I chuckle. “No, it’s okay. I get why you’d ask that, but honestly, with the diner being across the street and not having a car…” I pause. “Well,nowI have a car but—”
“Wait. You got a car? That’s great.”
“Yeah. Actually…” I pause again and glance over at Throttle who shoots his ol’ lady a look then to me and then back to Tequila. “I can take a hint. I’ll just go take a piss.”
“Lovely.” Tequila shakes her head, and she ushers me to sit in the previously vacated seat.
I scan the area looking for Eric and when I don’t see him, I scoot inside.
Hell with it.
“What’s the gossip?”
“See that car across the street. It’s mine.”
She jerks back. “Oh, that’s nice. As much as I’m excited for you, how did this happen?”
I crinkle my nose. “Hush.”
“What?!”
I shush her, glancing around as people look our way, but they quickly go back to their business after a few seconds.
“Sorry. What?” she whispers, eyes still wide.
“I don’t know. I came out of my apartment before my shift, and it was just parked outside with a note on the windshield from him.”
“He gifted you a car?”
“He gifted me a car.”
She lets out a breath and then grins. The kind of grin creasing the corners of your eyes. “Wow. Okay. This is big. Huge.”
“Really?” I ask unsure.
“Sure. Hush is so closed off that I can’t believe he’d do that for anyone. He must really care about you.”
My face heats. “I suppose.”
Throttle comes back but Tequila throws him a look.
“Right. Suddenly I have the urge to piss again.” He twists on his boots heading back toward the bathroom.
I smile.
“You really care about him, huh?”
It’s a loaded question, one Lydia and I already talked about earlier, but there isn’t a doubt in my mind.
“Yes.” I shy away at the question, glancing toward the Toyota outside.
“I think this is really, really great, Dan.”
I jerk my attention back to her. “Yeah?”
She nods. “Yeah. I do.” The biggest smile forms on her face and I grin not being able to suppress the happiness either.
“How are you doing with everything else? Mentally.”
