17. Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Seventeen
ZACK
I stared at my phone, wishing Mia would text.
It had been almost a week since the birthday party, and I’d been good about stepping back.
Not overwhelming her, and limiting anything I sent her.
Just a few cat videos. Cats were the most hilarious creatures, and they always made me laugh.
I wasn’t quite sure it did the same thing for Mia, but I shared them anyway.
“Jesus Christ,” Logan grumbled, grabbing my attention.
I looked up at him and then glanced around the bar to see what he was bitching about now.
He snorted out a laugh, shook his head, and narrowed his eyes, staring at me.
In fact, all the guys were looking at me.
I brought my beer to my lips, hiding the smirk and wondering what annoying thing I did now.
When I didn’t feed into his attitude, Logan shook his head again. “You got it bad, man.”
I choked on the beer as it went down my throat. That was the last thing I expected him to say. “What?” I croaked.
Adam laughed. “You’ve been frowning at your phone for the last ten minutes. Not texting her is killing you, isn’t it?”
I sighed. “Yes. Is it that obvious?”
A chorus of laughter erupted from the guys.
“Yup.” Jay sat back in his seat, tilting his beer bottle in my direction. “You and Mia are next for the love curse.”
I smiled. Oh, right. The apartment Mia was living in was definitely cursed, or maybe haunted by some type of cupid.
The proof was pretty hard to ignore. Owen was the first victim, and then Jay fell prey after he took over the lease.
From there, both of Jay’s sisters found love after living in the apartment, and most recently was Lyla.
Now that she was living with Adam, it left Mia in the apartment by herself.
“Maybe you need to start praying to whatever is haunting that place.” Owen smirked.
That wasn’t the worst idea I’d ever heard. Could definitely work to my advantage.
Adam’s phone rang and he pulled it out. “Hey, love—” He glanced over at me, a concerned expression on his face, but after a moment, it shifted into something more calculating.
“I have an idea. Let me see what I can do, and I’ll call you back.
” He hung up and slapped my back. “Well, Zack, someone is looking out for you.”
I raised a brow. “What the hell’s going on?”
“Mia’s mom called her. Got herself in a jam with a boyfriend and is stranded in South Carolina. Lyla’s stuck on shift and Mia’s refusing to call anyone else for help. Says she’ll go alone—”
I was already on my feet and heading toward the door.
“Go get her,” one of the guys hollered.
I didn’t even look back to determine who said it, because I knew every one of them would be shooting me some very knowing looks. And I didn’t give two shits.
I took every turn a bit too fast, hoping I wasn’t too late. A relieved breath left my lips when I pulled up to Mia’s apartment as she exited the building, slinging a tote bag over her shoulder. I got out and met her on the sidewalk.
She slammed her hands on her hips and scowled at me. “Please tell me Lyla didn’t call you.”
I shook my head. “She did not.” It wasn’t a lie. Technically, she didn’t call me. She called Adam.
“Adam?”
I shrugged. “I just happened to be sitting next to him.”
“So, what? You thought you’d just show up and save the day?”
I stepped forward, crowding her space. “Don’t try the tough girl crap on me, Raven. It won’t change anything. I’m still coming with you.”
Her eyes widened. “Wait, you’re not trying to stop me?”
Now I was thoroughly confused. “It’s your mom. She needs help. Why would I try to stop you?”
All the tension seemed to leave her, and her shoulders relaxed. But when a quiet sob left her lips, I reached out and pulled her into me. Her arms wrapped around my back, and she melted into my hold. And damn did it feel good. So fucking good.
“Want to take the Jeep?” I asked.
She stepped back and craned her head back to look up at me. The smeared makeup under her eyes made my gut clench tight. I wanted to ask a million questions. But there would be time for that. Right now, I just needed her to know I was here for her. In any way she needed.
“You don’t have to come with me.”
“I know that. But I want to. I love road trips.”
“Of course you do.” She rolled her eyes with a chuckle. “Every energetic puppy loves a car ride.”
“Do I get a treat too?” I sent her a wink.
The sassy smirk I’d come to love appeared. “Maybe if you’re a good boy.”
Dammit, now I was at half-mast, my dick absolutely liking the sound of those words and the hint of promise in her voice.
How fucking inappropriate could I be? But it was totally unavoidable.
I needed to get my shit together, though.
She was obviously in a tough spot with her mother, and she was determined to get to her.
There was no way I was letting her go alone if I could help it. And I could still see the uncertainty in her eyes. She was so used to going it alone. Handling everything on her own. It was obvious she wasn’t used to needing and accepting help.
