Page 88 of UNAwere

‘What? That wouldn’t work on you?’

He’s silent for a moment. And then he murmurs, ‘I’d take anything you were offering, Red.’

My cheeks heat. ‘Sounds like we do need to give you some painkillers.’

When I glance at him, he’s staring out his window, his arm bracing his stomach. I glance at the solid muscle in it, realising only just now that I forgot to put a shirt back on him.

‘Sorry. I forgot to dress you.’

He shakes his head. ‘You did good.’

‘Thanks…’ I feel like I’m saying that a lot. ‘So… We’re almost there.’

His jaw clenches, but he nods.

‘I bet you’ll be glad to get rid of me.’ I cast him a conspiratorial wink, but he doesn’t notice it, his eyes hardened on the windscreen.

A silence passes for a few beats, and I feel my mouth turn dry.

And then Jude clears his throat. ‘I, er, should tell you that if you feel like you need familiarity when we get there… I’m happy for you to come and see me. I, er, will help you… fit in. Settle. My sister will be there, too. And she’ll be glad to make friends, in case you don’t want my company.’

I frown and almost say, I want your company. Your company is the best kind.

‘I understand it’s going to be different for you, and so I want you to know that there will be people at Warner’s that want to help you,’ Jude continues when I don’t answer.

I push past the racing thoughts in my head so I can croak, ‘Thanks…’

He nods but says nothing else.

We stop for lunch at a Mickey’s that sits on the side of the highway.

I take us through the drive-thru so Jude doesn’t have to get out and walk, and when we have our meals, I park in the lot and turn the car off. Jude opens the paper bag and divvies out the burgers and fries we ordered.

I suck on my chocolate shake and then open the lid, dipping the fries in. When I look up, he’s watching me.

‘Is that… good?’ he asks.

I grin. ‘You haven’t tried it?’

‘Can’t say I’ve ever thought of having fries with a thickshake.’

‘Try it!’ He’s ordered the same thing as me again, so I nod to his drink.

He sighs and takes the lid off his, and I watch his face as he dips a fry in and takes a bite.

‘Huh…’

I laugh. ‘Good, right?’

‘It… somehow… is?’ The confusion in his voice is adorable, and I find myself grinning a little too widely at him.

He sees the look on my face, and something changes in his expression, his eyes softening. And then I’m quickly blinking and shifting my gaze away because we cannot keep doing this.

We eat in silence, and there’s a funny feeling in my chest when I notice Jude keeps dipping his fries into his thickshake, as if he’s found his new favourite thing. When we’re done, I collect our rubbish and walk it to a bin in the parking lot.

When I’m walking back to the car, Jude’s talking on the phone.

‘Yeah,’ he says, and his eyes land on me. He stares at me from where he’s still sitting in the passenger seat, and his eyes don’t leave me as he continues to reply to whoever is on the other end of the line. ‘I know.’