Page 19 of Save Me

I snatch the phone up and answer, “I’m sorry, Mr. Parker, I had a family emergency pop up. I’ll get there as soon as I can.”

There’s a beat of silence on the other end of the line, then a cheery voice comes down the line. “Hey, it’s Micah! You left your car here. Is everything okay?”

I suppress another groan. Right. Of course he’d notice. “It wouldn’t start.”

“Oh yeah, I figured. I took a look at it, and you needed a new battery. I swapped it out, no problem. But also, is everyone okay? Family emergency?”

He did what? Swapped it out?

I turn to examine my apartment as if that’ll give me answers. “You…it needed a new battery?”

“Yeah! Happens all the time. I just got it changed so you could drive it.”

He got it changed? My stomach flips. That’s expensive. Did he pay money for my car?

“Are you sure you’re okay? Where are you?”

“Home,” I answer automatically, then kick myself. Why the hell am I answering that? “Yeah, I’m fine. The emergency was…handled.” Still, I feel a tiny release in my chest at the concern in his voice. As soon as I feel it, I tense.

“Home? How did you get… It doesn’t matter. Do you want me to come give you a lift so you can get your car?”

My head is pounding, but I register he’s offering to help, and that tension increases.

“No, that’s okay.” My words come out a bit quicker, a bit harsher than I intended.

“It’s really not a big deal.” I hear keys jangling on the other end of the line. “What’s your address?”

I’m silent as a wave of dread drops over me, and I’m not even sure why. Why am I refusing a free ride? How the hell else am I going to get my car? It’s not like I can’t pay him back eventually. And yet, I can’t shake the feeling that I’m being chased by a bunch of hornets. I grind my teeth.

“You still there?”

“Yeah.” Despite the fact that the buzz of the hornets is so strong, I can practically feel it in my bones, I rattle off my address because what choice do I have? Stung by the hornets or fired from my day job.

“Oh, hey, that’s just down the road! I’ll be there in a second, neighbor!”

I hang up the phone. I can’t drop that feeling of dread. Still, I try to reason my way out of it. It’s just a ride. Just a ride, and I’ll pay him back, and then I can get him to drop that note of concern. And when that note of concern is dropped, I can relax for real. Because concern is never really concern; it’s always a ball of hornets ready to make things hurt more than you’ve ever felt before.

I’ll pay him back, and then I’ll make sure to never be caught with my pants down again.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

So, I’m not dead yet. Surprise! Logan hasn’t hunted me down and strung me up by my toes or even said anything. No police department has contacted me. Which is even creepier, right?

No. Of course they haven’t contacted me. Guy probably fessed up to attacking Logan–no need for a random witness.

Still, I’ve been avoiding the news like a plague, terrified that the guy will pop up murdered, and somehow I’ll get wrapped up in it. I know, I’m dramatic. Logan wouldn’t kill anyone. Fudge, even saying that feels wrong. What is wrong with me? Logan is my friend; he’d never kill anyone.

As evidence of that, no murders pop up in my feed. Still, I find the crazy part of myself questioning every part of my relationship with Logan. Am I going to end up belly up in some runoff ditch somewhere?

No, of course not. ‘Cause the guy isn’t dead, and Logan and Dakota are totally above the bar people.

Despite all that, I get to go see Maddox! Drumming my fingers on the steering wheel, I take a stop sign way faster than I should. I should have grabbed Maddox a bottle of sparkling cider or something. Maybe made him cookies?

Wait, is that weird? That’s definitely weird, right? I mean, I’m going to his house for the first time. Of course, we aren’t together or anything, but when–if–we are, this is an important milestone! First anythings are important!

I know almost nothing about Maddox, other than he’s scared and thoughtful and kind, although he doesn’t seem to be kind to himself. I wonder why? It’s okay though, ‘cause I can be kind to him.

As the thought enters my mind, something in the back of my head screams that I’m doing it again. That I’m idealizing someone I don’t even know, and I’m going to get hurt when they inevitably reject me, but I can’t seem to stop. I try to kick my heart back down to earth, but it’s floating so high I can’t reach it. I want to know Maddox. I want to know every detail because something tells me this is different. Like I just know deep down in my soul that Maddox and I are meant for each other; he just doesn’t know it yet.