“Besides, you don’t know what you’re walking into.” I finally voiced the elephant in the room. Even if she took what her mom had told her at face value, and I still wasn’t sure of the whole situation, there was no telling what could be waiting for us.
Her eyes narrowed and she opened her mouth to respond.
“I know you can handle it,” I added quickly. “But having backup wouldn’t be the worst idea. I can definitely bite someone’s ankles or gnaw on their wrist.”
Her brows pulled together for a moment before she shook her head and laughed. “Fine.”
She walked around to the passenger side and froze, eyeing the Jeep. “Why do you have the top and the doors off? It’s barely March.”
I shrugged. “It’s been beautiful the last two days. Going to be in the seventies again tomorrow.”
She hesitated, her forehead creasing. “What if it rains?”
“I guess we’re getting wet.”
She scoffed and climbed in, placing her bag on the floor of the backseat.
I hopped up into the driver’s seat, plugged my iPhone into the Jeep and brought up the GPS. “Where to?”
“Florence. Thankfully she’s safe at the police station.” She finished pulling her hair into a ponytail and then reached out her hand to me. “Here, I’ll put it in.”
I handed her my phone and drove the Jeep out of her parking lot.
After a minute, she set my phone down in the center console and pushed back into her seat with a huff. “I’m starting to think my mom is the reason I have no interest in serious relationships.”
I chuckled. “Afraid the same situations will happen to you?”
She shrugged. “Maybe her broken bad-guy radar is hereditary.”
“Nah. You picked me, remember? And I’m awesome.”
She folded her arms across her chest. “I did not pick you.”
“Sure you did. You just don’t realize it yet.”
She rolled her eyes. “More like I can’t get rid of you.”
“Eh,” I teased. “Potato, potahto.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
We drove in silence for the next few minutes, until my curiosity finally got the best of me. “So, what’s the story?”
She sighed, something deep and exhausted. “The story is my mom thinks if she kisses enough frogs, one of them is bound to be a prince.”
I grinned. “And that’s nothing like what you do?”
I could feel her glare without even looking. “No. I’m well aware they’re all frogs and I have no interest in finding a prince.”
“Ok. So what did this latest frog do?”
“Talked her into going to Myrtle Beach for the weekend, and then when they stopped for a bathroom break, he took off with her car and purse. Luckily, she had her phone in her back pocket.”
“So she called the police?”
“Ha,” she said with a cynical laugh. “No, actually. She called me and asked what she should do. I had to convince her to call the police so she could report her car stolen. But it took me forever to get through to her. She was trying to convince herself he was coming back for her.”
“Love can make people blind to the truth.”
“Yup. And that’s exactly why I want nothing to do with that shit.”
“But with the right person, it can also be amazing. Look at all of our friends. Does it not make you want what they have?”
“No. Because I know it can all change at the drop of a hat. To hear my mom tell it, my parents were head over heels in love. But my dad still walked away.”
I flinched, knowing I couldn’t argue that point. Nothing was ever promised in life. “Can I ask what happened?”
She shrugged. “My mom doesn’t like to talk about it.
But from what she has told me, he had mental health issues.
Sounds like bipolar to me, but according to my mom, he was never diagnosed.
” She shifted in the seat, folding one leg underneath her.
“Sometimes I catch myself wondering if I should try to find him. But would knowing he’s alive and fine and just wants nothing to do with me be worse than not knowing at all? ”
“I can’t be sure, but I think I’d want to know.”
That must have been the wrong response, because she angled her face away from me and got quiet. After a moment, she reached over and turned up the radio, signaling she was done talking.
The song “Call Me Maybe” came on, and I couldn’t stifle my grin. It was secretly one of my favorites. Three lines in, I had her fighting a smile as I sang along to it in my usual goofy fashion.
The song ended and I nudged her knee. “See? Isn’t this fun?”
She raised a brow. “Yeah. So fun,” she deadpanned.
“Want to play a game?” I asked.
“What kind of game?” She sent me a devilish grin. “Like truth or dare?”
I shook my head. That was not a good idea, especially while I was driving. I had a feeling it would totally get us into trouble. But the idea that I could ask her pointed questions and she had to tell the truth was intriguing.
“I was thinking more like the alphabet game.” It was a much safer option, because if she dared me to touch her or kiss her, there was no way I was backing down.
“My idea would be more fun.”
“Yeah, but a lot more dangerous.”