Shit, I’d been explicitly planning as far away as possible, but I couldn’t say that. I faltered, ending up saying nothing, which was the worst option of all. She stood up, brushing the dirt off her pants.
“Well, I hope you love it,” she said. “I’m gonna go home.”
“Cat—”
“I’m really tired. And my legs are sore. And I’m in a self-pitying mood,andI’m deaf. That’s not relevant, but it does make the list sound more serious. I’ll see you later. Unless you move tomorrow or something, I don’t know. Bye.”
She turned away before I could say anything back, and I hesitated, halfway to standing, almost going after her before I realized I’d only be making things worse. With a groan, I slumped back down on the grass, a hand to my forehead.
I really was an asshole. But I guess it was done now. And maybe if things went down like that, then she wouldn’t be trying to get me to stay, so… maybe it worked out for the best.
∞∞∞
“Hey,” Alyssa called after me as I fished my keys from my pocket, and I looked back at where she hurried along the parking lot towards me. She was so damn pretty it actually made me uncomfortable, suddenly aware of how grossly inadequate I was for her. The most drop-dead beautiful woman, loved byeveryone, taking pity on me, made me feel so out of place I wanted to itch my own skin off. “Jesus, you take off quickly,” she said. “I was convinced I’d catch up with you to find you leaving tire tracks tearing off out of the place.”
“Just figured I’d get out of the way.”
“Well, I sure hope you won’t, because I kind of needed to ask you a favor.” She clasped her hands at her waist. “Can you drive me home?”
I raised my eyebrows. “Daniela ditched you?”
“She went with Cat.”
“Oh…” A stab of guilt hit me at the same time as a flush of relief. I guess it had worked. Girl had people she could count on after all. Daniela was a good person. Cat was in safe hands with her. And the least I could do was make sure Alyssa wasn’t caught up in my mess too. I stood up taller. “Well, hop in, then. It smells like pine after the hauling this morning, just a heads-up.”
She laughed, a gleam coming back into her eyes as she relaxed. “You know I love the way your car smells. All the better. Thanks, Jade.”
I got in the car and started it as she went around and climbed in the passenger side, and I was putting the car in reverse before she’d even shut the door.
“Is everything okay?” she said, buckling in as I pulled out of the parking space, and I grunted.
“I’m just getting you home.”
“Oh… okay.” That little look in her eyes made me feel like I kicked a puppy. All the better. Would be easier if she didn’t like me either.
Or so I told myself. I got about two minutes of driving before I pulled off to the side, and I drove off the road and onto a secluded dirt patch, around the corner and out of sight, behind tall spruce trees and with a view of the valley sprawling out below us. I sighed, slumping back against the seat.
“Sorry,” I said. “Just needed a second.”
“Thank god. For a second I thought you were having a mental break and about to drive us off a cliff.”
“Nah. Even having a mental break, I’m not about to put a scratch on your face, you’re pretty enough it’d be a shame.”
“Okay, first off,” she laughed, “way to be smooth. Second off, that wouldn’t be the highest concern with driving off a cliff. Third off, I literally put a scratch on your face when we first met.”
“Hey, it’s just about healed now.”
“I amreallysorry about that.”
“Eh. Shouldn’t have snuck up on you.” I sighed. “I told Cat I was planning on moving away. She didn’t take it well.”
“Oh…” Her eyes went wide, and I saw a dozen different things playing out over her features. The worry and sympathy, I could understand. The slight shy blush? That one I didn’t. She didn’t know it came up from Cat asking about my feelings for Alyssa, did she?
“I should probably have told her earlier, but… well, I guess this same thing would have happened then.”
“I don’t think she meant what she said,” she whispered, putting her hand down on mine. I stiffened.
“Could you hear it?”
