Page 84 of Absolutely Not in Love
“Yes? I mean,no.I don’t expect you to give me your car. It’s just that this audition is a really big deal, and I have no idea how I’m supposed to get there.”
Abby frowns, her hands tightening on the steering wheel. “Gracie, I would totally let you use my car, except we’re having dinner with Steve’s parents tonight, and my car has the car seats in it, and—”
“No no, Abby,” I say, reaching out to touch her arm. “I really didn’t expect you to say yes. I was just grumbling. I’m sure I’ll figure something out.”
“Have you asked Felix if he can help?”
I haven’t called Felix because I know he won’t be finished in time. And he would bend over backward trying to solve the problem for me, even to his own detriment, because that’s just how Felix is. But I’m running out of options. I won’t ask him to leave his hockey thing early, but maybe I could at least borrow his car.
“Let me try him now,” I say.
He doesn’t answer the first time I call, but once I text him and let him know what’s going on, he immediately calls me back.
“Hey! Where are you now?” he asks.
“Abby’s taking me home,” I say. “But if you’re okay with me taking your car, I could see if she could drive me by the community center to pick it up.” Beside me, Abby nods, and I add, “She just said she can.”
“Don’t do that. I’ll just come meet you at home, and I’ll drive you to Knoxville,” Felix says.
Warmth fills my chest. I wouldloveto have Felix’s calming presence with me all the way to Knoxville. Especially now that my nerves are even more frayed thanks to my dumb car issues.
“Are you sure? I thought you weren’t finished until six.”
“Eli and Nathan can finish up. If I’m home by 5:15, will that give us enough time?”
It’ll be cutting it close, but if he’s driving, I won’t have to worry about navigating or parking will be so much easier. “That’s perfect. Are you sure?”
“Of course I’m sure. Don’t sweat it. I’ll be there.”
I breathe out a sigh as I hang up my phone. “Okay. Crisis averted. Felix can take me.”
Abby smiles. “I still can’t get used to the fact that you’re dating an Appie.”
“Trust me. Me neither.”
“He seems really great though,” she says as she pulls into the parking lot outside my apartment.
“Heisreally great,” I say, not even trying to hide the grin that emerges whenever I think about him. I reach for the door handle. “But so are you for driving me home. Thanks again, Abby.”
I only have half an hour before Felix will be home, so I change clothes, make sure my cello is packed and ready to go, then fix myself something to eat. I’m too nervous to want anything huge, and hopefully we’ll stop for dinner on the way home, but I should probably havesomethingin my stomach, even if it’s something small.
After I scarf down a banana and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, I carry my cello downstairs to wait for Felix.
It’s 5:16, and he still isn’t here, but it’s already huge that he’s cutting out early to take me in the first place. I’m not going to grumble about him being a few minutes late.
But then a minute turns into five, then ten.
When I try to call him, he doesn’t pick up.
I send him another text, but that goes unanswered as well.
By five-thirty, I’ve called six times and texted ten. If I don’t leave for my audition in the next ten minutes, I won’t make it at all.
I don’t know how to make sense of the messy cocktail of emotions swirling in my gut right now. I’m nervous, which is making me nauseous, anxious about being late, which is making my pulse pound in my head, and I’m worried about Felix.
Because he would never stand me up like this unless something were truly wrong.
Wejusttalked forty-five minutes ago. Does that mean something happened to him?
