“I’m not your anything, Gelderman.”
“Whatever. Now get your stuff out and we’ll sort out the paperwork when I get it sold.”
Annabelle was a tidy person, so her things weren’t spread everywhere in her car. Years of living with two brothers had taught her to pick up after herselfandthem. She took out her handbag, and anything else that was personal.
“You want that?”
She was in the back seat when Ethan’s head appeared in the driver’s door. He was pointing at the small, heart-shaped silver charm that hung from her rearview mirror.
“No.” Pulling her eyes from the charm, Annabelle folded the blanket she kept in the back seat. “It’s nothing important.” She opened the trunk and took out her rain jacket, she then had everything. After she’d shut the trunk lid, she placed her possessions at her feet and took the car key off the chain Dr McBride had brought back for her from Hawaii, and handed it to Ethan.
“How’re you getting home?”
“Bus.”
“I’m flying out today for Howling. I’ll take you.”
“I’d rather go by bus.”
“You ever stop with the BS? Christ, Annabelle, it’s an offer from one friend to another. Can’t you for once just take it at face value? You don’t always have to fight me.”
“We’re not friends. Our friends are friends.” Annabelle folded her arms, but instead of going away like she’d thought he would, Ethan lowered his head and pushed it toward her until it was two inches from her face.
“What is your problem with me?”
You’re too handsome and you make me tingle all over, and your voice makes me melt.
“I have no problem with you. I just think you have enough adoring people in your life without adding another, and that you and I are better off keeping our distance.”
He looked at her, really looked, bright blue eyes studying hers, as if he could read her thoughts.
“You’re scared of flying.”
“What? Am not!”
He hooted with laughter. “I’m sure this is a moment I should be savoring. The Amazon is scared of something.”
“I’m not scared of flying, and don’t call me that.” Annabelle clenched her fists so one didn’t smack that happy expression off his face.
“You ever flown, Smith?”
“I went away to college, didn’t I?”
“You drove away to college. Jake told me that,” Ethan said.
Damn Jake McBride.“Whatever, Gelderman. I don’t have time for this shit. You going to sell my car or not?”
“Yes, but the deal is, I sell it, and you fly back to Howling with me.”
Oh God, just the thought of climbing into that big metal insect made Annabelle lightheaded, but, she needed that car sold and quickly, or she’d miss her next mortgage payment.
“Whatever. Just go do what you do, and I’ll be sitting here reading when you come back. Don’t get distracted by a woman, either.” She picked up her stuff, then turned her back on him and walked to the bench. He watched—she could feel his eyes on her back—but she didn’t stop, just marched up to it, dropped her things on one end, and then sat on the other. Annabelle then opened her bag, pulled out her book and pretended to read.
She heard her car start seconds later and as it drove away she lowered the book and watched, fighting to hold in more tears as she silently waved goodbye to her independence.
CHAPTER TWO
Ethan pulled Annabelle’s car to a stop in front of his apartment building. He hadn’t bought the story about her not needing the car. She loved this thing; he could tell that simply by looking inside it. It was immaculate, everything clean and neat. He untied the charm and dropped it into his pocket. There was a story behind this thing too—he’d bet his bird on that—and maybe one day she’d want it back, so he’d keep it safe until then.
