“You know cars come with apps now?” Adam said, leaning against the side of Sandro’s car.
“For what?”
“You can lock and unlock your doors, start the engine, adjust climate control, locate your car, check fuel levels. It does all sorts of stuff.”
Huh. That did sound kind of cool.
“Anyway, you don’t have to decide today.” Adam straightened and patted the hood, just like Sandro had done. “I can keep her here until you make up your mind. It’s too bad, you know? She’s in good condition otherwise. But even with a new engine, you’ll probably only get another five to ten years.”
“Wait.” Sandro blinked. “Five to ten years?”
That wasn’t nothing. Weighing that against the cost of replacing the engine and other worn-out components?
He crossed his arms over his chest. “Do it.”
Adam’s eyebrows flew skyward. “Really?”
“Yup.”
Grinning, Adam rubbed his hands together. “I was secretly hoping you’d say yes. You and me, girl,” he said to the car. “We’re going to have some fun.”
With that decision finally made, Sandro smiled for the first time all day.
Several minutes later and with his bank account several thousand dollars lighter, he walked back to Bennett’s rental car with Bennett at his side. “You’ve been quiet. You think I made the wrong decision?”
“Honestly?” Bennett opened the driver’s side door and smiled at Sandro over the top of the car. “I would’ve been surprised had you told him to scrap it.”
Sandro wanted to ask what that meant, but an annoyed “Took you long enough” came from the back seat as soon as he’d climbed in and shut the door.
“It was barely ten minutes,” he said, turning to look at his teammate.
Eli huddled in an oversized jacket, hugging Mr. Wiggles like the stuffed bear was a childhood security blanket. He was red-eyed and disheveled, but Sandro had forced coffee and breakfast down his throat, and he was looking better than he had an hour ago. He’d run home to change out of his suit and into track pants and a hoodie for today’s practice, but he still smelled like alcohol, although not as strongly as he had last night. Coach wouldn’t notice. Probably. But Dabbs would.
Bennett popped his phone into the holder clipped to the vents and brought up the maps app. “What was the name of the bar you were at yesterday?”
Eli scowled. “Why?”
“Because we’re going to drop you off at your car,” Sandro reminded him.
“Can we go by after practice instead? Maybe if I leave it there a little longer, someone will steal it.”
“Do you want someone to steal it?” Bennett asked, eyeing Eli in the rearview mirror.
“It smells like pee. And leftover hamburgers, even though I’ve never eaten a hamburger in there ever.”
Sandro stuck his tongue in his cheek. “But you have peed in there?”
“What? No. That’s not what I meant. Ugh. You think you’re so funny.”
“He’s laughing.” Sandro jerked a thumb at Bennett.
“He’s besotted.”
“Can’t argue that,” Bennett agreed. He plugged the arena’s address into his app and began driving.
Sandro took Bennett’s right hand off the gear shift and held it in both of his, earning himself a quick smile. Bennett’s palm was cool against Sandro’s, and Sandro rubbed his wrist with his thumb.
Last night had left them in a more permanent place. Things between them felt more deeply rooted and stable. It was like going from a pot-holed road—bumpy and shaky—to a recently paved street that was smooth for miles.
