Page 54 of His to Cherish
“You can just walk out like that?”
I mean, I knew Declan and he were friends, good friends, obviously, but could he just stop working whenever he felt like it? Maybe he wasn’t working at all. Maybe he was just getting himself a drink when I’d walked in.
David pulled to an abrupt stop and let go of my elbow to spin around and face me. “You worried about my job right now or are you worried about Aidan? Because Dec and me…we’ve been with that guy through a lot. Through all the shit with that crazy bitch Mandy, and we’ve been there for Derrick.” He stopped, scrubbed his hand through his short hair, and swore. “Wewerethere for Derrick. And now…fuck.”
The last curse was barely muttered before he turned and started walking away from me.
I quickly caught up, my high-heeled sandals clip-clopping along the pavement.
“So, why are you taking me?” I asked.
He stared at me incredulously and blinked like he couldn’t believe I had the gall to ask such a stupid question.
“Because you’re you.”
David turned a corner, headed down the back alley behind Fireside Grill, and pushed a button on his key fob.
Lights blared in the quickly darkening night and the horn beeped.
“I don’t know what that means,” I said as he opened the passenger door to a very large, very shiny black Escalade.
He huffed and gestured for me to climb in with a wave of his hand. “It means you’re Aidan’s.”
The door slammed on my shocked face. My skin chilled at the words and all the blood left my face, pooling somewhere south.
It felt warm and tingly. Good. After last night, I wanted it to be true.
I didn’t have time to say anything else before he hopped into his SUV, shoved his shifter into drive, and peeled out of the alley like we were on some high-speed chase.
We were silent on the short drive to Aidan’s house. At least, I figured that was where we were headed as David whipped his large and shiny Escalade around the corners like Satan’s minions were chasing us.
At some point along the way, my blood began pumping faster…adrenaline coursing through my veins…and I tried not to stare as David rapidly tapped his thumb against the steering wheel, or every time he sighed and quietly cursed when we hit a red light.
So many questions rolled through my head, but most of all, I was worried.
Terrified.
Fear had already dug its heavy roots into my stomach as we pulled into Aidan’s driveway. The last time I was there, it hadn’t gone so well. Based on the events of tonight and the information I’d just been given, I doubted the outcome of this visit was going to go any better.
If Aidan had wanted to tell me about it being Derrick’s birthday then he would have.
Although it definitely explained his sudden mood swing and the way he’d stomped out of my house.
My cellphone buzzed in my purse and I dug it out as David shifted the SUV into park.
He looked at me and arched one brow when I looked at the screen.
“Oh shit,” I muttered. My face twisted into worry. I expected it to be Suzanne, but it wasn’t.
Beth Johnson: Have you talked to Shane by any chance lately? I can’t find him.
My heart sank, knowing how bad Shane had been, and now knowing tonight was his best friend’s birthday.
“Who is it?” David asked, his voice tight. “Aidan?”
“No.” I shook my head and whispered. “Shane’s mom, Beth Johnson.”
“Shit.”
