It pulls me back to reality, and I frown, glancing around the now-deserted parking lot.
“Do you need a ride home?” I ask hesitantly.
“I’m good,” he snaps back, the irritation returned in his voice.
“Well, is someone gonna come pick you up?” My temper is rising, and I struggle to keep it out of my tone. I’m just trying to help him. Why does he have to be such a dick about it?
“IsaidI’m good.”
Luke steps out of his car and stands directly in front of me. For the first time in my life, I’m forced to look up in order to meet his eye. I know I’m a big guy, butholy shit.It’s so unusual that I can’t help but gawk at him even though he’s glowering downat me. He’s trying to be intimidating, but all I can think is,how is it fair that he’s still so good-looking even when he’s angry?Obviously, it’s only envy I’m feeling, but the sudden appearance throws me off, and for a second, I forget that we’re even at an impasse.
I mean,come on. Up close, his eyes are so strikingly blue that I stare at them longer than I probably should, marveling at the detail of every peak and valley of his irises. It’s like they’ve trapped me in some sort of spell. That, or I’m so fucking tired that I don’t remember how to blink.
The eye contact seems to unnerve him, and he looks away first, breaking the connection.
What the fuck is wrong with me?
“Look—” I sigh, shaking my head. I just want to go home and sleep. Is that too much to ask for? “I don’t know what the fuck I did to piss you off, but the offer stands. I don’t care what you do, but it’s either come with me or walk home. Simple as that.”
Luke doesn’t respond at first, staring across the parking lot like he’s seriously debating it. I’m about to say fuck it and go, but then, he drops his head and sighs.
“Okay, fine. Yes, I would appreciate the ride.” It comes out a little begrudgingly, but at this point, I’m getting used to the flip-flops, so it doesn’t surprise me when he sounds less snippy overall.
I nod once, collect the jumper cables, and stash them back in my truck.
Luke grabs some things from his car and then gets in the passenger seat, replying with only simple directions when I ask where he lives. It’s a good fifteen minutes from the shop and about twenty minutes out of my way, but I keep that to myself. I try to remember how nice my bed’s going to feel when I fall into it.
The first few minutes of the car ride are excruciatingly tense and completely silent. Luke stares out of the passenger window like he’s brooding, with his elbow up on the sill and his chin in his hand. I spare him a few cautious glances, not failing to notice that he looks comfortable sitting there. Like he fits there. It’s probably the extra legroom and the fact that he isn’t actively being squished. It's not overcrowded, even with the two of us sitting up front.
When the quiet becomes too uncomfortable, I flip the radio on, and the Michigan Public Radio station starts broadcasting. I must have been listening to NPR the last time I had it on, but right now, what’s coming out is classical music. Sounds like one of Bach’s violin sonatas, but I can’t be too sure. I’ve heard it before, but in my current state, I couldn’t even begin to name it.
I debate whether or not to change the station to something Luke might like better, but eventually decide against it. If he wants to be prickly and closed off with me, he can deal with listening to this until I get him home. Besides, I don’t care if he doesn’t like it. The gentle melody is soothing my wrecked nerves, so I’d rather keep it.
After a moment, Luke visibly shifts in his seat and stares at the radio before turning his whole body toward me. When I glance at him, his face is full of open confusion.
“What?” I ask flatly, dreading whatever he’s going to say next.
“Whoareyou?” he replies, squinting like he’s suspicious of me.
My brow furrows. “I don’t know how to answer that.”
“You don’t makesense.” He’s still staring at me, studying me closely. He almost looks like he wants to reach out and poke me to confirm I’m corporeal.
A dry laugh escapes my lips. It sounds a little unhinged, but I’m losing my mind at this point. “Idon’t make sense? You’ve been absolutely impossible to pin down since we met.”
Luke doesn’t respond. He just leans back in the seat and stares at the dashboard before frowning. He glares at the floor, then turns his head to look at the backseat with a scoff. Flipping back around, he opens the glove box, then the middle console, grunting angrily. It’s strange, but I’m too confused to stop him. He sits back and folds his arms across his chest like he’s pouting.
“What’s wrong now?” I ask.
“Your truck is, like, scarily clean. It’s weirding me out. There’s no dust, or garbage, or even dirt on the rugs.”
“What, you’d prefer I was a slob?”
“Yes!” he shouts back emphatically, and I startle. “You should be a slob with the vocabulary of a fifth grader who only listens to overly patriotic country music instead ofthis.” He gestures roughly at the radio.
I stare at the road, trying to process everything he said, but I’m struggling to figure it out. How could he think something like that about me after only speaking to meonce? I might be able to understand it better if I weren’t so tired, but for now, I can only guess he’s made some wild assumptions about me based on nothing.
“Sorry to disappoint, I guess,” I mutter after a minute, but my brows knit together. “I mean, Idolisten to country music if that makes you feel better.”
