Page 49 of His Last Shot
An awkwardness hangs in the air as Mallory’s delicate fingers stroke my hair, and honestly, it’s quite relaxing. This unexpected turn of events has somehow eased my anxiety about my appointment. And to make it better, Johnny’s gaze is on me every time we stop at a red light or a stop sign.
Then Mallory breaks the palpable tension. “Cousin Johnny talks about you all the time.”
Johnny coughs out a laugh, which makes me chuckle. “Oh, he does now, does he? What does he say about me, Mallory?”
“That you’re really nice and pretty.” A small, satisfied smile crosses my lips. “And I’m not supposed to listen to other people’s conversations. Mom says it’s rude, but I heard him tell Daddy one day that your butt looks—”
“Okay. That’s enough of this conversation,” Johnny says sternly. “How about some Taylor Swift?” he begs Mallory while he addresses her through the rearview mirror.
Gosh, I wish he hadn't cut Mallory off. I glance over at Johnny, and I kid you not, the man is blushing. Pink cheeks as far as the eye can see. He gives me a fleeting glance, and I can’t help but snicker.
“Yes please. But not too loud.” The playful lilt in her voice heightens my curiosity.
Before Johnny takes off from the stop sign we idle at, he starts Spotify. I peek at his phone, and he has a playlist namedMallory’s music.
Now my heart is officially melting.
Seriously, how has no woman snatched him up yet and made him their baby daddy? Because I know this man would make an amazing father.
Before Johnny hits play, he addresses Mallory. “Are we going to whisper-sing and dance?”
She giggles. “You bet!”
“Whisper sing?” I probe.
With a glint in his eye, he looks like he is about to describe his favorite thing in the universe. Heck, it might be. “Well, Mallory doesn’t like loud noises.”
“It hurts my ears,” Mallory adds.
“So instead of singing loud, we whisper-sing. And we dance,” he says with pride as he warmly smiles at Mallory. “You ready?” he eagerly asks her.
“Ready!” she squeals.
Johnny puts the car in drive and starts down the road while hitting play. “You Belong With Me” begins at a low volume, and sure enough, as soon as Taylor’s voice fills the truck, Johnny and Mallory whisper-sing the lyrics.
The smile on my face is so wide at the sight unfolding in this truck, I’m pretty sure it’s reaching my ears. Johnny is bouncing, swaying, singing, and pointing to himself when the lyrics call for it … like he is the main attraction.
I mean, he kinda is at this point.
Mallory belts out the lyrics in her own way, singing her little heart out even though it’s soft and whispery. This girl is having the time of her life. Arms are flailing all over, disregarding my hair, as she dances in the back seat in her own little world. Her own smile … huge and infectious, full of nothing but joy.
Johnny did that for her. He put that smile there.
There go my ovaries again.
Glancing over at me in between beats, he slaps my arm, probing me. “Come on, Rachel! Join us!”
So I do.
Verse two begins, and the three of us are singing, dancing, laughing as if we don’t have a care in the world.
It’s freeing. Despite my stiff joints, I do the best I can. I’m shaking my head, causing my hair to fly all over the place. My hands wave back and forth in the air. Right here, right now, is probably the most fun I have ever had in my whole life.
The truck comes to a stop at a red light as the song is about to end. Johnny turns, and our eyes lock, hard and firm, as he mouths the last words. Directly to me. Their meaning … loud and clear.
“You belong with me.”
The music fades away, leaving a heavy stillness in the truck as we stare at each other, my chest still heaving from the dancing and singing … and other feelings.
