Chapter 2 #2
“I forgot to ask if you wanted coffee or anything, so I got it anyway.”
I grinned down at the familiar coffee cups from Latte on the Rocks, as well as the bag of pastries.
“I have my water bottle and a few snacks for the road.” I dug into the tote and pulled out my container.
“A variety of cookies because I was bored, and then I have this too.” I lifted another smaller container. “Tiny sandwiches that don’t need to be in the cooler.”
“How many Mary Poppins things are you going to pull out of that tote?” he asked as he turned on the engine.
I blushed, shaking my head. “You don’t ask questions about a girl and her tote.”
“With all my sisters you think I would’ve learned that already. Oh, you dropped this.” He leaned forward, and I could feel his breath on my knee as he lifted the small silver-wrapped present.
“Oh, thank you.” I chickened out as I grabbed the present from him and shoved it into the tote along with the containers.
“Anyway, I guess we should head out? I know you texted the address to me and I put it into the GPS, but can you double check?”
I nodded, aware that we were both leaning towards each other, before I turned abruptly to the GPS and smiled.
“Looks right. Thank you for this again.”
“If you don’t stop thanking me, I’m going to open the window as we’re driving through the snow and make you deal with it.”
“You wouldn’t.”
He gave me a look that said he totally would, and frankly, with the way that I kept blushing and heating up, maybe snow in my face would help.
It was a good four-hour drive to my parents’, which wasn’t that far, however, I knew the roads weren’t going to be easy.
Cullen drove with ease, and I was grateful for his deep voice as he led the conversation.
We spoke about silly things, work, the Montgomerys, and our favorite coffee place.
It wasn’t lost on me that he had gotten my order right.
Even though I tended to switch between twenty different things, he had chosen the one that I drink most often.
I knew his coffee order as well, but it was easier since it was just a plain latte with skim milk and three sugars.
But he had realized that I was in the mood for a winter latte during this season, complete with caramel, a dash of vanilla, and eggnog of all things.
It sounded disgusting, but it was my true joy.
“Okay, I’m going to need one of those cookies.”
I laughed as I bent over to dig into my bag for the container.
“Beware, I have six kinds.”
“Where did you have time to make seven different kinds of cookies? Because I know it’s not just one batch of each.”
I shrugged as I opened the box so that I could show him what I had.
“I like baking. And I was able to give my neighbors cookies, as well as the local kids project that I worked with all semester.
“Those kids did a great job with their play. You did good, Posy.”
I blushed, remembering seeing him in the back row, cheering for the director, rather than the kids.
Because he had shown up as my friend, just as Mercy had, and I needed to remember that.
Friend.
“I have sugar cookies, frosted sugar cookies, chocolate chip, oatmeal chocolate chip because raisins do not belong in cookies, peanut butter kisses, peanut butter sugar cookies, and strawberry shortcake kisses.”
“I have no idea what two of those are, but a kiss? I’ll take one of those.”
His face drained of color for a moment, before he cleared his throat and focused on the road.
“I meant the strawberry one. That sounds good.”
“No problem. However, I just realized I forgot napkins.”
“Open the glove box, I have a whole set there.”
I did so, noting the emergency kit, the glass breaker thing, and wet wipes. He did seem to have everything.
I handed him two cookies over a napkin and flinched as our fingers touched. He nearly dropped the cookies, but kept his gaze on the road so he didn’t swerve.
“Sorry, fumbling today.”
“It’s no problem, Posy.” He took a bite and groaned. The type of groan that made me think of things I shouldn’t.
“Dear God, Posy. How have I not had more of your baked goods?”
“Well, I’m apparently greedy when it comes to hoarding my goods.”
I blinked, wondering how that sounded somewhat sexual even though it wasn’t at all, but from the way that the tips of Cullen’s ears pinked, maybe I wasn’t the only one feeling awkward after last night.
“So Cullen, about…” My voice trailed off.
“Yeah. I wanted to apologize.”
My gaze shot to his even though he kept his on the road. The snow was starting to pile up, and I knew it was getting harder for him to drive. However, we hadn’t been skidding, and he was going slow enough that he seemed safe. So I was going to trust him. Because he was Cullen.
“Apologize,” I finally said, my mind catching up with his words.
“I didn’t mean to put you on the spot like that.”
“You didn’t. The Montgomerys did. And, well, I didn’t mind it. It’s a kiss. Right?” I asked, feeling awkward as hell.
“Yeah. A kiss. And I guess it was better than me kissing Lex or something,” he said dryly.
I rolled my eyes, and turned my attention to forward, and blinked.
“The flakes are getting heavier.”
“I know,” he said through gritted teeth.
That’s when I realized that both his hands were on the steering wheel, his knuckles white. “Do we need to pull over?” I asked, fear sliding up my spine.
“Can you check your phone for the weather and see if we can get any service for the weather app? Because this seems more like a squall than it should be. We weren’t supposed to get snow like this in any area of either state until tomorrow morning. I wouldn’t have driven us this way if I had known.”
I pulled up my app and cursed. “The entire section is white and blue. They’re saying that it developed far earlier than they were planning. Why didn’t we get any alerts?”
He shook his head. “I guess service worked for some, but not for everyone. Fuck. Okay, we’re going to keep going because I do not want to be stuck on the side of the road. We do have enough gas, but it’s not safe.”
I nodded, my hand on the center console handle, putting more trust in Cullen than any other person I knew.
“We’ve got this Posy, okay?”
“I know. I trust you.”
I watched his throat work as he swallowed hard, and then we both sat in silence, the radio off as we made our way through the now darkening roads. It was still the middle of the day, and yet it didn’t feel like it at all.
“There’s a set of cabins with vacancy less than a mile away. I think we need to stop.”
I tensed, nerves racking me for more than one reason. “Just to get through the storm. I don’t know if I really want to be on the roads much longer.”
“Exactly. Just hold on.”
Headlights flashed in the distance, and Cullen cursed, and I couldn’t help but hold on tight as everything shifted in an instant. The headlights seemed to brighten as the glared in our eyes before they turned slightly crooked.
Cullen turned the steering wheel, his shoulders tense, but then it was too late.
The car in front of us swerved to the side and hit the embankment, as the car coming towards us, headlights spinning, but we were still too close.
It didn’t clip us, but we spun, the ice beneath the wheels too much.
I blinked as headlights shone, and then there was darkness, then headlights again as we did a circle and a half, before a roaring sound filled my ears, and we slammed into the icy side of the road.
And finally, the scream that I had been holding, escaped.