“That sounded bad,” I said.
He tried the ignition. Nothing. Just clicking that promised expensive repairs. His expression shifted to resigned. “We’re not going anywhere without help.”
He pulled out his phone and called roadside assistance. I watched his face change as he listened to whoever was on the other end.
“So,” he said when he hung up. “Good news and bad news.”
“Start with the bad.”
“Earliest they can send someone is three hours. The storm has everyone backed up and we’re in the middle of nowhere.” He looked genuinely distressed. “I’m so sorry, Gianna. This is completely my fault.”
I looked at the rain battering the windows with personal vendetta. Looked at the empty highway in both directions, gray and endless in the gathering darkness. Looked at Archie looking like he’d personally failed me.
Then I started laughing.
CHAPTER 13
Gianna
I couldn’t stop laughing.
The kind that came from somewhere deep in my stomach and refused to quit. My ribs hurt, my eyes watered, and I probably looked completely unhinged.
Archie stared at me like I’d lost my mind. “Why are you laughing?”
“Because this is ridiculous,” I managed between gasps. “We’re stranded on a highway I can’t even name in the middle of a rainstorm. I’m missing interviews I actually needed for my case. Your fancy car just died for no reason. And somehow this is the most human thing that’s happened to me in months.”
He blinked at me. Then his mouth twitched. Then he was laughing too, the sound filling the car and mixing with mine until we were both laughing like teenagers who’d just gotten away with something we shouldn’t have.
“We’re terrible at road trips,” he said once he could breathe again.
“We didn’t even make it to the destination.”
“In our defense, the car betrayed us. That’s not really our fault.”
“You’re the one who offered to drive. I could have taken the bus and been completely fine.”
“The bus would have broken down too. You’re clearly cursed.” But he was grinning when he said it, his eyes bright with humor.
“I’m cursed? Your car is the one having a mechanical crisis.”
“The car sensed your cursed energy and gave up.” He leaned back against his seat, still smiling. “This is actually kind of perfect.”
“How is this perfect? We’re stuck.”
“Yeah, but we’re stuck together. That’s not nothing.” His hand found mine across the console, fingers threading through mine with easy familiarity. “Could be worse.”
“How could this possibly be worse?”
“The rain could get inside. Wild animals could attack. Aliens could abduct us.”
“You have a very active imagination.”
“I’m an optimist. I see the bright side of highway disasters.” He squeezed my hand. “Besides, spending three hours in a car with you sounds better than spending three hours anywhere else.”
The way he said it made my heart hammer despite the cold seeping into the car. “You’re very smooth for someone whose vehicle just died.”
“I’m smooth in all circumstances. It’s a skill.”
