Page 152 of Finding Storm

“Hey,” he says.

“Hey. Got the keys.” I hold them up in my hand. “I’ll be back soon.”

“Okay.” He pushes his hands in the pockets of his coverall and rocks back on his heels.

He’s looking at me oddly. He’s got this shifty smile on his face. I recognize it well. It always came out when we were kids and he’d broken something of mine.

“What’s going on with you?” I cock my head to the side, watching him.

“Nothing.”

I glance around the garage, looking for anything out of the ordinary. “Dad’s still at the suppliers?” I check.

“Yep.”

“Why are you smiling at me like that?”

His brow goes up. “Smiling at you like what?”

“Like you’ve done something wrong.”

“Nope. I haven’t done anything.”

I narrow my eyes on him.

He smiles wider, showing actual teeth.

“You’ve totally done something, and I will find out what.”

He laughs. “Maybe I’m just happy to see my kid sister.”

See, that’s weird. Beck would never say something like that. He’s not what you’d call an affectionate brother. And I did only see him this morning.

It’s my turn to laugh. “Now, I know you’re lying.”

He just shrugs, still wearing that damn smile.

“Are you dying?”

Laughter bursts from him this time. “No, I’m not fucking dying.”

“Are you high then? Drunk?”

“Nope, and nope.”

I eyeball him. He gives me an even wider smile.

He’s totally done something. Or is up to something. And I’ll figure it out when I get back from this tow.

I point a finger at him. “I’m going to do this tow. I’ll see you when I get back.”

I back out of the garage, swivel on my heel, and walk over to the tow truck.

What the hell was that all about? If he’s broken something of mine, I will kill him.

I climb in the cab. Start the truck up. Hook up my Bluetooth and put “Love Is A Battlefield” on. Pat is the only one who understands me at the moment.

I shift the truck into drive and set off to go get this tow over and done with, so I can get back to lying on my bed and feeling sorry for myself. Desperately trying not to think about the last time I was in this truck and who I was with.