Going Rogue

Thirty

DREW

It was easy to see everyone's ploy to keep Jess and I so busy we'd never have time to sneak away. I finished all of Reiko's tasks, when more books arrived for me to read and review. When Mark wasn't teaching, he was at the Inn with me. He dropped off more books at the table and I gave him a tired, weary look.

"There's more where that came from," Mark said off-handedly, pouring over a pile of papers to grade. He smirked a little and I sighed. Somewhere in the house, there were two backpacks Jess was filling with supplies. He hid them in different places, so they'd have a hard time finding them.

Mia clung to Jess' pants leg as he whipped up food for Inn, alongside Liam. They worked in the kitchen, perfectly tuned to each other. They barely needed to give orders or plan. They just knew what to do to get the job done. Dominic came back to work and he'd serve tables, between texting Ryan and calling for check-ups. Finally, Ryan just joined us at the Inn. He got around with crutches. Mark placed him right beside me, so I was flanked on both sides.

"How are things with Dom?" Mark asked once Dominic disappeared into the dining room.

Ryan showed signs of discretion by only blushing with his cheeks. He said, "It's been very nice." He reached up and rubbed the safety pin necklace like a lucky relic.

"Just very nice?" Mark chuckled. He rested his chin his palm and asked, "Why can't you and Dom just get it over with? I would pay so much money to just watch you lay one on him."

"Speak for yourself," Ryan talked back. "Forgive Cameron already and let him move back in."

I cooed, like I just saw the best firework show. This made Mark roll his eyes as he dragged himself out of his chair. His red ears were a dead give-away. He nearly walked headfirst into Cameron's chest. Cameron appeared on cue, looking back and forth and around the room. His blonde hair was mussed from the run over.

Some people had resting bitch face.

Cameron just looked perpetually confused.

"Did someone say my name?" He asked, slightly breathless.

"Don't be so conceited," Mark stated with his nose in the air as he stalked off through the dining room. Taken aback, Cameron could do nothing else but run after him.

Out of appreciation, I offered up a high five to Ryan.

Ryan smacked my hand but winced. "Was that too harsh?"

"No," I assured him. "I loved that."

Jess glanced up, meeting my eyes with a sly smile. It was the kind of smile that was asking to be kissed right off. It was a smile that begged me to crawl over that counter and cancel the rest of the breakfast rush.

The dining room doors flew open again, but this time Dominic rushed to the sink with his pile of dishes. He ran his hand through his curls, making them bounce back into place. Since the hospital, his jaw had gotten significantly scruffier. While his wardrobe transformed into more comfortable stuff. He made a pit-stop at Ryan's side. "You okay?"

"Dom," Ryan grinned, laughing exasperatedly. He hoisted himself on his good leg and reached for his crutches. "I'm fine. I could go out there right now and bust some tables- Whoa!" Ryan missed his crutches by just a hair and slipped as if the floor was covered in banana peels.

Dominic snatched Ryan with one arm and his face scrunched, madder than I had ever seen before. "You've got to be kidding me. You are trying to give me an aneurism."

"It was an accident!" Ryan insisted, clutching Dominic's shirt.

"I know! I have never met a more accident-prone person. If I look away, you're going to trip and fall into a bed of knives! I leave you alone for a second and you're going to stumble into a volcano-"