Infinite Harmony (11 page)

There wasn’t a lot of room between the two cars where they’d taken refuge, so when Ada turned, Joshua’s face loomed only inches away. The air seemed to change around her, and she sucked in a breath, her eyes unable to quit staring at the shape of his mouth. His tongue darted out to wet his lips, and she leaned in, ready for the inevitable.

“Do you still have that boyfriend?” he asked in a rough voice that made her shiver in anticipation.

“No.”

One long finger slid under her chin and tilted her face up. Ada closed her eyes and parted her lips on a gasp. She felt him move closer, his breath mingling with hers, and then—

“This is a bad idea.”

Ada’s eyes flew open as she jerked back away from the idiot boy who just ruined what was going to be a perfectly wonderful kiss. Unfortunately, she forgot there was a car behind her and managed to slam her head into the side of it with enough force the car rocked back and an entire drum and bugle corps started playing a show in her head.

“Lava beans!” she hissed, cradling the back of her head with her hands, or at least she tried to cradle the back of her head with her hands. Another set was already there, pushing hers out of the way.

“Lava beans?” Joshua asked, feeling around her cranium for bumps and dents. Ada tried to ignore the way his arms were wrapped around her and the merry skip her heart did in response. “I’m pretty sure I’ve never heard of those, and certainly not as a curse.”

Unable to take the sensory overload anymore, Ada swatted his hands out of the way and felt her injured head for herself. She didn’t find anything out of sorts, and realized most of the pain was already subsiding.

“Lava beans. Can you think of anything more vile than lava beans?”

Joshua grinned at her. “Honestly? No. I think you might be onto something there.”

“Of course I’m onto something. I’m a smart kid.” She didn’t mention how it was actually a Kinsey-ism, and luckily he didn’t mention how actual smart kids didn’t give themselves a concussion by slamming their head into the side of a Mazda.

Being a genuinely nice guy, Joshua asked Ada if she needed an ice pack or any medicine for her head. She refused both, assuring him there was no permanent damage. By the time the polite chit-chat was done, she felt a little less foolish for almost kissing him and being rejected. The sun finally dipped completely below the horizon, and the ancient ad reminding everyone the concession stand had popcorn and drinks erupted from a hundred different speakers.

“Guess I was wrong about where the movie would be,” she said, noticing how dark it had gotten in their little hiding hole.

Joshua let out a soft sigh as his eyes trailed over her face. “We all make mistakes,” he said before hopping up and extending a hand down to her. “Come on. I know something that will cheer you up.”

“If it’s watching Tom Cruise try to pretend he’s a normal-sized human being for two hours, I think I’ll pass,” she said, already accepting his hand. Even though it swallowed hers, it felt natural for her hand to be there. Everything about being around Joshua felt natural. It was like she didn’t have to pretend with him. She could be free. Be Ada. That natural, comfortable feeling was one she was quickly growing addicted to. She could be perfectly content just hanging out with Joshua for days and days at a time. She wanted nothing more than to go wherever he was taking her, but she felt it was only fair to warn him about what he was getting into.

“Joshua.” He stopped pulling her along behind him and turned around to face her. “I’m pretty screwed up right now, and the very definition of a social pariah. Maybe you should go on without me.”

He laughed, or squawked, as the case was with Joshua’s laugh. “You don’t know the definition of screwed up or social pariah,” he said with a smile. “But don’t worry. You will before the night is over.”

When Ada tried to tug her hand from his grasp, Joshua realized that might have come out wrong.

“I’m not planning on further soiling your reputation,” he assured her, but she still didn’t look sold. “Come on. Aren’t you curious as to who the true outcast of Lake County is?”

After a brief hesitation, she finally decided to follow, leaving her hand tucked into his. It felt nice there. Like it belonged. As they walked, a few
looks
were thrown Ada’s way and more than one snarky comment whispered to a friend. The sight filled him with a murderous rage he thought had died a long time ago.

The moment she realized where they were going her entire body went taut. He could understand her fear. His friends were a bit intimidating at first glance. Actually, they were even more intimidating at the tenth or one hundredth glance. However, he had faith Ada could hold her own against them.

“Ada, this is Liam,” he said, introducing her to the Alpha Male who was trying his hardest to look friendly. “And you already know Scout, Jase, and Talley.”

