Denver cranks the radio, and a song called “Unleash” blares from Lenny’s speakers.
My grin almost splits my face in two as we hurtle down the freeway.
“I can’t believe you got him back.” I pat the steering wheel to the beat of the music as I drive. “Thank you!”
I turn to Denver in the front passenger seat.
“See, even Monty is excited to have my car back!”
Monty sits tall and proud on Denver’s lap, staring out of the front windscreen. His tail keeps wagging, creating a constant side to side sweep over Denver’s shirt.
“Eyes on the road,” Denver grunts, grabbing the steering wheel and straightening us up where we’re drifting lanes.
“Oh, people are so friendly when that happens. Look.” I blow a kiss to the man in the car that overtakes us. He smiles at me, then his eyes move past me, and it falls from his face. He puts his foot down and speeds past us.
I look at Denver who’s glowering.
“You didn’t have to scare him. He looked worried you were going to kill him.”
“The only person who should be worried for their life right now is me,” he clips as another car blasts its horn at us.
I throw my head back and laugh. This is exactly what I needed.
“You’re getting better! That was funny.”
“It wasn’t a joke,” he grumbles.
“But I’m laughing…” I throw him a smile and his lips quirk a little, matching the gleam in his eyes.
“I guess you are,” he murmurs.
I turn my attention back to the road, happiness running through me like warm rays of sun. He knew I needed this. I didn’t see him make the call to the garage to ask them to bring Lenny to Seasons. But there he was, all fixed and sparkling, waiting in the street for me when we walked outside.
My fingers curl tighter around the steering wheel, savoring the feel of freedom at my fingertips.
“Where shall we go now?”
“Back.”
My shoulders fall. “I don’t want to go home yet.”
Denver looks out of the window as if he’s assessing something. “Until I’ve had an update on what went down with Neil, I’d feel better if we went home.”
“Why? He’s not going to be following us.” Denver’s jaw tightens, and I sigh. “Fine. Back to my gilded cage.” He looks at me, and I roll my eyes. “All the extra security you’ve installed is fine… but…” I shrug. “It’s why I love being out in Lenny so much. I don’t have any of that here. I can just be me. I can drive wherever I want.”
“You don’t want to go back to your place?”
“Not yet,” I confess.
“Okay. Follow my directions.”
I sit up straighter in my seat. “Where are we going?”
“Just do as you’re told, Princess.”
Thirty minutes later, I’m bouncing on my toes in excitement as Denver opens the door.
“It’s not that exciting,” he rumbles in amusement.
