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“Do I look that bad?”
His thumb brushes away a tear.“Don’t change the subject.”
Leaning into his hand, I close my eyes a second before explaining.“Ingrid called.A guy who was at the party has been arrested for drugging a woman at a bar.”I hold up the picture.“They want others to come forward, but I don’t remember him.”
Tyler’s jaw clenches.“I do.He called you Jazzy and tried to pull you away from me.”
“I’m glad you were there that night.”
“You’d have to thank Dag for that, but it’ll just go to his head.Let’s be thankful without telling him.”
“Deal.I forgot all my stuff tonight.Let me go tell Joji.”
“Then we’ll find a quiet place to sit.Together.Talking optional.”
“Thank you.”
Joji is walking toward me.Her smile fades as she sees my tears.“Everything okay?”
I open my mouth, but words are knotted in my throat.Joji would understand, but I don’t want to relive that night right now.Not again.I’ve been over and over it since Ingrid called.
Tyler leans down and scoops me into his arms.“I’m stealing your teacher for the evening.I hope that’s not a problem.”
She waves her hand.“Go.We’ll figure it out.”When Clint’s truck pulls through the back gate, a smile spreads across her face.“Enjoy the evening.I understand that sometimes you just want to be with the one you love.”
“Thanks, Joji.”Tyler carries me to his truck and sets me in the passenger seat.“Milkshakes on your back porch?”
“On the swing.”
And that’s where we spend the next few hours with citronella candles fighting away the mosquitoes and his boots scuffing the porch.
Snuggled beside him, I trace the veins on the back of his hand.“All I remembered about you from that night was that you made me feel safe.You still do.”
“Whenever you need me.You know that.”
“Your number is at the top of my favorites.”
“That makes me happy.”His lips find mine, and the swing creaks as I shift into his lap.
With Tyler beside me, I’ll report what happened, even if my testimony isn’t believed or used.
Walkingout of the sheriff’s office, I shove my hands into my pockets, hoping they’ll stop shaking.“I can’t believe I did it.”
“Bottle Caps, you are brave.”Tyler drapes an arm around my shoulders.
“It helped that you were there and remembered the guy.”
He nods but is uncharacteristically quiet.
“Talk to me, Tyler.”
“The looks I got when you told them that I took you home after the party bothered me, like they assumed I’d taken advantage of you.I didn’t.I swear to you that I only walked you to the door.”
“I know.”I climb into the passenger seat and grab his hand.“There were times when I wondered about that night because—hello—I woke up with a guy’s shirt in my bed.Discovering it was you set my mind at ease.I trust you.”After a quick kiss, I drop another bit of truth.“And you wouldn’t have slipped away in the middle of the night.”
That signature Tyler grin lights up his face, but he doesn’t share what thoughts are making his eyes twinkle that way.
