I glance at the empty stretch of road around us. It’s not terrible out here, but it’s not somewhere I want her sitting alone either.
“Who’d you call?”
“County Something Towing,” she says. “Some guy named Caleb is supposed to be here soon.”
I blink. “County Line Towing?”
She nods.
I let out a slow breath. Of course she called Caleb.
“He’s good people,” I say. “You’ll be in good hands.”
“Oh, good,” she says flatly. “I feel so much better now.”
I almost smile. Her tone tells me she’s over this conversation. But that doesn’t change the fact that I’m not leaving her here. I’m not gonna just drive off because she says she’s fine.
A few minutes later, a pair of headlights appears, and sure enough, Caleb’s older service truck rolls up behind mine. He climbs out, baseball cap pulled low, and gives me a surprised look.
“Rowden?” he says. “Didn’t expect to see you when I rolled up.”
“Yeah,” I mutter. “Brinley’s a friend of mine. I was driving past when I saw her on the side of the road.”
He looks between us, then down at her car. “Did you take a look at it? What’s it doing?”
She explains it again, calmer this time. Caleb pops the hood, that same gasoline smell lingering as he leans in with a flashlight, listening while she tries to start it once more. It just clicks.
“Might be something with the fuel line,” he says. “Or it’s getting fuel but not firing. I’ll know more once I get it to the shop.”
“Yeah,” I say, standing beside him while he lowers the hood. “Let me know what you find.”
“I will.”
He starts backing the truck into position, getting everything lined up to hook her car to the tow bar. I stand close to Brinley, more out of instinct than anything.
Brinley’s a few steps away, wrapping her arms around herself. I can see her glancing between us like she’s trying to decide something.
“Caleb,” she calls out. “Would you mind giving me a lift to my place? It’s only a couple of miles from here.”
He pauses, looking between us. “Sure, I—”
“I’ve got it,” I cut in.
Both of them look at me.
“I’ll take her,” I say, already walking toward her trunk. “No need to ride with him when I’m already heading in that direction anyway.”
My tone leaves no room for discussion. I don’t mean it harshly, but I’m not debating it either.
Caleb nods once. “All right then.”
Brinley doesn’t argue, but I can see the subtle tic in her jaw. Her eyes track me as I pop the trunk.
There’s more in here than just her duffel bag. There’s a small storage box, a couple of large garbage bags, and a few grocery sacks with random food items. There’s even a pair of boots shoved into the corner.
If I didn’t know better, I’d think she was leaving Rixton and not moving back to the loft.
I grab the duffel and one of the garbage bags, which looks like it’s filled with more clothes, and carry them to my truck.
