YOU'RE A PRETTY THING TOO, BOONE.

IT WAS AWKWARD, having to explain to Kate why she was leaving the motel so early. Carolina mumbled something about taking her truck to the gas station instead of riding with Javi, who wouldn't leave for another hour. And when Kate asked why, her younger sister had no choice but to tell her.

And when she said she was going to breakfast with Boone and Tyler, Kate couldn't help the mocking grin that arose on her face.

"Awe, you've got a date with the tornado wranglers," she teased, tucking some of Carolina's hair back, who'd swatted her hand.

"It ain't a date," Carolina scoffed.

But it sure felt like one when she arrived at the gas station and Tyler and Boone walked right up to her truck to meet her. Tyler opened up her door for her, and Boone offered her a hand to help her slide down from the tall vehicle.

Boone was wearing a ball cap and a cut off t-shirt again, this time with a yellow bandana around his neck. And of course, Tyler looked good with sunglasses hiding away his pretty eyes and the cowboy hat perched perfectly on his head.

And as she took them in, they took her in, neither pleased with her attire.

Her neck was covered up, her wearing a tight, sleeveless, white turtleneck that was actually a bodysuit which was tucked into a short denim skirt, golden necklaces layered over the fabric. She looked good and yet not how they wanted her too.

So, Tyler boldly wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close. With his other hand, he brushed his knuckles against the column of her covered throat, making her swallow thickly. "Thought we told you not to cover those up."

"Well, I told you I don't need anyone asking questions," she said stubbornly. "Now, come on. I'm starving."

"God, me too," Boone said, reaching for her hand and pulling her out of Tyler's grip.

He huffed childishly before following the two of them, his eyes on Carolina's ass in the tight little skirt. He supposed that made up a little bit for the collar around her neck, thinking about how easy it'd be to pull her onto his lap and slide inside of her, drawing those sweet moans he'd been thinking about for days from her lips.

And he liked even better that she and Boone had their fingers intertwined, it making him smile at the ground softly.

The three found a booth at the back of the diner, Boone sitting across from Carolina, and deciding he wanted to be closer to her after all their bickering last night, Tyler slid into the seat next to her, throwing his arm over her shoulder, pulling her close.

Before they could start talking, a waitress came and got their drink and food orders. And it wouldn't be long, she promised, since the diner wasn't crowded yet. It'd get more crowded the worse the weather got.

"So," Carolina said, sipping on her orange juice. She was refraining from leaning into Tyler's side, not wanting to give him the satisfaction. "What are the tornado wranglers doing today?"

"Naw, we wanna hear about you, Darlin'," Boone said, shaking his head. "How'd you come about working with Javi and that Kate?"

"No way," she said, leaning forward, her elbows on the table. "I played along with your twenty questions that night. Now it's your turn. I don't know nothing about y'all."

"Well, what do you want to know?" Tyler questioned.

So, Carolina rattled off all her questions.

What was their favorite color? Both liked red, and Tyler leaned down, his lips brushing her ear as he said he thought she'd look good in the color.

What hobbies outside of storm chasing did they have? Boone liked photography and Tyler enjoyed bull riding, much to her surprise.

How'd they meet? They'd been friends since childhood.

How long had they been together? Since senior prom when Tyler ditched his date to hang out with Boone after his date ditched him.

"It's always just been us," Tyler told her. "I mean, sure, we find someone else sometimes, but never lasts you know? Just a bit of fun."

Tyler wasn't looking at Carolina, so he didn't notice how her face fell as she leaned away from him, but he sure felt it. And Boone saw it, realizing Tyler had yet again fucked up by putting his foot in his mouth.

"I think I'm just gone wait for Javi and Kate to get here," she murmured, moving to slide out of the booth.

But Tyler quickly hooked his arm around her waist and kept her in place. "Hey," he said softly. "Hey, what'd I say, baby?"

"Look, I'm not interested in just being a bit of fun," she said, narrowing her eyes up at him. "If that's the case, why didn't you just leave me alone after that night? There whatn't no reason for y'all to make all that fuss yesterday."

"No, I - I didn't mean it like that," Tyler said, his brows furrowed. "You - look, I know you don't know us very well. But whatever this is between us, we want it to last. I want it to. We want to know you better. How can we make you see that we're being serious?"

