By the time they arrived at the meeting point, Sara was already waiting in her own SUV.
She hopped out of the car and enthusiastically waved at Gonzalez. "Good morning, Mr. Hanson! Here's to a great trip!"
Gonzalez maintained his usual icy demeanor. He walked around to the passenger side, opened the door, and shielded Norah as she stepped out.
Sara pulled Norah into a quick hug. "Mr. Hanson told me he was closer to your place and offered to pick you up, but I didn't expect you two to arrive after me."
Norah squinted and offered a sheepish grin. "That's probably because I took too long getting ready."
Gonzalez glanced at his watch. "Let's get going."
"Hold on a second!" Norah said cheerfully. "I invited a friend. He should be here any minute!"
Gonzalez narrowed his dark eyes. Before he could say a word, a sleek car pulled up, and Adrian Chambers stepped out.
Fully embracing the camping vibe, Adrian was dressed in high-end athletic wear that accentuated his sunny, handsome features. He started waving before he was even close. "Norah!"
Sara looked genuinely surprised. "Norah, when did you invite Adrian?"
Internally, Norah reasoned that she had to bring someone else along. She absolutely refused to be the third wheel on this trip.
Gonzalez's expression instantly frosted over. His tongue poked the inside of his cheek, pressing against his back teeth. Suddenly, he wanted absolutely nothing to do with this camping trip.
Greetings were exchanged all around. Adrian gave Gonzalez a polite, perfunctory nod.
Gonzalez didn't bother to respond. He simply spun on his heel and walked back to his Wrangler.
Adrian smiled. "Time to hit the road, right? Norah, ride with me."
Up ahead, Gonzalez's footsteps abruptly halted. With his back turned to the three of them, his face was as dark and stormy as a thundercloud.
Fortunately, he quickly heard Norah's reply. "I think I'll ride in Sara's car. We can chat on the way."
The lethal tension draining from Gonzalez's face was palpable, though his displeasure lingered. Then, Adrian spoke again.
"Actually, it doesn't make sense to take three cars," Adrian suggested smoothly. "I'll park my car in the lot across the street and ride with Sara too. It'll keep us from getting bored on the drive."


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