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“We did,” she said, refusing to make eye contact with me. “But Cindy called and asked me to cover. Sorry.”
I shrugged. It was no biggie; except after a day with my family, I needed to work off the tension coursing through me. I neededher.
“Hey.” My fingers reached for her hand, the one vigorously scrubbing the table. She froze, heaving a big sigh. “Is everything okay?” I asked.
“Fine.” Becca shirked out of my hold and moved to the next table. Cindy caught my eye and smiled. I tipped my chin at her, focusing my attention back on Becca. “Hey, talk to me. What happened?”
“Nothing, Evan. Nothing is wrong,” she clipped. “I’m just tired and cranky, and my feet burn in these goddamn shoes.”
I searched her face for a sign she was lying. I’d come to learn the signs of when Becca was pulling away, but she’d promised. “You sure?”
Indecision clouded her eyes as her head bowed. “I had a fight with my mom.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, oh. She’s just worried. About me… about us. It’s nothing I can’t handle. Don’t worry, okay?” Becca leaned up and pressed a kiss to my cheek. It wasn’t enough, but it had to be since we were at her work and Cindy was gawking at us across the diner.
“Can I hang out? Wait until you get off?” I sounded desperate. Needy. But I didn’t want to go home yet, and I didn’t want to drive around alone with my thoughts.
She laughed softly. It was like music to my ears, and some of the tension ebbed away. “Evan, I don’t get off until nine. That’s three hours away. Besides, Mitch is expecting a rush. I don’t want to be distracted.”
I closed the space between us, crowding her against the edge of one of the booths. “Are you saying I distract you?”
“Evan.” She batted my chest, trying to be angry with me, but the flush to her skin gave her away. “I’m at work.”
“Okay, okay.” I backed away, smiling. “I’ll go. But you’ll text me later? I can drop by and give you a ride home.”
“I can walk.”
“Becca,” I warned.
“Evan.” My eyes snapped to hers, and she sighed. “Okay, okay, I’ll text.”
“Bye, Evan,” the older woman called out, being far too obvious that she was checking me out.
“See you, Cindy.”
I left the diner and went back to the Impala. I couldn’t go home. Mom would want to talk, probably about today. I’d gone along and played my part, but I didn’t want to relive it again if I could avoid it. Pulling out my cell phone, I texted her to make sure Eli was okay. He’d crashed when we got home, waking only for Mom to change him into his pajamas. She texted right back, letting me know he was fine. That was good. He’d enjoyed today, wearing a huge smile the whole time. But it wouldn’t be long before he sensed the strain between us—well, me and them.
Some days, I wanted nothing more than to pack our bags and drive far, far away from Credence and from Mom, Darryl, and Kendall. But he needed Mom, and in a strange way, he needed Elaina and Darryl. Eli needed to know he had people who cared about him, and I guess, in their own strange and twisted way, they all loved him. It was the beauty of childhood. But I wanted more for him. A future full of opportunities and happiness, not… this.
I heaved a sigh, tilting my head back against the rest. It felt like the world was closing in around me, and I was just waiting for it to implode. I’d hoped that when Becca found out the truth about Kendall, a weight would be lifted—and in a way, it had been—but now I had to keep a different secret.
Dealing pot to a few kids wasn’t what I imagined for my senior year, but it didn’t upset my moral conscience too much. I did it to keep Darryl off my back and out of our lives as much as possible, but after today, I realized this was just the initiation into something much bigger. Something I wanted no part of.
Something I didn’t know if I could avoid.
* * *
Thanks for the ride.
I smiled to myself, texting back.
No problem. I should have driven you out to the fields again.
Evan…
Rolling onto my back, I bent my legs and stuck an arm behind my head. She was so easy to mess with.
