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“Andnot badis the best compliment you could come up with?”
“Uh-huh.”
I’m relieved to see the corner of his mouth creep up into a half-smile. Which is confusing because I’m not sure when Kyle’s mood started to affect mine.
Him smiling shouldn’t be the sole source of this sudden warmth in my chest. It shouldn’t be responsible for me thinking that as long as he’s grinning, everything is okay. Giving someone the power to affect your mood is just as dangerous as handing them something else.
I look away, out the windshield at the dark road, telling myself my heart is safe.
The other headlights that left the lot at the same time we did all headed in the opposite direction. The endless expanse of empty asphalt is soothing in a way I’ve never considered before.
I’m used to commotion and activity. Never knew anything different until I came here. Never appreciated a slower pace.
And now, I’m not sure how much of it is Texas…or how much of it ishim.
“Little different from New York?” Kyle’s question echoes my thoughts.
“I know you’ve been to New York before, so you should know the answer to that,” I say, keeping my eyes straight ahead.
I’m aware enough of his proximity without needing to look over and confirm how close he’s sitting.
“You must miss it.”
I shrug, glad he didn’t phrase it as a question that would require more of a response.
I miss my family, crazy and chaotic as they are. I miss my bed. I miss the bodega outside of the office, where I often get lunch. I miss standing on sticky floors, waiting to hear a new band so I can decide if they haveit.
And I guess all of that combined is New York for me.
I guess I do miss it.
But Iknowwhen I’m back in New York, I’ll miss this.
I definitely don’t say that though.
Fat patters of rain begin to hit the windshield, running down the glass in rapid rivers. At least we’re not out in the middle of a field this time. But it feels just as intimate as that moment did, tucked together in the dry cab as thunder rumbles in the distance.
“We get a lot of summer storms here,” Kyle comments.
“I guess so,” I say, not sure what else to say. “Think the new roof will hold?”
“I didn’t install it. So, probably.”
I laugh.
“That’s where I went to high school,” he says suddenly.
I squint out the rain-streaked window at the sprawling brick building that takes up most of the block we’re passing. “It looks bigger than mine.”
“Yeah? You went to school in the city?”
“Yep. It was an arts school I had to apply to get into. My brothers all went somewhere else because they wanted to play sports.”
Kyle smiles.
I sigh. “You played sports, didn’t you?”
His grin grows. “Football is big here.”
