Page 34 of Saving Shepperd

“You scare me a little bit. Not going to lie.”

“Scare you?” He looked panicked.

I rushed to explain. “Actually, what scares me are the feelings you stir inside here.” I pressed my hand to my sternum where I could feel my heart hammering like an engine. “But seriously, I need to take off or I’m going to be late.”

“I’ll walk you out to your car,” he said as we made our way to the door.

“I’m right out front, you don’t have to. I don’t want you to be late either.”

But he continued walking beside me down his driveway to where my car was parked. “I don’t want to say goodbye yet. Today is going to be the longest day ever.”

There were so many things about this guy that I liked. And so many more that surprised me. When I used to stare at him from across the gym, I had a picture of who he was painted in my mind, and it was completely wrong. He was more than a gorgeous face and incredible body. So much more. I wished in that moment that my twin and I weren’t on the outs, because I really wanted to gush to someone about this guy.

By the time I was headed toward my parent’s neighborhood, all the joy and peace from the time I spent with Law started leaking out of my good nature. It felt like a puncture in a car tire, hissing and whining until I felt flat and depleted.

The driveway to my parent’s house was longer than the others in the neighborhood. They said they had a flagpole lot, meaning the footprint at the street was narrow and long and the expanse of the pad was farther back.

I pulled in alongside my dad’s car and inwardly cringed that he hadn’t already gone to the office for the day. I wasn’t in the mood for a confrontation this morning, and I gripped on to whatever was left of my cheerful mood after being with Law.

Inside the front door, I made a beeline for my room and right into my closet to grab some clothes for work. I hurried back down the hall and into the bathroom to take the world’s fastest shower. If I wore my hair up, I wouldn’t have to wash it, so I planned on a quick, low bun. If I felt like makeup later, I could apply some at my desk while on break. Most of the time, I didn’t mind just having a natural look, but if I was going to see Law after I got off, I wanted to look better than what I stared at in the mirror now.

I gave a quick shrug. “Oh, well. Good enough.” I was clean, in clean clothes, had an incredible night’s sleep, and I even had some caffeine surging through my system. It was a better start than I usually got, no doubt. The smile on my face said it all.

I was happy.

For the first time in a very long time, I was happy. With my hand on the front door handle, I heard my dad call from the kitchen.

“Shep? Is that you?” His voice easily carried through the entire house, so there would be no pretending I didn’t hear him.

“Yeah, it’s me. But I’m running late, so I’ve gotta go.” I pulled the door open and was blinded by the sun peaking over the neighbor’s tree line. Just as I closed the front door behind me, it opened back up, and my father’s imposing figure filled the frame.

I hurried to my car and fumbled with the key fob to open the doors. The battery in the device was getting weak, so I had to hit it a few times before it worked. Hopefully today would not be the day the engine decided to give up because I’d been ignoring a handful of warning lights on the dash and didn’t have time to deal with that today.

I wasn’t sure if thinking those thoughts manifested my shitty morning luck, but when I tried to start the car, it made some sort of terrible grinding noise and completely shut off.

My dad stood with his car door open, watching the nightmare unfold.

I banged my head on the steering wheel a couple of times and looked to find him staring at me. “Goddammit. Not now,” I mumbled and thought of trying to start it one last time.

But my dad shouted my way before I went for it. “Just let it be, Shep. You might do more damage trying to start it again.”

I got out of the car and slammed the door way harder than necessary. It was my own fault. Those warning lights had been on for weeks, and I just kept ignoring them. Kept promising myself I’d get it taken care of but never did. Not to mention, I didn’t have the money for car service at the moment, and the last thing I wanted to do was ask my folks to help me out. As a rule, I’d rather figure out my own solution than ask for help.

I whipped out my phone and pulled up the rideshare app. I’d be late for work, but I could call my boss on the way and explain that my car broke down. I mean, showing up late had to be better than not showing up at all, right?

“Do you need a ride to work?” my dad called over the roof of his car. He had one leg inside the car and his body half-twisted to slide in behind the wheel.

“It’s in the opposite direction of your office. You’ll be late too.”

“Come on, hop in. I don’t mind giving you a lift, and no one will care if I’m a little late. It’s not like it happens often, so really, it’s no trouble.”

Honestly, I didn’t have money for a ride. As much as I didn’t want to be confined inside a car with the man, it was my best option. I could suffer through fifteen minutes with him and maybe still be on time. So I ran around to grab my purse off the passenger’s seat, slammed the door shut on my piece of shit car, and slid into the pristine luxury of his.

Quietly, I said, “Thank you for helping me,” once I was settled in my seat.

“What are parents for?” he asked lightly, and I resisted the deadpan look I wanted to shoot him. Instead, I just gave a little shrug, forced a smile his way, and busied myself with the seat belt so he’d just start driving.

My dad tried starting several conversations while we drove, but I just stuck to as few words exchanged as possible. I tried really hard not to be rude, though, because he was saving my ass when all was said and done.

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