The Long Way Home by Shann McPherson

Author:Shann McPherson [McPherson, Shann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2021-05-28T17:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

An hour later, Maggie was perched in the cab of Evan’s truck as they continued on the road out of town, the highway sign indicating it was forty-five miles to Manchester. She drummed her fingers against her jean-clad thighs, suddenly feeling very awkward being in such a confined space with a man who, not so long ago, helped her wash shampoo out of her hair in the backyard, using what was left of the icy cold water in his thermos.

The Foo Fighters played over the car stereo and Evan hummed along to the song, tapping his hand against the steering wheel. Maggie snuck a sideways glance at him, assessing him silently. He was dressed—thank goodness—having pulled on a plain white T-shirt over his head before hopping into his truck. But now that she knew what was under that thin cotton, it was impossible to focus on anything else.

“What are you thinking about over there?”

Pulling herself from her inappropriate thoughts, she caught Evan watching her before he focused back on the highway ahead. He looked effortlessly casual in his jeans and T-shirt. His beard was extra scruffy, hair messy after being contained by his ball cap all morning, one elbow rested on the doorjamb, his thumb and forefinger steering the wheel.

“Nothing …” Maggie shrugged, looking down at her handbag in her lap.

“Can I ask you something?” Evan’s tone was cautionary, tentative, suddenly void of its usual cocky timbre, and that made her head snap up.

“Me?”

He chuckled under his breath. “No. The other person in the truck.”

She deadpanned which only made him laugh out loud.

“Sorry,” he apologized half-heartedly, clearing his throat, and that smile made way for a slight crease to pull between his brows, his jaw fixed tight as he watched the empty road straight ahead. “Yesterday,” he started, but didn’t continue.

She noticed his grip on the steering wheel turn a little tighter and immediately she knew exactly what he wanted to ask. With dread settling low in her belly, she closed her eyes. “Yeah?”

He hesitated before finally saying, “If you ever need to talk, you can trust me. You know?”

Even with her eyes closed, she could feel him watching her. Slowly, she forced her lids open, and looked at him, meeting that weighty blue gaze.

“Thanks,” she said softly, clearing the lump from the back of her throat. “I’ve been going through so many confusing emotions this morning.”

“Like what?”

She turned, looking out the window as the side of the road whizzed past, the pine trees blurring into a dark green haze. “I thought telling someone would make it easier, somehow. Would make me feel like I’m not suffocating anymore. But … it hasn’t.”

“Why?” Evan asked.

She shook her head. “I don’t know. It’s like I’m trapped by my past. And I want to move on. Hell, I moved my kids across state line to try to get away from it, but it’s like it’s followed me here. I feel like I’ll never get away from it. Tom will always have one up on me.

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