How is it that I wanted to hate her for letting me go? For forgetting about me—damn it, us—for five years, and yet my heart wants to give itself back to her, the scar of her leaving the first time very much prominent.
Her phone vibrates and she looks down at it, sighing. “Mom says she’s picking me up late, andJoshis too busy, apparently.” She practically spits his name and my body lights up in protectiveness. The words he told her the other day haven’t left my mind, and if he wasn’t Ms. Kate’s fiancé, I would’ve confronted him then and there.
She runs her hand through her hair and it cascades back down. Her natural brown color fights against the blonde. Personally, I love the brown,always have, but she looks so pretty either way. A small smile blooms on my face and her eyes narrow slightly as she looks at me.
I stand, shaking my head, holding out my hand for her, and with a raised eyebrow, she takes it. “C’mon, I’ll drive you home.” Her words of protest die on her tongue as I stop her with a raised hand. “You’re on my way, and I’m not gonna leave you here by yourself.”
She closes her mouth, and after a bit, she nods, and we both look down at Sam as he looks up at us curiously. “What about the rest of your shift?”
She doesn’t know I finished, but even if I hadn’t, she can’t really think I would leave her here, right? She bumps into my chest, and my hands cup her face lightly, giving her the option to back away if I’m crossing a line. Thankfully, she lets me put them there, and I lock my eyes with hers. For a bit, I remember all the times I used this exact gesture to calm her down.
“I’m taking you home. Okay?”
Her inhale is sharp, but her eyes seem to soften. The warmth she carries in that big heart of hers fills them, andit’s finally directed toward me.
A small whine takes us out of our bubble, and my hands drop as we chuckle lightly. Sam stares up at us and I bend over to scratch the top of his head. “I hate leaving you here too, buddy.”
“Sam’s got your heart, huh?” she asks, and I almost,almostlaugh at the irony in the question. “He’s got mine too.”
After putting him in his kennel, Bianca throws a fluffy blanket over him, causing a chuckle to leave my lips. I hold the exit door open for her and she slides in when we get to the car. I slip in behind the wheel and give her a little time as she geeks out. “You like it?”
She gives me a stunned look. “Duh, BMWs are my weakness, and the white is a great choice.” I duck my head at that, a blush roaring its way up to my face, and I thank goodness it’s dark rightnow. I drum my fingers nervously before I ease out of the parking lot, my mind preparing for the highway.
“You think?” I ask.
“Yeah, this is my literal dream car,” she mumbles, and for a fleeting moment, my heart jumps at the idea of this car being hers one day. But I pull myself back to reality.
Scanning her to see if she’s fidgeting as we drive, I say, “We have to focus on getting you your permit first.” I cross into the middle lane as we get close to our exit, and I try with all my might to avoid potholes. Flitting my eyes to hers, she has her arms crossed, looking at me with the cutest expression.
“We?”
I shrug. “I could teach you.” Throwing it out there, I say nothing else as we drive to her house. A couple of weeks ago, we were in this same situation, but it feels different somehow. I feel light, happy, almost giddy. She’s here and she trusts me even with her fear of being in cars. We don’t talk about the near kiss, and I don’t want to push her. I merge into the right lane, the perfect opportunity to get another glance at her, and warmth blooms within me.
Yeah, she’s worth the wait. I’ve always known she’s worth everything.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
BIANCA
He kills the engine before looking at me, not making a move to do anything, letting me set the pace, and I almost cry at the familiarity.
Always making sure I’m alright.
“Thanks for the ride.” I’m not even sure he hears me, but he dips his chin while glancing at me. A small smile takes over his face before it leaves.
“Of course.”
The streetlight outside illuminates his ink, and I blurt out something, not wanting the night to end. “How many tattoos do you have?”
He looks to actually consider the question before he pushes out a breath. “I stopped counting after a while.”
I twist my lips. “Makes sense, you’re”—my eyes scan him meticulously—“covered.” My voice gets slightly breathless toward the end.
He smiles. “Maybe I’ll show you them one day and we can count them together.” My body instantly warms at thethought. Josh’s Mercedes is parked in the driveway and a groan makes its way up and out of me. His eyebrow raises curiously, and I lift a shoulder in a half-hearted gesture before pointing at the car. “You sure you wanna go in right now?” he asks, and I smile, the nostalgia hitting me as I sigh.
“Kinda have to.”
He opens his mouth before closing it. “Yeah, I guess.” I open the door, but he doesn’t let me get far. He reaches for my wrist and grabs it gently. “Bianca.” He says my name, but my heart aches for the eight-letter word ... The nickname he always called me that caught me off guard tonight. Still, I turn around and his eyebrows furrow, his pillowy lips forming the cutest pout. “Are we ... okay?”
