Anywhere for You by Alexis Noel

Author:Alexis Noel [Noel, Alexis]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9798987473122
Published: 2023-10-19T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

Maci

The drive from brunch to work is the most awkward ten minutes of my life. Including the time my mom thought it would be a good idea to let my dad handle the birds and the bees talk with me. Silence fills the truck’s cab as we pull to a stop three lights away from The Rattle and Snake. Tension presses down around me, forcing my breath into short, shallow gasps. Though he must notice, James doesn’t say anything, choosing to stare firmly at the road instead.

This is the longest I’ve ever heard him go without talking, even at the movies. When Daphne and Chase forced us into this situation, I expected him to be relieved. He wanted to talk to me all week, but now that we’re in the same space with no interruptions, talking seems to be the last thing on his mind. It’s disconcerting. My mind races to fill in the gaps, imagining the worst as it tends to do.

Did I wait too long to talk to him?

Is he mad at me for everything that went down last week?

Does he want to pretend all this never happened?

Do I?

No. I don’t, but more than that, I can’t. I’ve been ignoring the change in our friendship for too long already. If I keep this up, it’ll only hurt us more in the long run. Probably. Maybe. Sitting up straighter in my seat, I take my first deep breath since I got in the truck.

“James, I—” I start, but he shakes his head vehemently before I can continue.

“No,” he says firmly. “We’re not doing this now.”

“Are you serious? Last night, you begged Daphne to talk to me, and now that I’m ready, you say ‘no.’ Just like that?” It’s impossible to keep the frustration from seeping into my voice. Now that I’ve decided it’s time for us to talk this out, I don’t want to wait another second.

“Of course, I want to talk,” he snaps, still not looking at me. I wish he would. It’s impossible to gauge the emotions behind his words when all I can see is his side profile. “But not in the one minute before I drop you off. Not right before you’re about to work a ten-hour shift. It’s not fair to either of us.” His tone leaves no room for argument.

“Oh.” I slump back in my seat, the fight fleeing my body. He’s right. This isn’t the time. Obviously. Normally, I’m the one who’s aware of time and place. It’s never been James’s strong suit—for instance, his incessant need to talk in the movie theater.

“Later,” James promises. “When we have more time.”

“Of course.” Embarrassment fills the space left by my earlier frustration, and I’m sure my cheeks are stained pink.

We’re one stoplight away now, but I’m less anxious to leave than I was at the start of the drive. Briefly, I consider calling out before I snap myself out of it. That would be ridiculous. My shift starts in five minutes, and it’s football season.

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