kissed her before she could demand to pay her way. Whatever. She’d check out the surrounding mechanic shops, get a job and contribute where she could. Use her small savings to buy groceries and such. In a few weeks, she’d return to New York, pick up Lucy and organize her belongings, then drive her hard-and-fast Charger back to Whichway.
Another honk and wave. Her cheeks heated. “Does the whole town know about us already?”
“Guaranteed.” His phone buzzed again. He ignored it.
“It’s like living in a fishbowl.”
“Does it bother you?”
It would have terrified the old Clementine. Now… “I kind of love it.” And you, she didn’t say, those three words still hovering.
The next honk blasted for a couple of seconds, followed by Imelda’s head hanging out the car’s passenger window. “Check your phone, Jack! Marco and Lauralee have two girls!”
Jack froze, then fumbled for his phone. He smiled as he read the message, his brightening glow seeping into Clementine. “Two perfect girls,” he murmured and showed her the photo.
She only wanted to look at Jack. Watching him swoon over baby pictures was a sight to behold.
He typed a message back, then returned to the road, but his mood dimmed as he drove, a gradual despondence she didn’t understand. They’d had a great night. His best friend had just had twins. He’d been ecstatic a second ago. She fiddled with her precious necklace.
He stopped at her car and rubbed his jaw. “Key,” he said distractedly. “I’ll give you mine and grab an extra from Marvin.”
He reached for his set from the cup holder, but she stilled his hand and tilted his face toward her. The dark circles under his eyes were partly due to their lack of sleep, but she wasn’t the only cause. With all they’d discussed, she hadn’t asked about his family, his challenging job. So many burdens. “How’s your dad?”
He swallowed hard. “No better, but no worse. He’s holding strong.”
“And the business? The tech stuff you’re working on?”
“Fine. Everything will be fine.” The same platitudes he’d offered his mother. False bravado. He searched her face, then deflated slightly. “Not fine, actually. I hit a speedbump yesterday morning. I thought we were going to have a breakthrough, but it might be a setback.”
“I’d ask for details, but I wouldn’t be much help.”
“Knowing I’m coming home to you is a help.” Still, a muscle in his jaw bunched.
“Who can you talk to about work?”
His next pause lasted longer. “I discuss the project with my team, but they don’t understand the time constraints and pressure, the repercussions if we fail. I don’t want to add extra worry to my family, and I was sure I’d have this done by the festival so I could announce the new technology and stop lying about my father. I was so sure it would be settled.”
His frustration seemed to sit heavy on his slumping shoulders. She was no engineer, had no clue how to solve this for him, but his openness? Sharing the concerns he often hid? It meant everything. “You still have a few more days.”
“It’s not even about that anymore. Don’t get me wrong—I want nothing more than to have my father out and enjoying the show, so he can watch me one last time, if that’s what this is for him. But there’s more at stake.”
More employees could be fired. Marco’s good news flashed through her mind, Jack’s slipping mood. “What does Marco do for you?”
He blinked a few times, then blew out a rough breath. “He runs our charities. Researches where to spend the money, does fundraising and disperses funds.”
Non-essential work. Her heart clenched. “He’s next on the pink-slip list, isn’t he?”
Jack twisted his hands around the steering wheel. “He should have been on the last round, but I couldn’t do it. I mean, Jesus—he just had twins. He needs this job. How can I look my best friend in the face and ruin his life?”
She’d heard enough to know how close he was with Marco. The pressure must be killing him. Even still, he’d given her last night and this morning, was determined to work her into his hectic world. “Maybe I should go back to New York. Spend a few weeks there to get organized before returning. Give you time to focus.”
He released the steering wheel and laced their fingers together. “Not having you around the past three days was painful and distracting. After last night, it’ll be worse. This is so fresh. Too fresh.” He winced slightly. “I want more