Page 77 of When Morning Comes Around

She stood back in surprise when he reached past her and pulled open the door of his SUV. She climbed in and gave him a puzzled look when he came around and got behind the steering wheel. He started the engine without a word and set off up the eastern shore of the lake.

“Did I say something wrong?” she asked when she couldn’t take the silence any longer.

“Fuck! I’m sorry. I should’ve explained myself. I came within an inch of taking your hand and marching you back into the lodge to get a room for the night. I had to get us out of there before I did something stupid.”

“Oh, okay.”

“Are you mad at me?”

She laughed. “For not marching me back in there? Maybe a little.”

He glanced over at her. “I mean for deciding for you and not even explaining myself.”

“No. I’m not mad. You just did what you knew was best.”

“I…” He stopped when the sound of Sadie’s phone ringing interrupted him.

“I need to take this, it’s Savannah.”

“Hey, sweetie. Is everything all right?”

“Everything’s fine. I’m just a bit bummed that I was stuck at the diner until now. Are you guys back already?”

“No. Not yet. Are you not home?”

“I’m just leaving the diner.”

“Aww, so you haven’t even seen Jake yet?”

“No. It sounds like he and Harvey have had a great time. Harvey stayed up to hang out with him, but he went to bed a little while ago. None of us thought that I’d be this late.”

“Well, don’t worry. We’ll be back soon.”

“Or we can take our time,” Dom suggested.

She gave him a puzzled look.

He smiled. “I could take you home via the scenic route. That way, Savannah will get to hang out with Jake for a while before we get there.”

“Did you hear that?” she asked Savannah.

“I did, but I couldn’t ask you guys to do that.”

“We wouldn’t mind – we wouldn’t mind in the least,” Sadie reassured her.

She was grateful that Dom couldn’t hear the way Savannah laughed. “Okay, I get the idea. You stay out as late as you like.”

“Thanks. I’ll text you when we’re on the way home – give you some notice.”

“Thanks. I’m not sure that we’ll need any notice, but I appreciate you offering. I’ll see you later.”

“Okay, bye.”

Sadie decided that she was going to have to have a talk with Savannah, to see what the deal was between her and Jake. So far, she hadn’t wanted to seem as though she was interfering, but her curiosity was starting to get the better of her.

She looked up when Dom pulled off the side of the road. They’d already reached the top of the hill, and he drove to the very end of the scenic overlook.

Slick heat trickled through her veins when he cut the engine and turned to her with a smile. “I think this is more fitting for eighteen-year-olds than fifty-eight-year-olds, but it’s the best I can come up with for now.”

---