I don’t get very far before I hear the rumble of thunder in the distance and see ominous dark clouds on the horizon. No, absolutely not, there is no fucking way it’s going to…rain. The thought barely enters my mind before I feel large drops land on my head.
Tilting my head up to the sky, I scream,what the actual fuck?
In a matter of seconds, I’m soaked from head to toe. I have two options—get back in my car and pray someone finds me before the car explodes or continue walking. I don’t have a death wish, and I’m already wet, so walking it is. It will get me home and dry sooner than later. If I hurry, I can beat the worst of the storm.
Four
The wipers on my black Lincoln Navigator can barely keep up as they sweep back and forth across the windshield. It was sunny and warm all day—the storm came out of nowhere.
Through the rain, in the distance, I see a car parked along the side of the road. Slowing down, I crawl past Beck’s rundown Civic. Peering inside the window, I don’t see any sign of her.
Where did she go? I don’t have to wonder long when I look ahead and see the woman walking along the quiet country road.
When I reach her, I roll down the passenger-side window and slowly drive alongside her.
“Do you want a ride?” I ask.
“No, thank you,” she grumbles as she continues to trudge along. “I only have a little farther to go.”
“Don’t be stubborn,” I huff, tapping my fingers on the steering wheel.
“I don’t want to get your fancy seats wet,” she snarks back without making eye contact.
“Get in the car, Beck,” I demand, quickly swerving around her, pulling the truck to a stop. I watch in the rearview mirroras she contemplates my command. It’s entirely possible she will refuse just to spite me.
She slowly plods forward and opens the door. Her white T-shirt is plastered across her chest. It has become so transparent that I can seeeverythingunderneath. Jesus. Her hair is stuck to her head, and between her tears earlier and the rain, her artfully applied makeup has almost washed away. She looks utterly defeated and so damn beautiful.
“Come on, get in,” I soften my voice and coax her gently. “I’ll take you home.”
Reluctantly, she climbs in and pulls the door closed. She has goose bumps running down her arms from getting caught in the downpour. Reaching into the back seat, I grab a hoodie I had left there earlier this week.
“Here, put this on,” I say, handing her the shirt. It will be too big for her, but it will help warm her up and prevent me from staring at her chest like a pervert.
“Thank you,” she mumbles, pulling it over her head.
“No problem. What’s wrong with your car? The same thing as last weekend?”
“I don’t know; I don’t think so. I’m so frustrated,” she sighs, slouching down in the seat, wrapping her arms around her waist. “It was making a strange clunking noise and started smoking. I’ll have to get it to the garage.”
“Did you call Dillon to have it towed in yet?” I ask.
Fishing the phone out of her front pocket, she holds it up. “Battery’s dead. And before you ask why I didn’t charge it, I forgot, okay?”
“I wasn’t going to say anything.” Okay, maybe I was going to say something. It’s irresponsible to travel alone with a low battery. Anything could happen, like it just did, but she doesn’t need to hear it right now.
Wrinkling her nose, she looks around the car.
Glancing at her and then back to the road, I ask, “What’s wrong? What are you looking for?”
Narrowing her eyes, she asks, “Did you pick up Thai food?”
“Yes?” I say slowly.
“Figures,” she snorts, shaking her head.
“What now?” I mutter, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. “You’re mad that I bought myself dinner?”
“No,” she grumbles. “I was just craving it.”
