Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan) novel Chapter 3162

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."

Sara had been to the campsite once before, so she took the lead. Gonzalez's Wrangler followed at a steady, deliberate distance.

There were moments when traffic cut between them or red lights forced a gap, but Gonzalez always caught up effortlessly.

Checking her rearview mirror, Sara chuckled. "Mr. Hanson is a pretty slick driver."

Sitting in the passenger seat, Norah stared at the Wrangler trailing them. A bizarre sense of déjà vu washed over her.

She kept her eyes on the side mirror. It felt like Gonzalez was staring right back at her. Across the distance between the two vehicles, their eyes locked in the reflection. It was just a blurry gaze, yet her heart gave a sudden, erratic thump. She quickly looked away.

Adrian kept the conversation flowing. He was outgoing, weaving humor with insightful commentary, drawing frequent bursts of laughter from both women. Thanks to him, the long drive didn't feel tedious in the slightest.

Suddenly, Norah's phone rang. She pulled it out, checked the caller ID, and swiped to answer. "Mom!"

Janice Harper knew her daughter was going camping with friends, but she had just found out Gonzalez was part of the group. Her voice was laced with deep concern. "Norah, are you with Gonzalez?"

"Not exactly," Norah replied with a smile. "He's in the car behind us. I'm riding with Sara."