "You can do her measurements with her clothes on, Mamma," she chastised. "Oh, I know I can." She pointed at me. "But look at her face! Ha! I just wanted to see her face pucker up like that.”

“I am so in love with you,” I told him.He smiled graciously and pressed his nose and cheek to mine with a hand on my jaw.“I'm so in love with you.”“I know,” I said happily and smiled through the rain on my cheeks.”