Page 21 of The Girl with No Name

“Yes.Work.” Dunn makes air quotes. “What do you do again?”

“I work in cybersecurity sales.”

“Riiiight. Like that’s a real thing. Securing invisible attacks that happen through the ‘internet?’ It’s made up.”

I say goodbye to his parents and then wait in the living room while Dunn shares a tender moment with Wendy. He brushes her hair back with his hand on her stomach. He kisses her stomach, then kisses her. He’s got a hard outer shell, but I swear he’s a softie at heart.

“Ready?” he says when he walks out, rattling his keys.

“Absolutely.”

We step out to the front porch, and Dunn calls back, “Dad, we’re taking your car. I’ll see ya later.”

I’m not sure if Mr. Dunn heard Charlie or not, but I follow him down the outside concrete steps and into the driveway, where Mr. Dunn’s bright red 1969 Pontiac Firebird is waiting. Dunn runs his hand over the front hood, and we get in. I toss my work backpack in the backseat, and he revs the engine.

“This festival is going to be awesome. Thanks again for going with me. You’re welcome for the free ticket.”

“Dude, there’s just no way. I’m not driving to Lexington tomorrow. Maybe we can go Saturday or something, if you’re hell bent on it.”

“Saturday? What? So we drive all day andthensee Zach Bryan? No. If I’m seeing my favorite band of all time, I’m going to get a good night’s sleep and enjoy the performance.”

“Bro. C’mon.”

“You’re going to love it,” he says as he backs down the driveway.

The thing about Charlie is sometimes you can’t tell when he’s joking about kidnapping you.

“Even if I didn’t have to work tomorrow, I don’t like country music, like I fucking said. It’s claptrap.”

“It’s not country music.” He gives me a dirty look as we wait to pull out into the street. “It’s Zach Bryan.”

I just sigh. “Whatever. Let’s go get drunk in the city.”

“Boys!” Mr. Dunn yells from the porch, drink in hand. “Take care of that car now, ya hear?”

“Dad, I’m a professional!” Charlie yells through the open window.

“A professional what?” I mumble, and we both crack up.

Charlie cranks up the radio—an old alternative station playing “Black Betty”—and we peel out down the street.

5

REED

“IT WAS A GOOD DAY” – ICE CUBE

As the suburban landscape disappears behind us on the expressway, the city skyscrapers grow bigger and taller. Mr. Dunn’s car is a classic model in impeccable shape—two doors, a backseat, and a black top. And this alt-rock station is good for the drive: “She Fucking Hates Me,” “Nice Guys Finish Last,” “Stacy’s Mom,” “It Was a Good Day.”

Dunn drives faster than any normal human being with a kid on the way should drive. That’s just part of his nature. Just like he needed to beat me by a hair every single time we ran back in high school. He needs to be a little faster than everyone. I always liked and respected that about him. Of all the friends I’ve ever had, Dunn can drive me out of my comfort zone the best.

“So how’s Sam?” Dunn asks.

“Good,” I say, a little perplexed since he already asked me this. “It’s going well.”

“How’d you know you wanted to marry her?”

“She’s the best. I’ve loved her since the moment I saw her.”

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