need to get my stuff out of there first.”
His jaw tightens, but he nods before he closes me in.
I reach down into the floorboard for my purse so I can text Sadie. Shit.
Throwing the door back open, I begin to step out of the Jeep but before my shoes hit the gravel, Noah pivots around and places his hands on my shoulders, forcing my back down into the seat.
“I’ll get it.” It takes everything in me not to laugh. It’s scary when you start sharing the same brain with someone.
“Okay,” I say with a smile, swinging my legs back in as he closes the door. And locks it.
Leaning my forehead against the window, I watch both his entry and exit from the bar. The alarm sounds and the locks click as he makes his way around the front of the vehicle. After opening his door, he hands me my purse. Immediately, I take out my phone and text Sadie.
“Alright, tell me where I’m heading.”
“It’s not far, actually. Right on Morrow.”
He nods a quick nod and puts the Jeep in reverse as I let out a long yawn, suddenly exhausted. Wondering what time it is, I look down at my wrist and laugh.
“Hair past a freckle.”
Noah looks over at me and shifts into drive. “Hair past a what?”
I giggle. “Hair past a freckle. That’s what my daddy always used to say when he was caught without a watch. The time is ‘Hair past a freckle’. Get it?” I crack up while he just looks at me like I’m crazy. I let out a long breath as my laughter subsides.
“I miss him. He died when I was six, you know.”
Noah’s face falls a bit before he responds. “My mom died when I was six as well. I know from experience how hard it is when you lose someone so young.” His brown eyes move from the road to hold mine. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
Alcohol still flooding my system, I break out into a sweat as my stomach churns. I really wish he had the top off right about now. “Um, would you mind rolling down the windows?”
He eyes me suspiciously but does as I request. Placing my arm along the side of the door, I set my chin on my forearm, the breeze flowing all around me.
“He was in a car accident, because of me…” I trail off as blurry lights pass by.
“I was crying because he forgot my ice cream. He’d promised me ice cream and he’d forgotten to get it, so I selfishly threw a fit in the back seat. While still driving, he unbuckled his seatbelt and turned around to tell me that we were going to another store to get the ice cream, but when he did, he accidentally drove into the opposite lane. We were hit head on.”
We slow as Noah turns onto Morrow.
“I sustained only minor injuries, but since he wasn’t buckled, he was thrown from the car. He died right in front of me on the side of the road. I cried and told him I was sorry, hoping that would bring him back, but it didn’t. He was gone.” I let out a long sigh. “My mother blamed me for the rest of her life.”
I lay my cheek down, turning my face to the side so I can see him. I’m not surprised by the pity I see in his eyes.
“I killed our family. And I spent my entire childhood paying the price.” I say as we come to a stop in Cash’s driveway. His truck’s not here, which means I need to get in there now.
Opening the door, I set my foot on the ground, only to twist back around when Noah asks, “What about Trace? He’s family, isn’t he?”
I shake my head. “He died the day he didn’t believe me,” I say sadly. “He left me there for years, with her . When he finally came back, I told him everything. About her drinking, her rages, her abuse. He told me I was crazy. I’d rather have no family and remain alone than to forgive him for that.”
Fully stepping out of the Jeep, I close the door behind me and then duck my head down into the open window. “Thanks for the ride, Noah. Sadie’s on her way, you’re free to go. You are officially off-duty .” Emotionally exhausted, I give him a salute and let out a defeated laugh as I turn away
His jaw tightens, but he nods before he closes me in.
I reach down into the floorboard for my purse so I can text Sadie. Shit.
Throwing the door back open, I begin to step out of the Jeep but before my shoes hit the gravel, Noah pivots around and places his hands on my shoulders, forcing my back down into the seat.
“I’ll get it.” It takes everything in me not to laugh. It’s scary when you start sharing the same brain with someone.
“Okay,” I say with a smile, swinging my legs back in as he closes the door. And locks it.
Leaning my forehead against the window, I watch both his entry and exit from the bar. The alarm sounds and the locks click as he makes his way around the front of the vehicle. After opening his door, he hands me my purse. Immediately, I take out my phone and text Sadie.
“Alright, tell me where I’m heading.”
“It’s not far, actually. Right on Morrow.”
He nods a quick nod and puts the Jeep in reverse as I let out a long yawn, suddenly exhausted. Wondering what time it is, I look down at my wrist and laugh.
“Hair past a freckle.”
Noah looks over at me and shifts into drive. “Hair past a what?”
I giggle. “Hair past a freckle. That’s what my daddy always used to say when he was caught without a watch. The time is ‘Hair past a freckle’. Get it?” I crack up while he just looks at me like I’m crazy. I let out a long breath as my laughter subsides.
“I miss him. He died when I was six, you know.”
Noah’s face falls a bit before he responds. “My mom died when I was six as well. I know from experience how hard it is when you lose someone so young.” His brown eyes move from the road to hold mine. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
Alcohol still flooding my system, I break out into a sweat as my stomach churns. I really wish he had the top off right about now. “Um, would you mind rolling down the windows?”
He eyes me suspiciously but does as I request. Placing my arm along the side of the door, I set my chin on my forearm, the breeze flowing all around me.
“He was in a car accident, because of me…” I trail off as blurry lights pass by.
“I was crying because he forgot my ice cream. He’d promised me ice cream and he’d forgotten to get it, so I selfishly threw a fit in the back seat. While still driving, he unbuckled his seatbelt and turned around to tell me that we were going to another store to get the ice cream, but when he did, he accidentally drove into the opposite lane. We were hit head on.”
We slow as Noah turns onto Morrow.
“I sustained only minor injuries, but since he wasn’t buckled, he was thrown from the car. He died right in front of me on the side of the road. I cried and told him I was sorry, hoping that would bring him back, but it didn’t. He was gone.” I let out a long sigh. “My mother blamed me for the rest of her life.”
I lay my cheek down, turning my face to the side so I can see him. I’m not surprised by the pity I see in his eyes.
“I killed our family. And I spent my entire childhood paying the price.” I say as we come to a stop in Cash’s driveway. His truck’s not here, which means I need to get in there now.
Opening the door, I set my foot on the ground, only to twist back around when Noah asks, “What about Trace? He’s family, isn’t he?”
I shake my head. “He died the day he didn’t believe me,” I say sadly. “He left me there for years, with her . When he finally came back, I told him everything. About her drinking, her rages, her abuse. He told me I was crazy. I’d rather have no family and remain alone than to forgive him for that.”
Fully stepping out of the Jeep, I close the door behind me and then duck my head down into the open window. “Thanks for the ride, Noah. Sadie’s on her way, you’re free to go. You are officially off-duty .” Emotionally exhausted, I give him a salute and let out a defeated laugh as I turn away
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