“Huh?” I glance down at my phone, and there are no missed texts or calls. “I thought I was meeting him at Snappy’s.”
She shrugs. “I dunno. He’s up front.”
“Maybe I misunderstood,” I say, grabbing my coat and purse, but she stops me at the door.
“Are you sure you’re okay to go tonight? You know I’m all about this thing with you and Oliver, but you’ve felt like garbage all day.”
“I’m fine,” I insist, though that isn’t exactly true. I’m so exhausted that I fell asleep at my desk during lunch and had to rinse mustard out of my hair. My body aches all over like I have the flu. Except I know it isn’t and there’s no amount of time or medication to rid me of this feeling once and for all.
“Okay, but did you at least take your muscle relaxers?” she asks.
My silence is her answer.
“Lindsey,” she hisses. “Seriously?”
I hold up my hands. “Fine. I’ll take them.” I dig in my purse for the tiny pill container I keep stashed inside and grab one.
She grabs my trusty water bottle from my desk and hands it to me so I can gulp down the medicine.
“You have got to start taking better care of yourself,” she says with an accusatory glare.
“I’m fine,” I lie again because it’s easier than admitting she’s right.
“Uh-huh.”
“Well, I’m committed to faking it until I make it, okay?” I say, pushing past her and out into the lobby where Oliver is waiting.
“Hey you,” he says with a smile.
I give him a peck on the cheek. “Everything okay? I thought I was meeting you.”
He smiles. “Yeah. Actually, I was hoping I could catch you before you left so we could ride together. There’s somewhere we need to stop on the way there.”
“Oh, okay. Sure.” I push my arms through the sleeves of my coat. “Kayla, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Y’all have fun,” she says with one last stern glance in my direction that adds a silentBut not too much fun.
“See ya later, Kayla,” Oliver says as we step out into the cold.
“So, where are we going?” I ask as we stroll toward his truck hand in hand.
“It’s a surprise,” he says, his eyes glittering in the glow of the lamplight overlooking the parking lot.
“Hmm.” I raise my brows at him. “I’m intrigued. Can you give me a hint?”
“Nope. But I think you’re gonna like it.”
Once inside his truck, we set off in pursuit of our mystery destination, but the path quickly becomes familiar.
“Wait…where are we going?” I ask as he turns onto the street I know like the back of my hand. The closer we get to my childhood home, the more confused I become.
“Wait…” I trail off. “Are we going back to my mom’s?”
He grins over at me. “Yes, we are.”
We roll to a stop in front of my mother’s house. It’s completely dark except for the porch light illuminating the front stoop.
“She’s not here,” I say. “I’m pretty sure Ron picked her up a while ago.”
