He grunted and set them in her hand, but didn’t release them either.
“Tell me,” he demanded.
She gripped the keys harder, but he still wouldn’t relinquish them.“He’s dead.A drunk driver hit him on his way home from work.Now give me my keys.”
She almost teared up at the emotions crossing his face—relief, embarrassment, concern, and contentment.
“Blake, give me my keys.I’m tired, and I want to go home.”
He snatched them back and pressed his fingers into his temple.“I fucked up again.”
She nodded slowly.
“I’m sorry.I really am.The thought of you being out of my reach infuriated me since I’ve been waiting for you for years.”
She stared at him and then shook her head.She didn’t believe him.She sighed when he pocketed her keys and pulled her out of the SUV.
“Ouch,” she whimpered.
He looked down.“Where the hell are your shoes?”
She pointed to the passenger seat behind her.
He leaned in and grabbed them before he crouched in front of her.He took one of her feet and used his hand to wipe the bottom off before slipping her shoe on.He did the same thing to the other foot before he stood and grabbed her hand.
She thought it was sweet that he was taking care of her.It was something she hadn't felt in a long time.
“Wait, Blake, what are you doing?”
“We’re going inside.”
“I don’t want to.I’ve got a lot to do, and I’m exhausted.”She’d been up with her mother the last week she’d been alive.She sat in a chair beside her and would jerk awake every time her mother moaned.She gave her as much morphine as possible to keep her comfortable.She hadn’t gotten a good night's sleep since she’d been home.All she wanted was to fall into bed, pull the blanket over her head, and sleep for twenty-four hours straight.
He pulled her in the front door of the huge ranch house.It was two stories of dark wood and a wraparound porch.She glanced at what looked like a formal living room to the right before he pulled her down the hallway to the left and into what looked like a solarium.When she looked further, she saw the indoor pool.Holy cow.It looked like paradise.
They got to a room she guessed was a TV or family room.He closed and locked the door before towing her over to the sofa and setting her down.
“What are you doing?”
“We're going to talk.”
She sighed in frustration.“Why waste time?Nothing matters anymore.”
He sat down next to her.“It’s not a waste of time.”
“It is for me.Once everything is sold, I’m leaving, and I’ll never be back.”
“Don’t say that,” he snapped.
“Why?It’s the truth.There is nothing for me here but bad memories except for my mom, and now she’s gone.”
“Are you hungry?”he asked suddenly.
The change in the topic threw her for a moment.She thought about it for a moment and then shook her head.She couldn’t remember the last time she ate, but her stomach wouldn’t let anything stay down at the moment.
“Okay, then, let’s relax and talk.”
She sighed in frustration and turned to him.“Okay, Blake, what do you want to talk about?”She knew he wouldn’t let her go without talking, and she just wanted to get home and sleep.
