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“No, you didn’t think!” I explode. “That’s the problem, El. You never think about how it’s going to affect me. So you think I need to move on, fine, but you can’t fucking force me to do it.”
I slam my finger down on the end call button, my hands shaking. The knock on the window catches me off-guard and I whip my head around to see Max clutching my jacket. Wiping my eyes, I wind down the window.
“You left this inside. Are you okay?” he asks, concerned.
“I’m fine,” I reply. But I’m not. The tears begin to roll down my cheeks as I quickly wipe them away.
“You can’t drive like this. Move over,” he orders me.
I shuffle over to the passenger seat, still insisting that I’m okay when the stupidity of my actions hits me. What am I doing? I don’t know anything about this guy. He could be driving me to somewhere isolated so he can murder me. As ridiculous as it sounds, there’s something about him that I trust. Sure, Kiara. I bet his last victim thought the same thing.
“Really, you don’t need to do this. I’ll be fine.”
“Uh huh. You look it,” he observes, studying my face. “Look, I know you barely know me, but sometimes it helps to talk it out.”
“I’m just . . . God, I don’t even know,” I groan, covering my hands over my face. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” he says, his voice gentle. “This is how all my dates usually end.”
I chuckle in spite of myself and offer him a smile. He hands me a scrunched up tissue from his pocket, which I take gratefully. He starts the car, locking his seatbelt into place.
“Where do you live?” he asks, pulling out of the parking lot.
“How will you get back to your car?”
“I’ll call a cab. It’s not a big deal.”
“No,” I protest. “Really, I’m good now. I promise.”
He ignores my pleas and takes to the road. I give in and direct him to my house.
“You want to talk about it?” he asks, his voice soft.
I gaze out the window, a wistful smile on my face.
“I mean, you don’t really know me, but I’ve been in situations where I wished I had someone to talk to.”
“I just feel overwhelmed,” I say quietly. “My story is much more complicated than I let on, and sometimes it gets to me.”
“More complicated than your sister setting you up on a date when you’re engaged?” he jokes.
“Believe it or not, yes,” I say, managing a grin.
We pull into my driveway just as the rain begins to fall. I sit there for a moment, gathering my thoughts. He waits silently, his hands on the wheel. I let out a deep breath and unclasp my seatbelt.
“Thanks for this,” I say. “And I’m sorry things didn’t go better.”
“Hey, I got a free meal and decent company. I’d say that’s a win.” He grins a crooked smile, running a hand through his dark, wavy hair. “Thanks for dinner, by the way. But I pay next time.”
“Hey, thank Ellie. She’s the one who’s paying. I’ll make sure of that,” I chuckle.
We get out and the rain begins to fall harder. I look over at him and realize I can’t leave him standing out here, waiting for his cab. That would make me a total bitch.
“Come in and call,” I offer.
He shrugs and follows me up the path to the front door.
Inside, I shrug my jacket off, glad I left the heat on. “Coffee?”
