AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I just sat there, awed, and she continued to count, and I recognized the breathing she was doing. I also did breathing exercises when I’d had bouts of anxiety in the past.
I stayed silent. I didn’t want to panic her, and again, I was awed. She was in here just doing her thing, and I couldn’t help it. I was truly in awe of her.
Especially when she released her fists.
Incredibly flushed, Fawn’s eyes opened, and when they did, she placed her hands on the wheel. She touched down, rubbing, and that was when I leaned forward. “Red?”
Once more, she ignored me. She just kept rubbing the wheel. Like she was focusing herself or calming down. “What’s next?”
Her statement added to the confusion of that moment. “What do you mean?”
She glanced over to me for the first time, and how calm and collected she really was. This was one of her greatest fears, but here she was doing it in my monster truck. She wet her lips. “What’s next for me to drive?”
I didn’t understand all this, or what her motivation was. Again, she was acting crazy, and because I didn’t know what was going on, I handed her my keys. That was basically what she’d asked for, and I realized now I could have gotten into my truck this whole time. I could have stopped her from doing this, but for some reason, I was handing her the key to start this thing.
Because I’d give her anything.
She had no idea how hard it was for me to let go of her again. It actually had broken me, and I’d been vacant just this morning. I’d left my body like the life had been drained out, but now, it was back.
It was back.
The girl fucking healed me so much. She made the mental shit hurt less, and the reality of that caused a harsh ache inside. It killed, because I knew I couldn’t keep it. I wasn’t worth keeping it. I wasn’t worthy of being hers in a thousand lifetimes. Not after what I’d done. Tried to do…
I had used her and tried to do right by her. Even still, she was here and making this shit so much harder.
“I don’t have a license,” she said, once more rubbing the wheel. She hadn’t started the truck, but the key was in the ignition. She gripped the wheel. “But I can drive. I haven’t forgotten how.”
I believed her, and because I’d apparently do anything she wanted, I strapped in. She did too, and I watched in complete fascination when she did start my ride. It hummed to life like a cave monster beneath her, and though it did give her pause, she just counted again. She breathed. She pushed through.
And then…
Well, then a miracle happened. She happened when she put the truck into drive and took off. She didn’t go flying or anything. We were moving slowly, but we moved.
She allowed us to move.
Red’s hands were ghost white on the wheel, and once more, I watched her. I stayed there in pure fascination.
Adoration.
Red had to be terrified, but here she was driving us around the parking lot. We circled our own little corner of the lot, and Fawn guided us. I didn’t move an inch. I really didn’t want to scare her or break her concentration, but not once did I question if she’d keep us safe. I trusted this girl with my very life.
I always had.
She’d had that trust for longer than she knew. Fawn Greenfield was my center, and she’d been that for so long. I honestly didn’t know when she wasn’t.
Swallowing, I brought the focus off myself and stayed on Red. Her breathing was rapid beside me, her hands still locked on the wheel, and I finally did reach over. I couldn’t help it. Squeezing her shoulder, I wanted her to know I was here and supported her. I smiled. “You’re doing great.”
This was an understatement. She was doing amazing, and she needed no motivation or validation from me. She knew what a badass she was by conquering this fear right now.
Because she smiled.
It was big and bright, and I knew it had nothing to do with me. Deep in my gut I just felt that, and I loved that for her. She knew this was her demon to slay and she was doing it. She did it.
And we went faster. The truck kept steadily increasing in acceleration, and no way did I stop her. I just let her drive, and eventually, she did stop. She parked, and when she did, she dared to do so between a couple cars, which said something. Even I had issues parking this thing, but she did it.
Way to go, Red.
I realized now I never had to coddle her. I never had to do anything for her, because she could handle things herself. She could handle her life herself.
