“I’m driving ten miles an hour,” he says, eyes still on me.
I point out the windshield and shout, “Pedestrian!”
He slams on the brakes, lurching us forward before he realizes that I’m lying and there’s no one in front of his truck. A laugh bubbles up from deep within my stomach. I try to stifle it, but it comes out sounding like an evil cackle. Oliver glares at me, then turns forward as he starts to drive again.
“Youare going to get us killed,” he says.
“You were only driving ten miles an hour,” I mock him. “Anyway, weren’t you supposed to have dinner with Tina and Ryan, too? I could argue that you were the one trying to avoid me.”
The corner of his mouth curves up. “So you did know I was going to be there.”
I watch him. He must have learned his lesson because he keeps his focus on the road now. It annoys me how perfectly shaped his face is from the side.
“Tina mentioned it when I was on my way out the door.” It’s not the whole truth, but it’s close enough. “I can’t imagine you had anything better to do if you’re wasting your time driving me home.”
He turns to look at me. I wonder if I could get him to slam on his brakes again.
“See, your reason for implying that I’m avoiding you is flawed,” he says. “I went out of my way to stop and pick you up.”
He has a point, but I don’t want to tell him he’s right and let him win this round.
We reach the end of a cul-de-sac. He parks his truck next to the curb. “Is this where you live?”
We both look up at the huge colonial-style house sitting on top of a hill on a two-acre property. I wish I lived here. I’m tempted to tell him that this is my house because I have no explanation for why I made him drive me here, but if I get out of the car right now, I’ll be forced to find my way home from here. In the cold.
I pull my gaze away from the house to look at him. “No.”
He looks over his shoulder. “Did I make a wrong turn? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You made several wrong turns. I have no idea where we are right now.”
He frowns, but the corner of his lip twitches. If I didn’t know any better, I might think he’s trying to fight a smile. “What the hell, Priscilla? I was following your directions.”
“You were driving too fast and you passed my apartment complex before I could tell you where to turn. I tried to turn us around, but your headlights are too dim and now I don’t know where we are.”
He looks back at the house ahead of us, which is fully illuminated by his headlights. “My lights are too dim, huh?”
I shrug. “You should probably get them fixed.”
He puts the car in drive and turns us around, heading back to the road we just came from.
“What street do you live on?” he asks.
I tell him, and he takes us there. As he pulls into my parking lot, I feel a weird pang of regret. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m heading back to the quietness of my empty apartment, or maybe it’s because I lost my job today and everything is changing. I tell him which building is mine, and he pulls into one of the parking spaces at the front. I hesitate. I’m not ready to get out yet.
“Thanks for the ride.” I have to force the words out. Thanking him doesn’t come naturally to me, but he did go out of his way to take me home.
“Any time.” He says it so casually that he almost sounds sincere.
I reach for the door handle, but I pause when something in his cupholder catches my eye. It’s a small black velvet box—the type expensive jewelry comes in. I look up from the box, to him, and back to the box. He follows my gaze, and then we both just stare at each other for a moment.
“What’s this?”
I reach for the box at the same time as he does, but I get to it first. He tries to pull it out of my hand, but I snatch it back and open the box. The ring inside has the biggest diamond I’ve ever seen. I gasp and look back at him.
“You’re getting engaged?” I can’t explain the feeling that comes over me. I don’t know why the thought of Oliver getting engaged upsets me so much. I tell myself that it’s because Tina just told me he isn’t dating anyone, and now I feel like I’ve been lied to even though his relationship status is none of my business. “I didn’t know you were dating anyone.”
“I’m not.” He snaps the box closed and takes it out of my hand. “I’m holding onto it for… a friend.”
