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“Trust me, I can.”
&n
bsp; I’d seen Dean put away a pile of food before, so I knew he could, but that still didn’t answer the how. I mean, he was so thin, where could it possibly go?
My phone vibrated on the table and I looked down to see a string of texts from my dad, all sent minutes apart.
How are you?
Where are you?
Willow?
Answer me?
I’m worried.
I’m getting in the car to come find you. Send smoke signals.
I snorted at the last one and wrote back a quick reply, assuring him I was fine and we’d stopped to eat.
He sent back a picture of himself frowning and said my mom stopped him from coming after me.
I shook my head and put my phone away.
“Your dad?” Dean asked, tapping his fingers against the tabletop.
I nodded. “He’s hilarious. He didn’t act this sad when I left for college.”
Dean’s lips twisted into a small, wry smile. “Ah, but you weren’t headed to college with a guy.”
“True,” I concurred. “He has to realize I’ve grown up at some point though.”
Dean chuckled and leaned back so that the front legs of the chair tipped up. “I don’t think that’s ever going to happen.”
He was probably right, but I could hope.
“Way to crush my dreams.”
The chair came down, making a loud clanking noise as it connected with the floor. “That’s me. Dean the Dream Crusher.” He lifted his arms in the air and flexed his muscles, all the while making a growling noise.
Laughter bubbled out of my throat, his intended effect.
I picked up the straw wrapper and twisted it around my fingers. “I probably should’ve thought this whole road trip thing through better,” I admitted. “Had some sort of a plan for where I wanted to go.”
“Plans are overrated,” he shrugged, stretching his legs out so his foot brushed mine. He paused, seeming to contemplate something. “Did you not have some sort of plan when you were going with your friends?”
I shook my head and began to rip apart the wrapper into a million little pieces. “No,” I confessed. “They thought I did, but I lied. I have no idea where I want to go, just like I have no idea what I want to do with my life. I’m pretty pathetic.”
“You’re not pathetic. Far from it, actually. This is all relatively normal.”
I mock-winced. “I don’t want to be normal.”
He chuckled, the sound of it warming me. “Your situation is normal. You, however, are from it. In fact, I’d say you’re pretty extraordinary.”
I smiled. “Thanks, Dean.”
He shrugged and flashed me a small smile like it was no big deal.
