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3
Mark
“Are you okay to drive?” she asks.
“Yeah, I'm fine. A glass of wine isn't going to do anything to me. Plus. . .” Pulling a couple bottles out from behind my back, I dangle them in the air. “I'm taking these with us. We can have a party of our own. I did say I'd get drunk with you.”
Climbing into my front seat, she places her hands delicately in her lap. I'm about to close the door when she reaches out and stops it from shutting. “Wait, do you think they'll be mad we left?”
“No, I doubt it. Why would they be mad?”
“Because we're leaving together. Because it's their wedding and you're Ryder's best friend. Aren't you supposed to do a toast or something?”
“Nah, he isn't into all that traditional stuff. The rest of the night is just going to be one big party. I don't even think they'll notice either of us are gone. They'll be too busy talking to everyone else about the new baby coming now.”
“Right, the new baby. . .” Her voice thins to a whisper as she looks off into the distance. Her fingers wrap around the handle and she pulls the door closed.
I'm not sure if it's anger or jealousy that I hear in her voice. I just know it's something.
Climbing into the front seat, I set the wine on the floor behind me. She's quiet. Her eyes look forward, and her hands are fumbling in her lap.
Maybe this isn't what she wants.
There's no way I can leave with her if she's questioning what we're doing. I won't put her in a position to regret whatever happens. Either she wants this, or she doesn't. If there's even a question in her mind about what she's doing, then we're not going anywhere.
I won't become someone else's regret.
“Look, we don't have to leave if you don't—”
“No, let’s go. Let’s get out of here.” Turning to look at me, there's no questions in her eyes now. She wants this. She needs this. And I'm happy to give it to her.
Starting the truck, I back out of the spot and turn onto the road. She's looking out the window into nothing but darkness.
“This is so weird,” she says. “Everything is so dark around here. There aren't even any streetlights.”
“Welcome to the country.”
“The city is always lit up like a Christmas tree. This reminds me of something I saw in a horror movie. I'm waiting for some guy with a chainsaw to jump out of the woods.”
Chuckling, I smile. “We have something you'll never get in the city.”
“I doubt it.”
“I'm serious. I mean, there are a lot of things the city has that we don't, but there's one thing that you can never get with all that light.”
“Oh yeah, and what's that?” she asks arching her brow.
“Stars.”
“Stars?”
“Yeah, stars. Go on, take a look.”
Leaning forward, she peers up. “Oh, wow,” she says, her eyes expanding big. “There are so many stars.”
“You don't get to see them in the city with all that light, but here you can see the edge of the Milky Way.”
She eyes me with a small smirk on her face. “Will you show me one day?”
