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It’s now or never.
“Are you—”
“Oh, no!” Her shoulders fall.
My throat closes around the rest of the words I was about to say. A man only has so much confidence.
She looks up at me. “My car battery is dead.”
I tilt my head, looking down to where her finger is over the ignition. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah, it won’t turn on.”
“I can give you a jump if you’d like.”
“That would be great, but I don’t have any cables. I lent them to Brooke.”
“I have some in my truck,” I say, already turning to get them.
Randomly coming up with plans isn’t working, and if I jump her car right now, she’ll just leave. I rummage through my tool box, debating my options. Call it desperation if you want, but I decide to do something drastic. I bury the cables in the bottom of my tool chest and slam the lid shut.
“Oh, man. I forgot,” I say, holding up my hands. “I left my jumper cables at home.”
Meg looks around the parking lot. There are only two other cars left, and one is Diane’s. “I guess I can go back inside and get someone else to help me.”
I point behind me to my truck. “Or we could go back to my house and grab them. I live close by.”
“I’d hate to inconvenience you,” she says, shaking her head.
“It’s no problem at all.” The plan has changed. This is me improvising. “In fact, you could eat some of the cheap frozen pizza I bought.”
“Yeah!” Krew says. “And we have some sugar cookies.”
“You guys don’t want me ruining your Friday night.”
“Please. Please, come to our house.” Krew looks at me. “Please, Dad. Can she come?”
“It’s fine with me if she’s okay with it.” I feel like begging just as much as Krew is, but I don’t. I play it cool. I play it cool in the most manipulating way possible. “Once dinner is over, we can grab the jumper cables and I can bring you back to your car. Then we don’t have to bother Diane or anyone else.”
“Okay.” Her pink lips press into a smile. “I can have some pizza and cookies.”
“Great.” She gave in way faster than I expected.
I escort Meg to the passenger side and open the door. Krew climbs in the car first, scrambling over the seat. My eyes meet Meg’s as she scoots herself inside. I don’t hold her gaze, because I’m afraid she’ll change her mind. Instead, I slam her door and walk around the car. I use this time to pump myself up. I could really use some AC/DC right now, but my own pep talk is going to have to do.
You’ve got this.
A woman hasn’t been to my house in over a year.
I…don’t got this.
I have to pull myself together.
Make a move tonight.
What move? I don’t have any moves. This isn’t 1988. Meg isn’t going to slide over to the middle of the truck so I can put my arm around her as I drive. Besides, just because she’s coming over doesn’t mean the whole job issue has gone away.
I suck in a deep breath before climbing in my side of the truck.
