“Oh, I don’t know? The entire club. Just because he says it doesn’t mean everyone hasn’t watched him giving her puppy dog eyes since they met. Actions speak louder than words.”
“He didn’t even pause to think about it?” she asked.
“Nope. He seemed shocked that I’d even said it.”
“Interesting.”
“What? What’s interesting. Give me more than that.”
“Well, if he’s that sure.” She shrugged. “Then who cares what anyone says?”
“I do,” I replied flatly. “I’m already not as close as everyone else. I’m always the odd man out.”
“That’s not true.”
“It is, too. They’re all happy to see me, don’t get me wrong, but I’m always just a step outside the inner circle.”
“I hate that.” Nova scowled. “You’re not a step outside my circle.”
“Thanks, No.”
“Maybe that’ll change, though, if you take a job somewhere local. You’ll spend more time with everyone, and it won’t feel like that anymore.”
“Maybe,” I conceded. “But if I hook up with Bas, I have a feeling things’ll get worse, not better.”
Nova rolled her eyes. “If you think that, you don’t know Bas. There’s no way in hell he’d ever let them freeze you out.”
We moved onto other topics and ended up spending a couple hours at the restaurant, ordering dessert and coffee after dinner so we didn’t piss off the staff that wanted to turn over our table. I made sure to leave a huge tip when we left because I had a feeling we’d be back.
After walking Nova to her car, I hurried to my own and climbed inside. My mom had been right about wanting my own vehicle to get around. It was nice to be able to drive around town whenever I wanted without having to ask to borrow her car.
I pulled out onto the road and waved at Nova when I passed her, happy in a way I hadn’t been in a long time. I had plenty of acquaintances, and I’d always been able to find people to meet up with after work, but none of them had ever turned into more than that. I missed having friends to hang out with that actually cared what was going on in my life.
I was grinning stupidly as I headed back toward my parents’ house, a familiar station playing on the radio and the heated seatwarming me up, when I pulled the steering wheel to go around a sharp curve and the thing would barely fucking turn.
Yanking it harder, I hit the brakes as my heart started to pound in my ears. The steering worked, but something was seriously wrong with the car. As soon as I made it around the corner, I slowed to a crawl and drove with both hands gripping the wheel for dear life until I could find a place to pull over. Turning on my hazard lights, I made sure the doors were locked and reached for my phone.
“Hey, kid,” my dad answered on the first ring.
“Dad, something’s wrong with the car,” I said, my voice wobbling a little. Adrenaline was still pumping through my veins, and my heart was racing.
“What do you mean somethin’ is wrong with the car?”
“I was going around the corner by that old barn, and the steering wheel wouldn’t turn.”
“You okay?” he snapped.
“I’m fine. I got it to turn, and I slowed way down. I pulled over about a quarter of a mile up, but I don’t think I can drive it home.”
“You’re off the road?”
“Yeah, I’m on the shoulder.”
“All right, hang tight. We’re at Casper and Farrah’s, so it’s going to take me a little longer to get there. I’ll call around and see if anyone’s closer.”
“You don’t have to do that. I can wait.”
“It’s pitch fuckin’ black outside, and you’re stranded on the side of the goddamn road. Whoever’s closest will be there soon. Stay in the car.”
