Too late now.
Graham clears his throat and asks about people’s Christmas plans. I shoot him a thankful look. Frank cozies up to me, inserting himself against my hip. “Octopus,” he whispers.
I motion for him to follow me into the living room. The rest of the group is so enthralled in their conversation that they don’t notice us making our way to the outskirts.
“Firecracker,” I say, keeping my voice soft.
“Did you mean what you said? That I’m your boyfriend.”
“I should’ve talked it over with you first. I’m sorry.” I pull him close and kiss his forehead, needing a moment of connection between us. “We should’ve talkedabout labeling things when we had our exclusivity talk. Yes, I think of you as my boyfriend. And so much more.”
“I like that.” Frank rises on his toes and smashes our lips together. Normally, he lets me take over, but today, he’s the one demanding. It’s all I can do to keep up with him, to kiss him back with the same focus and passion that he’s giving me.
“Get a room. Preferably not one in my home.” When I pull away, Aaron and the whole gang are staring at us, a combination of smiles and head shaking. I’m not sorry. I’m pretty sure every one of them has hooked up somewhere on my property. Payback’s a bitch.
“Fine.” I squeeze Frank’s hand, a promise of what I plan to do to him later when we get a little privacy. For now, I follow everyone to the sitting area, pulling my Firecracker into my lap. It’s a space-saving measure, I tell myself. Not that there aren’t more than enough seats. Conversation quickly turns to the usual banter. I alternate between participating and tuning out, content to simply be in a space full of people I care about.
Chapter Twenty
FRANK
Shit.Not again. I swear I didn’t leave the light on in my car.
If I did, I’m sure I’d still be able to see it lit up. That fucker never gives in. The whole car battery can die, but that little dome light is going strong. Apparently, that one bulb is the most resilient part of Squeezy.
Three times. Three times in the last year I’ve walked out to find her dead. Every single time, it’s been my fault. My lack of attention when I turn her off at the end of the night. I thought I’d finally worked out a system to ensure I got everything off.
Apparently not.
I turn the key one more time—just to be sure—and there’s no chance that it’s going to turn on. I know that sound well enough to know that sitting here, repeating the action, isn’t going to do anything. Which leaves me with limited options for how I’m going to get home. Walk or ride share.
Neither one is particularly appealing. Given my current finances, paying to get home on top of having to pay for my car to be jumped isn’t happening. With the impending eviction from the basement, I need to save every penny for a deposit on an apartment. I can swing the monthly payments, but with first month and security deposit, I need more of a buffer.
That’s why I’m at the college in the first place. Classes might be over for the semester, but I’m still trying to work out what I might be able to do next semester. I registered for classes in case I figure something out. I can always drop them at the beginning of January before I pay the tuition. I met with one of the financial advisors tonight to see if there was any chance of getting more aid.
Apparently, my options on that are as limited as my options for getting home. Guess I’m taking a nice long walk.
I go through my backpack and take out everything I don’t need tonight. No need to make it even worse than it is. Once I’m back home, I can figure out something. Maybe one of the guys on the crew will drive me back here tomorrow and help me jump her. Hopefully, that’s the only issue. If I end up having to tow it somewhere… I can’t even think about that right now. I don’t want to know how much that, plus a new battery, plus whatever else she needs, will cost me.
Too much. That part I know for sure.
If it comes to it, I can ask Matthias to help. Not for the money, but to get back to my car. Tonight, he’s working late, but tomorrow he might have time.
It’s not getting any earlier, so I take my lighter backpack and start back toward my house, calculating how long it might take me. The community college isn’t that far away, but it’s at least a ten-to-fifteen-minute drive onfast roads. That must translate to at least an hour of walking.
Ugh. Just when everything was going so well. I’m not the best at things like turning off the light in the car, but I swear it’s not my fault this time.
Probably.
The walk is as miserable as I expected. Thankfully, it’s at least on the sidewalk instead of the edge of a highway. The downside is that I keep getting stuck at lights, waiting on the walk sign. It slows me down more than expected. It doesn’t help that it’s fucking cold. It’s supposed to snow later tonight. I hope I can make it home before the first flakes start to fall.
A car pulls up alongside me, and I let out a loud sigh. This is the last thing I need today. I turn, ready to tell whoever it is to fuck off.
“Frank?”
Shit. “Hey, Aaron.”
“What’re you doing?” He puts the car inparknext to me.
