I almost killed us.
And what’s worse? I needed him to save me, and now he’ll look at me differently.
Fragile, helpless, a burden, just like everyone saw me afterthe crash. Biting the inside of my cheek hard enough to taste blood, I lift my head slowly, breathing through my nose.
Fine.Let him think whatever he wants. I don’t need his pity.
When Finn reappears, his expression is tight. “Dane’s fine. He’s just grumpy, but he told me where the spare is.”
“Great,” I mutter, pulling the switch to open the door. I spring from my seat and jump down into the grass, scrunching up my face at the pain that zings through me at the impact, only to find that it’s cold out here. The wind is biting, and the clouds are heavy with more bad news as I crouch next to the blown tire, staring at the shredded rubber. It’s curled like burned skin, and something inside me just folds quietly.
This is my fault.
“I’ll get the jack,” Finn announces behind me.
“I can do it,” I snap.
“I know you can.” He crouches beside me. “But you don’t have to.”
I jerk my head toward him, fury flaring up to hide the ache beneath it. “If you hadn’t come along, I would’ve had to.”
Or maybe not, because if he hadn’t come along, the bus would be lying in that ditch.
“But I did.” His blue eyes are holding me captive. “I’m here now.”
Those three words punch harder than anything else could have, and I go completely still because I hear what he’s not saying.
He knows.
As in, heknows.
I don’t look away from him, away from the accusation in his eyes. The way they tell me without words, that he alsoknows that this weight inside me isn’t just about the tire. That it’s about everything I’ve been carrying almost completely on my own. The way I spent years learning to live without breath.
He knows.
He knows it’s me.
I want to scream. Or punch him.Or yank him closer and…nope, not finishing that thought.
Before I can do something dangerously un-Allen-like, a horn blares from behind, making us both jump.
We whip our heads toward the road as a familiar black van slows to a stop beside us, window already rolling down.
“Looks like you guys could use a mechanic.” Jim leans out, grinning like he’s been waiting his whole life to deliver this line.
Equal parts embarrassment, relief, and something stupidly close to disappointment flood my entire system.
Of course. Perfect timing.
I glance at the passenger side and see Mason sitting there, eyes fixed firmly ahead. Then I look back at Finn, who’s casually dusting off his pants, back to that effortless calm like he wasn’t just about to ruin me with one more soft word.
Love this for me.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Luc
Someone is swearing at a tangled extension cord, Paul is barking orders like he’s running a war camp, and one of the new guys just dropped an entire box of branded water bottles that are now rolling across the gravel like we’re setting up for a game of hydration dodgeball.