Ada gave a small wave with her free hand and mouthed the word “hi.” The Alpha Pack lounged in an assortment of
Star Wars
-themed camping chairs. Her eyes darted from his to each member and back again.

“Ada Jessup,” Jase said with a smile that made females of all ages sigh with longing. Joshua kinda wanted to punch him for using it on Ada. “Long time, no heroic rescues. Are you staying out of trouble? Avoiding any and all gunfights?”

“Not really,” she said, squeezing Joshua’s hand a bit more tightly. Jase’s smile was full of kindness, and Joshua realized since he and Scout always attended church with their parents when in Timber, they probably knew exactly what kind of day Ada was having. They may have even witnessed the moment it took a nosedive thanks to the self-righteous dick she had been dating.

Thinking about Ada’s boyfriend made Joshua’s temper spike again. He understood guilt and a need for repentance better than most people, but for Joshua, reconciling himself with the Big Guy had always been a very personal and private journey. He’d never felt the need to throw himself on the altar of public opinion to repair his ties with God, and he’d certainly never tossed someone else under the bus for his own salvation’s sake. Did the little cretin even understand what he’d done? Sure, he might get a few lectures on responsibility and saving himself for marriage, but he was a guy. He was probably getting high-fives and a hero’s welcome in a locker room somewhere while Ada was being treated like something dirty and vile by people who should have rushed to support her.

Ada made a small noise in her throat, and he realized in his rage he’d squeezed her hand a bit too tightly. He loosened his hold, but didn’t let go completely. At first, he’d been holding on to lend her some courage, but now it was him who needed the grounding.

“Can I give you some advice, as someone who has had her fair share of gossip and dirty looks over the years?” Scout asked, confirming she knew exactly why Ada’s eyes were bloodshot and puffy. “Screw ‘em. I know it’s a lot easier to say, ‘I don’t care what they think,’ than to actually not care what they think, but try. Keep your head up, your eyes narrowed, don’t let them see how much they’re getting to you, and when all else fails, physical violence actually can be the answer.”

Ada’s mouth curled into a timid smile. “Tempting, but I wouldn’t even begin to know how to throw a punch.”

“You don’t have to. A knee to the groin is ten times more effective and satisfying.” Scout tilted her head in a very wolf-like fashion, a sure sign she was tapping into either her Shifter hearing or using the brain-to-brain communication she shared with Talley and Liam. “But you need to learn to protect yourself. You should ask Joshua for some lessons.”

Ada frowned up at him. “You know how to fight?”

“Yes. I’m quite good at it. Why wouldn’t I?”

“Maybe because the last fight you were in, the only thing you managed to do was get yourself shot?” The moment the words were out she realized her error. Her eyes were frantic as they turned toward his friends, who quickly absolved her fear of exposing Joshua’s secret by laughing like the bunch of idiots they were.

“She’s got a point there,” Jase said. “Maybe she should get lessons from someone who can make it longer than five minutes without getting a bullet in his shoulder.”

Joshua was an Immortal. He’d been alive for eight decades, and survived more battles than a decorated war hero, but at that moment he felt like a five-year-old declaring he was strong enough to help his daddy work in the garage.

“One time. I got shot by a junkie who I didn’t know had a gun one time. Like any of you would have fared any better.”

Liam quirked up one side of his mouth. “I’m thinking I could have done a lot better. For one, I wouldn’t have gotten shot.”

“Ten dollars says I could have disarmed him before he pulled the trigger,” Scout said.

“Twenty says I would have shot him before he realized I had taken his gun,” Jase added ever so helpfully.

Joshua was going to have to get new friends. Preferably, ones who didn’t think they were badass Shifters, impervious to harm.

“If it helps,” Talley said, “I’m pretty sure I would have gotten shot, too. Unless I Saw him before he even grabbed for the gun. Then I probably could have stopped him.”

“Thank you, Talley,” Joshua said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Jase leaned his chair back and threw his feet up on the tailgate of his father’s pickup truck. “Hey, it’s not our fault that—” He snapped his head toward the group of teenagers sitting two rows down and six cars over. “Incoming,” he said.

