A better start than I hoped

Carla and I sat on the small bench outside the inn, my arm around her. The morning was bright, and for the past few hours my stomach had been in knots. I wasn't sure exactly how this was going to go. Kaila hadn't texted, or called, and that was rather unlike her. Course, I HAD left my phone, so... wasn't exactly a button press away. For my part I was almost looking forward to getting back to the daily grind. The time had been exhilarating, but there was still so much work that was going to result from this. At least we were going to be heading home, and able to work out whatever this had turned into.

The knot in my stomach curled slightly as I saw the familiar color of the van in the distance. I found myself shifting uncomfortably, Carla's bag at my feet. She had explained that she was going to be riding back with us, and apologized for not checking with me first before breaking the news to me. I actually had really appreciated it, in a "Let's make out for a half hour or so because there's nothing on tv" kind of way. Carla had agreed that she was going to check with me before making decisions for me in a "Ok, seriously I want to go much farther than THIS, but we have like five minutes" kind of way.

All of this was still rolling around up there as the van pulled to a stop in front of the inn to the disdainful look of pretty much every other guest. I know, the Hawaiian shirt and hickeys were probably making the business suited passersby just as uncomfortable as my pronounced lack of money. Frankly, I was at the point where I did not give a flying fuck what they thought. I had other things on my mind, but the knot in my stomach undid a bit when I saw the van door open, to reveal the smiling face of Helen.

"Hey, Where you headin'?" Helen grinned at me with a broad expression.

"You better turn it around, cuz we're heading the other way," I smiled back, rising to my feet with my arm still draped around Carla.

"Nope, that's HER Line..." Helen pointed to Charlotte, who sat in the front seat and waved at us with a radiant smile. "Hop in, we're heading to San Francisco."

"Nope, can't be." I stood at the door of the bus and handed Carla's bag to Helen, who moved it onto the floor next to the two backpacks and her bow case. "Oh, Carla, Helen, Have you two met?"

"Not officially," Helen nodded, giving Carla a quick nod, "but... Kaila filled me in. It's very complicated and very boring and I'm very much not doing this with you two standing in the door."

I nodded in assent, helping Carla move into one of the rear seats before entering myself, and sitting down next to Helen, who took approximately ten seconds to settle herself before aggressively kissing me, bringing a broad laugh to Charlotte.

"Woah, somebody got hooked on him fast..." Charlotte's voice floated through my head as the van bumped over a small dip in the road. I wasn't really paying attention, just delighted to feel Helen's lips on mine once again, her hands roaming across my body and shit... hadn't buckled my seatbelt... fuck it...

"Mine..." Helen growled against my lips with a grin before delving back into the kiss and bringing another laugh to the other women in the bus.

"Ok, so... that's ONE that's totally ok with it." Carla called up to Kaila. "I'm not even going to ask how you accomplished this."