Page 63 of Brought By the Storm

Chapter Twenty

Carrington

Eric had been playing pop music whilst we were driving through Connecticut, which seemed to annoy Stefan. Each time I glanced back at him, he rolled his eyes or frowned. If it wasn’t the music, it might have been Stefan being irritated by the looks of affection I continued to shower on Eric.

“Um, the traffic isn’t as heavy as usual,” Eric spoke. “I think we’ll make our reservations all right.”

“Thank you again for driving us,” I offered, reaching over the console to place my hand on his thigh. Eric swallowed, taking a quick glance at me, smiling. I turned to look at Stefan in the back seat, and he either didn’t notice or decided it was a good time to check his phone.

“Do you mind the music?” Eric asked Stefan, eyeing him in the rear-view mirror.

Stefan shrugged. “It’s your car. Your choice to play what you fancy.” He didn’t lift his head from the screen.

Eric glanced at me, biting his lip. “Is it okay? I can put on something else.”

I chuckled. “It’s fine. I’m not familiar with most of the songs, but I’ve liked some of them.”

Eric nodded, but turned down the radio a bit, allowing for us to tune it out if that was our preference. “It’s my current playlist,” he explained.

“Once I’m back in Yastarus, you can send me a list of songs that remind you of me,” I smiled. “I’d like to listen to what you’d choose.”

Stefan pretended to vomit, and I chose to ignore him.

Eric was too polite, however. I could tell he was compelled to draw Stefan into the conversation. “Um, Stefan, are you going to see Mateo again?”

I saw Stefan grimace. “Well, that will be quite difficult. Yastarus isn’t right around the corner. It’s not conducive to dating someone in Connecticut, is it?”

I was tiring of my friend’s attitude and his blatant attempt to discourage Eric from maintaining a relationship with me was infuriating. “Maybe when you care about someone enough, you’ll make the effort,” I snapped.

Stefan clicked his tongue. “People say that, but then life and the many responsibilities interfere. Before long, good intentions become poorly executed actions until they cease altogether.”

Eric looked miserable, and it made my head hurt. “Stefan, what happens between you and Mateo is your business. However, I will thank you not to project your negativity on me and Eric.”

I massaged Eric’s thigh, trying to reassure him that I was serious about us. He gave me a weak smile, but his eyes were dimmer than usual.

“How much longer?” Stefan whined like the impatient child on a long car journey.

I was thankful for the change of subject. Eric looked at the GPS before responding. “We should be at the restaurant in about twenty minutes.”

“I hope it’s not an establishment that plays ear candy,” Stefan mumbled, getting in a jab about Eric’s musical taste.

Eric reached over to turn off the radio. “For God’s sake, I asked you enough times if it was bothering you. You could have just said yes.”

We sat in silence until we reached our destination, but I continued to massage Eric’s leg, hoping it would calm him.

I had been to New York City a few times before, and I gave Eric credit that he was brave enough to navigate his vehicle around its busy streets. It wasn’t just the weaving of cars in various lanes, but also the people who thought crosswalks and pedestrian signs were suggestions. The noise was overwhelming. Horns were blaring as drivers vented their frustrations. Large trucks would come alongside our vehicle within millimeters, and the racket of their engines made me jump more than once. I was relieved once Eric pulled into a parking garage, handing his keys to a valet.

We walked through the bustling crowds of people, most of them sweaty, determined, and miserable. Once we found the restaurant, it was like an oasis with its air-conditioning and quieter din.

Stefan’s mood was better once he was eating. I guessed the stress of the day, the ride and leaving Mateo had all contributed to his earlier bout of unpleasantness. He even laughed at a joke Eric had made about the water, which I hadn’t quite heard. It made me happy to see my friend starting to get along with my man.

Once the bill arrived, I insisted on paying it. I couldn’t believe that Eric reached for his wallet considering all he had already done for us. I was relieved that he didn’t argue when I pushed his hand back on the table. I didn’t think he understood yet that I also liked to take care of him.

I was beginning to feel angst that the night was coming to an end, and I would be saying goodbye to Eric. I had meant what I had said about trying to maintain the relationship, but I knew being thousands of miles apart and both of us returning to work would be less than optimal. I was already fantasizing about the things Eric and I could do once he came for a visit.

With the bill paid, the three of us put our napkins on the table, readying to leave. Stefan took one more look at his phone, I assumed to check the flight status. “Shit,” he muttered.

I felt a bit of hope, thinking the flight may have been canceled. “What is it?”