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I fiddled with the end of my hair, twisting a dark strand around my finger. Honestly, I was ready to go home. I didn’t mind leaving my dad for a little while after he was in bed. He had an emergency alert button around his neck and a phone to call me within his reach if he needed to. But I didn’t like to stay away long.
I also didn’t want to be in a car with Ty. “Um, I might stay for a little while longer.”
Wren took my hand. “Do you have another ride home?” I wished she was drunk enough to overlook that, but apparently she wasn’t.
I nodded. “I can find one.”
“From who?” Ty interrupted.
I threw him a glare, frowning. “None of your business.”
Wren looked from Ty to me and back again. “Ellie,” she said, her voice suddenly stern. “You’re coming home with us.”
I tried to paste on a convincing smile. “No, I’ll be fine.”
Wren shook her head as she pulled on my hand, her fingers almost crushing mine. “I’m not leaving my bestie here all by herself. Sorry.”
I continued to protest, but she wasn’t having it. She pulled me out of the bar and into the parking lot. My heels crunched on the loose gravel as I dragged my feet, but it was futile. Wren didn’t let go of me until we were standing close to Ty’s Jeep.
“I get the back seat!” she called, sprinting to one of the back doors. She opened it, pausing to point at me. “You can have shotgun. I’m laying down back here.” She winked and threw herself across the back seat.
I groaned. “I don’t mind sharing the back with you,” I said, but she wasn’t listening as she snapped the door shut.
Ty stared at me as he rounded the Jeep. “I don’t bite, you know.”
I wasn’t so sure about that. I stood there, contemplating. I glanced in the back seat where Wren was sprawled out. There really wasn’t room for me and I didn’t know if I wanted to cause a scene and make her move.
I inhaled the cool night air. It wouldn’t be so bad. My home wasn’t far from here. I could deal with Ty sitting next to me for ten minutes, couldn’t I?
Steeling myself, I opened the passenger door and hopped inside. I didn’t look at Ty as he got into the driver’s seat and cranked the engine.
“Hey, Ty!” Wren’s voice was still on the verge of a shout even though the vehicle was quiet. Almost too quiet.
Ty twisted in his seat. Wren was on her back, her curly hair a frizzy mess around her head. “What’s up, Chickie?” he said, a slight smile on his lips.
Wren frowned. “I hate it when you call me that.”
Ty chuckled. “I know.”
“It’s a dumb nickname.”
“I know. That’s why I like it.”
Wren huffed, but seemed to think arguing was fruitless. It probably was. When Ty got something in his mind there was no changing it.
“Can you drop me off first?”
My stomach lurched at her request. “But my place is closer,” I said, my eyes wide.
Wren sighed. “I know! But my boobs feel like they’re about to freakin’ explode. You wouldn’t mind, would you?”
A line formed between Ty’s brows. “Can you really nurse Crew when you’re…uh, you know…when you’ve been drinking?”
Wren groaned. “Probably not, but whether he’s drinking it or not, this milk needs out. It hurts so bad.”
Well, shit. Wren looked up at me. “The joys of being a mama.” She rolled her eyes, but her lips tipped up into a small smile. “Is that okay, Ellie? It won’t take too much longer.”
The last thing I wanted was to be alone in a car with Ty when I was completely inebriated. But what else could I do? I nodded, giving her a smile so fake I was shocked she didn’t see through it. “Of course. That’s not a problem at all.”
