She doesn’t care. “Of course there’s a need! We’re stuck!”
“What seems to be the problem with your car? Maybe I can help.” Jett flips his hands to face up in a peaceful gesture.
Relief stirs within me. He’s going to fix Easton’s SUV.
Maybe I didn’t fuck up Bronwyn’s day after all.
“This is Papa, by the way.” He stays in place, jerking his thumb toward the man first before patting the woman’s shoulder. “This is Ma.”
“Hey,” Easton mutters as he keeps digging around under the hood of the car.
Even I, who’s never so much as owned a car, can tell he has no idea what he’s doing. He’s just poking around, his free hand nudging things at random.
“Nice to meet you,” I add.
“Likewise,” they both say in unison, and guilt eats me alive all over again.
Technically, our tour is over. These people should be resting, not looking into what’s wrong with our car.
And I suspected them.
I really have to start trusting people more.
“I want out of here,” Bronwyn hisses. She scowls at Easton, yanks out of my grip, and crosses her arms over her chest. “Are you done?”
“I…” He sighs, then curses under his breath. “I don’t know.”
His frustration must remind Jett that he’s offered to help. A few large strides, and Jett’s next to him.
Maybe he can tell me who else lives here?
The green charm practically burns against my skin.Shut up.
“Let’s have a look.” Jett does not stop smiling. “Aim the light over here. Yes, perfect. Thanks, buddy.”
“It’s lucky we were still awake,” his mom—Ma—starts. “That Jett heard you over his headphones. Bless his heart, unless you bang on his door, when he’s listening to his music…” She puts her hands over her ears. “My boy loves the screaming ones.”
At her odd phrasing, I cock my head to the side.
“The music.” Her melodic laugh doesn’t put me at ease. “Rock. He loves rock.”
When she says it like that, it almost puts me at ease. “Oh.”
I’m impressed that Jett doesn’t scold her for oversharing with strangers. NoMa, come on, orThey don’t want to hear about these things.
He respects his mother.
Either that, or all he cares about is getting us out of here and getting back to his music.
Now I really feel awful. First, I got here late, and now, I’m monopolizing his free time.
Fuck.
“Yeah, and most of all, it’s a good thing you got stuck in Colbert.” Papa stuffs his hands into his jeans, never bothering to help Jett out. He must be exhausted. “When it’s dark out, some folks can get…lost.”
The thought of being alone out there, being one of those faces on the missing persons signs I saw in the gas station… I gasp.
Bronwyn isn’t impressed, huffing before saying, “Yeah, yeah.”
