Aileen 6 Snippet

There were a lot of fun scenes to choose from this mornings editing session. I’m on the last draft before I send to betas and then the editor. Enjoy!

Snippet

The sound of puking came as Nathan started the car.

I looked into the backseat to find Connor bent over and heaving. “What happened to being able to handle it?”

Connor’s features held regret as he wiped his mouth and straightened from his hunched over position. “You were right. I was too ambitious.”

Nathan twisted in his seat. “Did he seriously just throw up in this car?” The stunned outrage on his face as if he didn’t quite believe what his ears were telling him made me bite back a smile. “Right behind me too? Are you kidding me?” His voice held a touch of hysteria. “How am I supposed to drive thinking about it sloshing around? What if it comes up here when I hit the brakes?”

Nathan started dry retching.

I patted him sympathetically on the shoulder. “I’ve decided to forgive you for letting Anton drive Gwyneth. You were right; this was a much better idea than taking my car.”

Nathan’s shoulders went rigid. “Did you know this was going to happen?”

Don’t laugh. Don’t laugh.

“How could I?”

Nathan scowled at Connor. “Did you do this on purpose?”

Connor’s face was blank as he met Nathan’s gaze.

Unsatisfied, Nathan spun back to me. “What did you mean earlier by ‘handle it?’”

I tried to appear unaffected. Probably not very well since a smile kept trying to break out on my face. “Nothing much.”

Nathan squinted at me, trying to see through my facade. His eyes widened in realization. “He ate something, didn’t he?”

My shoulders started shaking with silent laughter.

He whirled on Connor. “What did you eat?”

Connor’s stare made it plain he didn’t intend to answer that question. It wasn’t until I made a small “come on” gesture that he deigned to open his mouth. “Triple cinnamon pancakes.”

Nathan’s face held disbelief as he looked at me. “You let him eat that crap?”

I shrugged. “He’s a big boy. And he said he could handle it.”

Which was why it was doubly satisfying to see that no, he could, in fact, not handle the food the triple cinnamon pancakes with a side of bacon and ham.

“Are we going?” I asked after a few seconds when Nathan continued to regard us like we were aliens. “We’re going to attract attention if we keep sitting here.”

Nathan faced front in his seat, muttering to himself as he put the car in drive again. “He’s going to clean that up when we arrive. You know that, right?”

Connor’s silence spoke for itself as he stared out the window at the passing scenery.

“No can do,” I answered for him. “We have a meet-and-greet, remember? It’s why you interrupted our evening in such a rude fashion.”