章 75: Chapter 75

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If the two day drive to California was their baptism of fire, Justin felt they got through it pretty unscathed. They had to stop regularly to let the kids stretch their legs, and for bathroom breaks and to change Scarlett, and the kids got overtired and short-tempered an early way in, but they managed. In the hotel room in Reno, with all the kids tucked up in one bed, Justin and Del watched TV with the sound down, and then Del massaged Justin’s aching shoulders. Justin arched into his touch, eyes closed, and couldn’t wait until they had a room to themselves again.

The next morning they got another early start, after breakfast at a Wendy’s that necessitated a change of clothes for both Scarlett and Wyatt, who managed to wear most of their breakfast.

“Lucky we brought you a few spare shirts, hey,” Justin said as he wrangled Wyatt into a fresh T-shirt in the bathroom. “Otherwise the ants would carry you off.”