Page 14 of When Fate Breaks
I push away, slightly more aggressively than intended, my feet planting flat on the ground and my face painting on a smile to stifle the tension. Blake takes my cue, taking a step back, a small smirk on his lips but something much deeper and more complicated in his eyes.
I reach up to brush my mussed hair away from my face. Blake’s gaze flicks instantly over to my left hand, his demeanor hardening when it lands on the large diamond dressing my ring finger.
He clears his throat, reaching down to pick up his backpack from the cement path. When it’s resecured on his back, he looks at me expectantly. When I raise a brow in confusion, he clarifies. “Should we…?” he asks, nodding to the truck behind me.
“Oh!” I blurt. “Yeah, definitely. Here–”
I reach for Blake’s trunk but he cuts me off, grabbing it first. “I got it,” he says, dropping it easily into the bed of my very tall lifted truck.
“Okay then,” I say, following Blake’s lead and rounding the front of the vehicle to hop in the driver’s side.
Though the truck cab isn’t small by any means, Blake’s presence makes it feel entirely overcrowded. I glance over my shoulder to the backseat as I buckle my seat belt, wishing I could just crawl back there and hide and cursing Chuck for calling Remy into work and preventing me from doing so.
Okay, enough Annie, the voice inside my head mentally slaps me.Just chill. You’ve got this.
I shake my head, readjusting my mirrors even though it’s not necessary to buy myself an extra few seconds.
Just be casual.
“So, how was the–”
I jump as if I’ve been shocked when my arm comes into contact with Blake’s large, tan, tree covered one on the center console.
Wow.Realcasual, Annie.
I clear my throat, trying to play the whole thing off as I deliberately set my elbow down as close to my edge of the console as I can without it falling off. Blake makes a snort-like sound and, when I turn to look at him, I just catch a flicker of amusement in his eyes before he looks away.
“How was the flight?” I press on, pulling away from the airport and pressing the gas harder than I probably should in hopes of making this short drive home even shorter.
“Very small,” Blake replies.
“Like, the plane?”
“Yeah. I didn’t even know they made them that small. I’m pretty sure my knees left permanent indentations in the seat in front of me.”
“Yeah, well, can’t say I’m surprised. I’m sure there’s not too many people coming to Alabama on a daily basis by choice.” Blake’s head shifts in my direction and my face instantly warms. I look out the window, forcing a laugh and quickly continuing before Blake decides to ask the question in his eyes out loud. “Did they have Dr. Pepper at least?”
My gaze turns on him when he doesn’t answer right away. Though his eyes are still searching me, his lips pull down at one corner. “They did not,” he says.
“Blasphemous,” I deadpan.
“Truly. I think I might file a formal complaint.”
“A strongly worded letter might be helpful. I can help you draft one if needed.”
Blake’s laughter fills the truck and the tension in my shoulders automatically eases. “I’ll definitely get back to you on that,” he says.
My own chuckles fade into a sigh.This isn’t so bad.“So,” I smile, “how’s your mom?”
“Perfect, as always. You know how she is.”
Yeah, I do.
Nostalgia tugs at my chest as Emily Di Fazio’s dark curls and bright smile come into view in my mind. Kyle and her dancing in the kitchen to some 80’s rock ballad. Her ridiculously good chocolate chip cookies that Steph, Blake, and I would fight to the death over.
“What about yours?” Blake’s voice pulls me from my trance.
“What?”
