As much as I’d like to take this opportunity to talk to her, I don’t want to make her night even worse. Though, there’s no telling when I’ll get this chance again seeing as how she’s been ignoring me for weeks. I glance her way again and decide to rip off the band-aid.
“I know you’re mad at me, but?—”
“Of course, I’m mad at you,” she cuts me off. “As a matter of fact, I dislike you very much, Warren.” My face falls as she enunciates each word, but I can’t ignore the slight hesitation in her voice. After a moment of contemplation, she continues to rake me over the coals.
“You embarrassed me for your own personal gain. But you picked the wrong girl to use.” Her pointer finger aims straight for my face and I see it waving out of my peripheral while I drive. “I’m not going to give you a pass just because you bailed me out tonight. I don’t have time for your shit, and if you’re half as smart as the rest of this town thinks you are, you’ll just drop me off and leave well enough alone.”
By the time she’s done with her little speech, she’s sitting straight up in her seat and cutting me in half with a heated stare. I’d like to correct her with the fact that I most definitely did not embarrass her on purpose, but I hate fighting and she argues for a living. Going back and forth with her would be pointless. And I’d have to be an idiot not to realize that now is not the time to push her.
“Yes ma’am,” I sigh. It’s a little sarcastic, I admit. But what am I supposed to do? Cover her mouth with my hand and force her to listen to me? I’d rather not get kicked in the balls, so, no.
“Thank you.” She nods once, turns in her seat until she’s facing forward again, and looks straight out the front windshield with her arms crossed.
I bet she thinks her demands were bold enough to wear me down for good. But in reality, I’m just picking my battles and biding my time. Something about this girl has me determined to win her over. Someone as strong-willed as she is would never give in unless she truly wanted to.
The walls she’s put up around herself are twenty feet high, but I want to know what it’s like for Savvy to want me. I’m going to find out if it’s the last thing I do.
Outside, lightning flashes and raindrops fall faster, so I close the window. The fresh air isn’t worth a soaked shirt. I flip up the lever to turn on the windshield wipers and take a turn down her office’s street.
“It’s coming down pretty good out there. Want me to just drop you at your house so that you don’t have to drive in this?”
“No,” she sulks.
I shake my head, but smirk at the same time. She’s not giving me a single inch here.
As soon as the office comes into view, Savannah unbuckles her seat belt and pulls her bag close to her chest, ready to jump out the second I pull to a stop and put the truck in park.
“I’m the black SUV,” she says, pointing to one of only a few cars parked on the street in front of the dark red brick building. The hanging business sign sways back and forth from gusts of wind, and if I didn’t already know that it said Law Offices of Powell and Grant, I wouldn’t be able to read it from the sheets of rain blurring the letters.
Without even saying goodbye, the little firecracker next to me swings open the passenger door and jumps right out. It takes her a few tries to slam it back shut due to the blustery wind. Then she puts her head down and trudges toward her car. I was taught to stay put until the person you’re dropping off starts their car and pulls away before leaving, so I wait. While she fumbles through her bag for her keys, my phone buzzes in the cupholder with a group text notification.
Tripp
Rain, baby!!
Gage
Sitting on the porch right now listening to it. I almost forgot what rain even looked like.
Tripp
Isn’t it an hour past your bedtime old man?
Gage
yes.
Tripp
Go to sleep then cause we’re muddin tomorrow boys
Gage
Last time we did that Heston high centered your Bronco and Warren fucked up the light bar on the side by side.
lol worth it
Gage