Two figures were moving through the crowd toward them. Even if he didn’t recognize them by the shadows they cut against the movie screen, he would have known who it was. They’d purposefully picked a spot where the Shifters with their super-hearing and night vision could keep an eye on Angel while giving her enough space and freedom to hang out with her friends. Joshua’s skill set didn’t lean toward super-hearing or sight, so he hadn’t known Ada was with the group until Scout suggested he go find her.

“I need money,” Angel said when she was still two cars away.

“I already gave you money,” Scout said as Liam pulled a twenty out of his pocket and handed it over. Scout muttered something under her breath, but Liam ignored it. It wasn’t like they were lacking the funds, the Alpha Pack had more money than Fort Knox, and Liam had a tendency to spoil his soon-to-be sister-in-law since he’d lost both of his younger siblings.

The girl with Angel walked over to Joshua and gave him a once-over. He’d seen her on several occasions over the years, mostly from afar. He took the time to really look at her for the first time. She was obviously still on the Barbie Doll and Easy-Bake Oven side of puberty, and her hair was a rich, dark brown, but other than that, she looked a lot like her sister. Standing side-by-side, there was no way you could deny that Kinsey and Ada Jessup were related.

“Who are you?” she asked him with the sort of rude bluntness inherent in middle schoolers.

“Joshua Smith, at your service,” he said, stretching his free hand out to her. She ignored it in favor of  looking pointedly at the one still clinging onto her sister before transferring her gaze to Ada, who immediately disengaged her hand from his.

“Have you eaten?”

Instead of answering, Ada gnawed on her lower lip.

“Here,” Kinsey said, digging through the canvas tote slung over her shoulder. “I’ve got some chips and a candy bar for you. Eat them.” Ada scowled, but grabbed the food. “And here is your medicine,” Kinsey continued, handing over a brown bottle.

“What are you doing with my pills?” Joshua congratulated himself on not making any effort to read the name of the medicine before Ada shoved them into the pocket of her jeans. “Good grief. What are you? My mom now?”

Kinsey shrugged. “Well, since Mom isn’t talking to you and you’ve been too poor-pitiful-me to eat as much as you’re supposed to today, somebody has to take care of you. Lucky me, I was the only one able and willing.”

If looks could cause physical pain, Kinsey would have been writhing on the ground. “I can take care of myself,” Ada bit out.

“Then you’ll want to find someone else to hang out with,” Angel said. “You’re standing in the middle of the Control the Lives of Everyone Club. Spend more than a few minutes with them, and they’ll start telling you how to breathe.”

Even in the minimal light, Joshua could see Scout roll her eyes. “Don’t be so dramatic and rude, Angel.”

Angel waved her hand in the air like a
Price Is Right
model. “See? Thank you for that lovely demonstration, dear sister of mine.”

“Your mission to extort money and annoy us all has been accomplished,” Scout said. “Go back to your friends.”

Angel’s smile was completely smug and contagious. Joshua tried to swallow his laughter, but there was no fooling Angel. She gave him a conspiratorial wink. “Example the second,” she said to Ada, then she held up three fingers in the air, lowered one, and then another.

“Go away, Angel,” Jase said, and Joshua couldn’t hold it in anymore. He erupted into a fit of laughter, and he wasn’t alone. Angel, Kinsey, and Ada were all laughing along with him. Scout, Jase, Liam, and Talley all looked at them as if they’d lost their minds.

“Angel,” Liam said in that deep, I-am-Alpha way of his that demanded obedience. It was a sign of his overwhelming dominance that even though none of them were Shifters, and therefore under his rule, the laughter quit as if someone had hit the pause button. “Stay away from that Walker guy, okay?”

It was another order, but Angel nodded her head and didn’t make a big deal about it. Joshua figured whatever the Walker kid had said or done to get Liam’s attention was something Angel was expecting. Otherwise, she would have turned on her heel and walked straight to the guy with her nose in the air. While she might feel the pull of Liam’s dominance, she was one of the few who was brave enough to willingly defy his orders.

“Brody Walker is the biggest jerk I’ve ever met,” Angel said with a toss of her hair. “I wouldn’t talk to him if he was on fire and only my words could tame the blaze.”

But Kinsey wasn’t buying the bravado any more than Joshua was. “Don’t worry, Mr. C.,” she said to Liam. “I’ve got her back.”