Page 52 of Shine On Oklahoma

He turned and went outside. Kiley spoke toSophie, and then joined him, walking down three steps and over towhere his car sat waiting. “I texted Rob to come pick me up,” shesaid. “He’ll be here in a minute, so talk fast. My sister shows upat the barn looking for you. Then she leaves. And then you arrive,and she’s found having a full-blown panic attack a mile from myhouse right about the same time. So what happened?”

“We had a fight.”

She grabbed his shirt when he started to turnaway. “Tell me, Dax. She’s my sister. What the hell did you do toher?”

Rob pulled in, braked and was out of thetruck and at his wife’s side all in the same breath. “What’s goingon?” Hands on her shoulders, he pulled gently until she let go ofDax’s shirt.

“They had a fight on the side of the road andhe justlefther there,” she said, flicking a hand atDax.

“I didn’t know she was gonna have a meltdown.How could I know?”

“You don’t just break up with someone andleave them on the side of the road—”

“She had her car, Kiley. Don’t make it soundlike that. And I didn’t break up with her, because we were nevertogether.”

“Yes, you were.”

“We were… It wasn’t…” He lowered his head. “Idon’t know what it was. I don’t know what happened. I’m sorry. Rob,I’m sorry. The last thing I want to do is upset Kiley--”

“I know, buddy. I know.” Then he turned tohis wife. “I don’t think Dax is the bad guy, here, hon.”

“Hello? She had a panic attack! Do you knowhow many times my sister haseverhad a panic attack in ourentire lives?” She uncurled fingers from a shaking fist to countthem off. “When our father went to prison. When we were taken fromour home by social workers. And when they split us up. That’s it,Dax. So you tell me, you tell me what happened between you that wason a scale that huge? And how did you think it was okay todevastate her and then just walk away? Huh?”

He just blinked, because he didn’t know whatto say. “I… I gotta go. She’s okay, though, right? You guys… you’vegot her?”

“Of course we’ve got her.”

God, it hurt to have Kiley talk to him likethat. They were friends.

“Go,” Rob told him. “I’ve got ‘em both. I’llcall you later.” His eyes were sympathetic.

Dax went to his Charger and fired it up.

#

If Kendra hadn’t been getting hit on byhot-rodders every time she pulled her little red ‘Vette in for gas,or food, or a restroom all the way from the east coast to Oklahoma,she wouldn’t have started noticing how they all sounded. But shehadnoticed. Hot rods didn’t sound like other cars. And theydidn’t sound like each other, either.

She’d noticed right away the particular wayDax’s Charger sounded. So, when it started up outside, she knew itwas him. She went to the window, still pulling on her jeans, andmoved the curtain with one hand in time to see him driving away,down the road. He’d been there, at the Sophie’s office.

It was a little flicker of light in the darkhole that had opened in her chest. Maybe he still gave a damn.Maybe she could still make it up to him.

She took a deep breath and buttoned herjeans. Then she gathered up her bag and headed back out into thewaiting room, just as Kiley and Rob came in from outside. Kileycame right to her, took her arm like she needed help.

“I’m good, sis,” Kendra said. “If anything,Ishould be helpingyouto the car.”

“I think you should come and stay with us,Kendra,” she said. “I want to keep an eye on you.”

“No.” She smiled at her sister and shook herhead. “I like my space. You know that.”

“I know that,” Kiley agreed. “But…just fortonight?”

“I’m okay, I promise.” Jack would be callingjust as soon as he possibly could, to let her know he’d beenreleased. If he’d been released. He might’ve called already, if thedamn headline had worked. She couldn’t even imagine taking thatcall with Kiley nearby and not giving something away. She couldn’teven check her phone until she got somewhere private.

Kiley said, “If you want to talkabout…whatever happened between you and Dax—”

“It’s not my style to slobber all over mysister every time I get my nose broken. I’m all right. But I doneed to be alone to…process some things.”

“I get that.” Kiley sighed, nodded at thetruck. “We’ll drive you back to The Long Branch, then.”

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