“Why follow me out here?” I ask her as she cleans the cuts on the sides of my arm and wraps it. “After what happened…” I shake my head disappointed in myself and not able to finish my thought.
“That wasn’t you…” She trails triggering me to look at her and wonder why she says that. “You’re an asshole, but not that kind of asshole.” It causes the corners of my mouth to curve up, slightly. She finishes with my wrist, but she doesn’t let go of it, and I don’t move back, I just continue to stand this close to her. “So where were you?” She whispers, looking up at me and my mouth dries. I can’t admit this to her. I’ve never admitted it to anyone before. The only person who I have ever talked to about it was Care and those weren’t really conversations about what happened. More like we’ve only mentioned things now and then. And once I told her she needed to deal with her shit.
“I know you deserve an answer.” I glance down at my watch to check the time. “We’re about a half-hour out, why don’t we park the car somewhere and you ride the rest of the way with me.”
“Okay.” She whispers, nodding her head. I’m surprised that she doesn’t ask me more.
Chapter Ten
RO
Pulling up at the diner, I see Caroline’s car in the parking lot. I nod to Sadie as we dismount and walk towards the front door.
“I don’t get it, why are we here at midnight?” I signal down across the diner, give Caroline a slight wave as she looks confused. I’m sure because I have Sadie with me.
“Sadie, Caroline. Caroline, Sadie.” I make the introductions and Caroline nods her head, looking even more confused as we sit down across from her.
“I wasn’t aware that Ro was bringing anyone.”
“Ro was not bringing anyone.” I say back to her. “Sadie tried to run Ro off the road.”
“Correction.” Sadie laughs out. “Sadie did run Ro off the road. Now can we stop talking about ourselves in third person?”
“I like her.” Care laughs, pointing over at Sadie.
Sadie looks at me, somehow, I know what she’s thinking without her having to open her mouth. “Care and I have known one another since I was 17. We have some shared trauma.”
Care laughs out loudly. “Yeah, if that’s what you want to fucking call it.” Sadie looks from Caroline back over at me. “I’m way to sober for that conversation.”
“I was hoping we could talk about it. I don’t know how to tell people.” I tell Care causing her to tilt her head and look at me likereally. “What can I say… you were right? The advice that I gave you, I have never taken myself.” She gives me smug look.
?
SADIE
“You, okay?” Ro asks me.
“Huh?” I answer Ro and can see Caroline growing intrigued in our exchange as she finished her food.
“Yeah, you’re sweating… like, a lot.” A chill strikes me as she mentions it.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
Ro’s phone rings, he checks it before looking at me, and telling us he has to take it. He squeezes my knee before he stands up and leaves the table. “That’s weird.” She says as she bites a grape off of the tip of her fork.
“What is?”
“I’ve never seen himwithanyone else before.”
“We’re not together.”
“Sure, you’re not.” Her response makes me furrow my brows as I look at her.
“We’re not. He’s just forc—helping me detox.”
“Ahh.” She points her fork in my direction before she picks up another bite.
“What?”