She looked down at her hands nervously, unable to believe him. To believe that two seemingly perfect older men wanted her for more than just sex.

"Hey," Boone said softly, practically reading the emotions on her face as clear as day. "I meant it last night when I said we want to give this a genuine, honest shot. But if you don't want to, we'll walk away."

"I - I don't want you to walk away," she said quietly. "Just don't know how this is supposed to work."

"Well, I figure we'll figure it out along the way," Tyler told her. "If that sounds alright to you."

She smiled timidly and scooted a little closer to Tyler, letting him wrap his arm back over her shoulder. The boys smiled triumphantly, taking it as a win as the waitress brought their food.

As he ate his omelet, Tyler noticed how Carolina kept eyeing the strawberries on his plate. So, with a smile on his face, he nudged his plate closer.

"You want 'em?" he offered.

"You sure?" she asked, already taking them off his plate, which made him chuckle. "Thank you."

Testing the waters, she leaned up and kissed his cheek in thanks, almost missing how the tips of his ears turned red because of his hat. It was a small sign that maybe she affected him just as much he did her.

Then when Tyler hooked his ankle around hers underneath the table, she internally forgave him for his attitude the night before.

As they continued to eat, they exchanged questions and stories, getting to know each other better. They guys made her laugh a lot, and every little endearing thing they learned about her made them like her more.

"You did not do that," Tyler said, snickering at Carolina. "I mean, I can't picture Kate and Javi joinin' in on something like that."

"I'm telling you the truth!" she laughed. "We got firecrackers and set them off in this boy's truck 'cause he cheated on me. It was even Javi's idea."

She, of course, left out the part where she was fourteen and dating a sixteen year old who thought he could get away with cheating since she was so young and naive.

"Who the hell'd cheat on a pertty thing like you?" Boone asked shaking his head.

"Let's just say I was a lot more awkward five years ago," she said with an uneasy chuckle. Then she leaned in closer, wishing the table wasn't separating them. "And you know, you're a pretty thing too, Boone."

His face flushed, and both Carolina and Tyler loved the sight.

"Ain't he just?" Tyler asked with a smirk on his face. "Especially when you've got him breathless underneath you."

Now Carolina blushed from the mere thought. "I don't recall having him in that position," she murmured.

Tyler's hand fell on her thigh, squeezing it tightly. "Then maybe we'll just have to show you some time."

She looked between the two men who were eying her hungrily — hardly the time given that they were in the diner that was slowly filling with people.

"Cut it out, Ty," she whispered shyly. "You've got a channel to work on, and Kate's gone be here soon."

"Oh, I bet the others could hold the fort down for a little bit," Boone said, grinning boyishly. "Or for a few hours."

"Y'all are gonna be the death of me," she groaned, throwing her head back a bit. "Maybe save it for—"

"Care?" She was cut off by Javi, who came into the diner with Scott and an unfamiliar older man. And he didn't look pleased to see her sitting so close to Tyler with Boone at the table as well. "What the hell are you doing?" As he asked, Scott led the other man to a nearby booth but kept his eyes on Carolina.

"I was, um, I was eating and they decided to join me," she lied. And it made Tyler and Boone frown, both feeling like she was still ashamed of them. "Is, um, is Kate with you?"

"Nah, she's got the truck back to the motel. I caught a ride with Scott," he said before glancing at Tyler, noting his arm was around her shoulder. "She'll be here soon if you wanna go outside and wait for her."

Wait away from Tyler and Boone.

"Well, I'm still waiting for my check," she said, now wanting to leave just yet. She was having such a nice time alone with Tyler and Boone, who'd both fallen silent, watching how she interacted with Javi.

In response, Javi threw down a twenty. "Come on. Get away from them."

Tyler narrowed his eyes up at him. "I think Carolina can choose who she wants to have breakfast with, Javi. Ain't no big deal."

"After that nasty shit you said to her yesterday, yeah, it is," he said, still offended about the 'you offering' comment

"Well, she started it," he said with a smirk.

"Look, I'm just - I'm just gone wait outside for Kate," Carolina muttered, moving to get up. Then she glanced at Boone and Tyler. "Y'all need to get the crew ready anyway."

Four sets of eyes stayed on her as she scurried out of the diner. And when she got outside, she clenched her eyes shut and swore.

