How I got wrangled into it, I still didn’t understand, and I felt guilty. Really guilty.
Dex needed someone else to tag along to help set up the booth and have another person to sit there constantly. It was doable with three people but nearly impossible with only two. And Blue, damn her, rarely went. Something about her not being social enough. Considering I'd maybe only spoken about twenty words with her in a month, it kind of made sense.
Apparently,I won by default. Though I still wasn’t sure whether this was something to consider a win or not.
An hour after we made it back from the store, Gladys from Smiling Faces DaycareCenter had called to offer me a job nearly a week after my interview. Fudgesicle sticks. The "yes" that spewed out of my mouth was unintentional, at least so soon. I shouldhave thought about it longer considering that the pay wasconsiderablyless than what Dex was paying me but...
Wasn't that what I'd wanted?
I had every intention of informing Dex that I was quitting but he kept interrupting me or saying we'd talk about things later. And later had turned into later andlater, and the Houston trip had fallen into my lap like an unwanted pregnancy.
We'd dropped by Sonny's after Costco so that I could pack my bag, call my brother and tell him what was going on—he somehow already knew—and haul ass back to Pins for Dex's appointment.
That was exactly how I found myself riding along in the backseat with Slim and Dex in front, deciding that I should probably wait until we got back to Austin before I broke the news. Was I a coward? Completely. Was it noticeable that I was stressing? Definitely.
Dex was glancing at me out of the corner of his eye, one hand wrapped loosely around the steering wheel while the other rested on the door.
“You buckled?” he asked me in a lowered voice.
I looked down. No. “Yes.”
Dex sighed, glancing at me again. “Buckle your goddamn seatbelt.”
"Sheesh." I usually always had it on, especially if I was in the backseat but this time I’d been so distracted and worried about driving overnight that I didn’t even think to do so until he mentioned it. With a huff, I pulled the belt across my lap and strapped in, mumbling, “Friggin’ bossy,” under my breath.
A moment later the truck swerved to the right quickly before aligning itself just as fast. In the meantime, despite the jarring motion, Slim stayed asleep while I freaked the hell out and leaned forward to pop my head between the two seats.
“Are you okay to drive?” I whispered.
He cut me another sidelong glance. “There was a dead raccoon in the road,” he explained in an equally low voice. “And I’m fine to drive, quit stressin’.”
Quit stressing. Like that would happen.
And it didn’t. For the next thirty minutes, I rubbed my hands down the length of my thighs, thanking whatever divine entity that could be listening in, that the road was surprisingly empty. Therehad only been a handful of cars on the highway and if it weren’t for that, I’d probably be freaking out even more.
“Would you calm down, Ritz?” Dex whisper-hissed at me.
“I’m calm,” I argued. He turned to look at me over his shoulder for a moment, which made me squeal. “Keep your eyes on the road!”
“I can feelthelittle panic attack you’re havin’ back there," he mumbled. "Fuck, I’m surprised you haven’t woken up Slim with how much stress you’re puttin’ out, babe.”
I sighed, turning my attention outside the window to the right. So far, besides the swerving incident, he had been a good driver. Not that that meant anything because there wasn’t any traffic but still. He was over the speed limit but not too much, and except for glancing at me a moment before, his attention had been glued to the road.
“What’s freakin’ you out?” Dex asked in that soft melodic voice he’d only used on me a couple of times before.
“I'm worried you're going to fall asleep driving or something.”
Not even a heartbeat later, Dex responded. “I'm wide awake, babe. Swear. I took an energy drink before we started drivin'.” There was no hesitation or annoyance in his tone.
I hummed in response.
A few more minutes passed by. Dex fiddled with the knobs on the radio.If I wouldn't have been paying so much attention I wouldhave missedhis quick glances to the backseat.
"Ritz."
"Yeah?"
Without an introduction or a ramp that apologized for being nosey, he asked, "What'd your ma die of?"
