Easier said than done. Tanner’s laptop is older than mine and struggles to cope with the humongous video files from my camera. It takes an hour to transfer the information, and by then, the cops have already taken the call that Molly’s ex has been picked up drink-driving his way out of Burlington.
Tanner’s gaze is still mad as hell. “Dipshit got as far as Montpelier. Can you believe that?”
Molly cringes. “His other girlfriend lives there.”
“Hiswhat?”
“Don’t.” She looks away. “Iknow, okay?”
Nothing about this is okay. And the sad reflection in her huge eyes breaks through the haze that’s kept me silent up until now. I sit with her as Tanner accompanies the cops out of the building. “I’m sorry this happened to you. Toxic relationships are fucked up things.”
“You don’t think it’s my fault for staying with him so long?”
“No. And no one else thinks that either. It’s not like you married the dude and lived with him for half a decade after he hurt you the first time.”
“Is that what happened to you?”
“I didn’t marry a dude.”
“Don’t be cute. You’re too British.”
“It’s the truth.”
“Did you get divorced?”
It’s my turn to cringe. “Nope. I ran away instead. Genius move. Don’t be like me.” I wrap a fraternal arm around her slender shoulders.
Molly sighs and leans against me. “I can think of worse things than being like you. Tanner gets all smiley when you’re around. That’s a freakin’ superpower.”
“Is it?”
“Yeah. He’s happy when you’re here.”
I love Tanner’s smile, but I don’t see it anywhere near enough, so I can’t claim Molly’s theory as a win. Instead, I squeeze her tighter. “Are you going to stay here tonight?”
“Are you?”
“Very funny. Answer the question.”
Molly shakes her head. “He said I could, but I’d rather go home. My friends are already there waiting for me. I’m going to get an Uber in a minute.”
“Tanner won’t drive you?”
“He’s had three beers. He said he’d come with me, though.”
There are two things wrong with that—first, it’s a waste of money. Second, I’m not down with Tanner being away from me for however long it’s going to take him to cab it back and forth from wherever the fuck Molly lives. “You don’t need to get an Uber. I can drive Tanner’s car.”
As seems to be his skill today, Tanner returns to catch the end of the conversation. He nods and tosses me his keys. “Works for me.”
He takes Molly downstairs to find the handful of belongings she brought with her to the bar. She’s still wearing the hockey jersey. I give her my coat and we head out to the parking lot.
Tanner’s car needs gas. I drive to the gas station, then follow his directions to Molly’s place. I haven’t driven in forever. Long enough that I’ve forgotten how much I like it, and because Tanner has a peep hole into my brain, after we’ve seen Molly safely into her dorm he points me the scenic route home. “It’s only five minutes longer, but you can see more of the lake.”
“It’s dark,” I point out. “And I’ve seen plenty of it already. I can see it from my bedroom window.”
“Drive around in circles, then. Whatever you need, man.”
It bothers me that he knows I need something unspecific when I don’t have the first fucking clue what’s going on in his head. Or that maybe I do and I don’t trust myself. He doesn’t hide his emotions—he just declines to explain them. I drive around in circles anyway, though, and he lets me, tipping his head back on the seat and watching the road through hooded eyes. Eventually, I feel bad enough for keeping him out so late that I head for home. But as we near the parking lot, my grip on the steering wheel tightens and my knuckles turn white. I can’t explain it, but I’m fucking fuming.