"Goddamn it," she muttered, knowing she'd have to tell Javi and soon unless she wanted this hostility to continue.

With a heavy sigh, she walked past the Storm PAR cars and to the grassy area looking out over the vast Oklahoma sky. She took a seat on the grass, pulling her knees up to her chest. Maybe her skirt was short, but she had a pair of bike shorts underneath, which would've ruined the illusion Tyler had of being able to easily take her from behind without her even having to undress.

As she sat, Boone and Tyler also came out of the diner, heading to their crew but keeping their eyes on her as she picked at the grass, a sad look on her face. They wanted more than anything to comfort her, to take her in their arms and tell her to not give a fuck about what Javi thought. But she'd known Javi for nearly half her life, so that wasn't an option.

Carolina sat by herself for a while before a familiar figure walked up next to her. She looked at Kate through her sunglasses, a sad smile on her face.

"Breakfast date went that bad, huh?" she said, only slightly teasing her.

"Javi showed up," she grumbled.

"Damn," Kate said, sort of wishing she could've seen his reaction. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Figure I gotta tell him now," she sighed. "How do you think he'll react?"

"Not well," she said honestly. "I mean, you're nineteen."

Carolina blew air through her nose. "Yeah, and they think I'm at least twenty-one but probably older."

Kate now looked down at her with wide eyes, looking scandalized. "What do you mean? They don't know your real age? You have to tell them your real age, Care!"

"I can't tell them I'm nineteen!" she exclaimed. "I met them in a bar I use my fake ID to get into and then got railed by them simultaneously!"

Kate groaned and put her head in her hands. "God, Mama's gone be real proud of you when she finds out about this."

"She ain't ever finding out. She ain't ever meeting them," she insisted. "But will you be there when I tell Javi?

"I'll think on it."

"Please," she said with a small smile. She was hoping she could use Javi's crush on Kate to her advantage. Then she saw how Kate was looking at the clouds. "So, what do you see, Dandelion-Whisperer?"

But rather than Kate, it was Tyler who answered, joining them as well — this time without Boone. "Well, nothing's coming out of that one."

"That one?" Kate asked. "No, no. No, it's clearly moving into a stable environment."

"Yeah. No low level cape, not enough shear to keep it interesting," Tyler added.

"Yeah, that's gonna die out."

"Not enough moisture to grow," he said before looking at her. "Where'd you say you learned how to track storms again? I know Carolina is at U of O."

"I didn't," she smirked. "And I bet you know plenty about Care."

Carolina blushed as Tyler raised an intrigued eyebrow, realizing Kate knew. Well, that was one less secret to keep.

"How about you two get along?" Carolina asked, beginning to get up. Tyler quickly offered her a hand, which she appreciated. But she didn't appreciate how he smirked and wiped the grass off her rear right in front of Kate, letting his fingers graze the hem of her short skirt.

"Classy," Kate said in a flat tone.

"Like I said," Carolina said, rocking back and forth on her feet. "Get along. It's real important to me that you do."

"She's right," Tyler said while slyly slipping his hand in Carolina's back pocket, making her blush. "You know, we're gonna be stuck here all day, waiting for nothing to happen. How about we try to get along? For Carolina's sake?"

Carolina smiled before looking at her sister, finally noticing the glimmer in Kate's eyes — she was plotting something. And when she caught her younger sister's eye, she moved her gaze toward the storm and back.

It was going to give them something, and she didn't want Tyler to pick up on it.

"Hey, you're right," Kate said. "For Care's sake. Tell you what. I - I'll get us a couple of drinks. What would you like?"

"Really?" he asked, a bit skeptical.

She nodded. "Really."

"Wouldn't mind and iced tea," he said. "Thank you."

"Coming up," Kate said, turning to leave.

"I'll help her carry them," Carolina said, hiding her smile. Then she stood on her toes and kissed Tyler's cheek, making him smile.

Then of course, much to Carolina's annoyance, Kate couldn't be inconspicuous. She started jogging toward Javi, who was leaving the diner with Scott and and the investor, which tipped Tyler off, who took off toward Boone and the others.

"We've gotta go," Kate said, pulling Javi to the side.

"Alright. Um, we're almost done here," he said with a frown.

"Now. We've got something big."