Fuck.
Ineed all those things too. “Maisey?”
“I’m on empty,” she sobs. “I can’t—”
“C’mon. Let me grab my shirt and get us both coffee. I’ll drive you.”
“Flint, I can’t—”
“You’re Maisey fucking Spencer. You can do any goddamn thing you want. And right now, you can let me drive you to the airport while you make some phone calls, okay?”
Her eyes meet mine, and she doesn’t have to say what she’s thinking.
I know.
You can’t know Maisey and not know.
I wasn’t there when Junie needed me because I was having fun with you.
And as she’s having her own guilt attack, I realize what I did.
I told June I ran away when I was her age.
I fucking told her.
Did that stick? Did she remember? Did it inspire her?
Is she okay?
My stomach knots. Chest too. My eyes get hot, but I turn and head to the house before she can see.
I can’t tell her this might be my fault.
I can’t.
The more important thing is finding June.
“Right back,” I repeat over my shoulder. “Donothot-wire my truck. Five minutes. I’ll make it up on the road.”
“I can’t go dressed like this,” she whispers. “People will think I’m crazy.”
“Right back, okay? Just—just stay.”
I get us both coffee and grab Maisey’s clothes from yesterday. By the time I’m back outside, wearing pants, a shirt, shoes, and a jacket, she’s huddled by the passenger door of my truck. She makes eye contact barely long enough to acknowledge I’m there. “My phone’s almost dead, too,” she tells the door. “The cold—the battery—it—”
She cuts herself off as she pinches her lips shut tight like that’s all she needs to hold herself together.
I unlock the door, help her inside, hand her a coffee cup, and reach across her to grab the charging cable that I keep ready in here.
“Thank you,” she whispers.
I squeeze her forearm, close the door, and head around the truck to climb into the driver’s side.
We both smell like we did exactly what we did last night, and I have regrets. Not about a single minute with Maisey, but that I can sense her pulling away.
And I don’t blame her.
Even if she doesn’t know what I told June, I don’t blame her.
