“So what does he do to show you he loves you? I’m just curious how you people on the other side live.” He opens the truck door again, letting a gust of air in for a second time, tosses his cigarette out and turns to me with his full attention.
So, no lie, my mind goes blank. I’m flipping through my brain like a maniac. “He bought me a GPS for my trip here, so I wouldn’t get lost.”
Storm literally starts to crack up. Like right in my face, he is doubled over laughing. I glare daggers at him until he stops.
“Seriously? He bought you a little forty-dollar GPS system, which obviously didn’t work since you got pretty fucking lost. But you think buying an electronic device for someone is love?”
“It’s care, you moron. He bought it because he cares about me. He knows I’m afraid of getting lost.”
“Holy shit, I’m sorry. I don’t mean to laugh at you, but that’s legit hilarious. If he cares so much, why didn’t he just drive you up here himself?”
Okay. So I did ask Michael to drive me to the hotel and then come back Sunday to pick me up. He had no plans other than to just hang around and watch TV. He said he didn’t feel like it and then ran to the nearest store and came back with the stupid GPS. I hate driving and have a fear of getting lost and having a panic attack in the car, but he just brushed it all off and told me I was immature.
I feel defeated. “He said he didn’t feel like it,” I admit. “He wanted to watch TV and hang out on the couch.”
“I might be an asshole... but I know this. If I loved someone, I’d drive them a measly fucking hour or so to a meeting if they asked me to. If I didn’t love them or like them much? Then, no, I’d be just like Michael and plant my ass in front of the TV and forget about it.”
“He’s tired. He works a lot. There’s nothing wrong with that.” Even I can hear the defensive tone in my voice.
Storm nods slowly at me. “Okay, I get it. That makes sense.”
This guy is an idiot. He has no right to judge me or my relationship. People don’t stay together for twelve damn years if they don’t love each other. He just can’t understand it because he’s never experienced it. I feel sorry for him. The longest relationship he’s ever had is with his damn dog.
“Maybe we should try to just get some sleep.” His suggestion sounds great to me. Sleep means no more of his damn comments and judgment.
“Good idea,” I agree, laying my head against the window and looking out at the fast falling snow so I don’t have to look at him sitting there looking at me. We each pull the ends of the blanket up over ourselves and ignore each other. The cold is biting, but the blanket is extremely thick and heavy, trapping our body heat beneath it. Hopefully, I won’t freeze to death in my sleep.
Chapter Two
When I wake up, I am disoriented for a few seconds as the memories of yesterday seep back into my mind. I slowly lift my head, my neck stiff from sleeping with my head leaning against the cold window. I rub my neck and glance over at Storm, who is sprawled out next to me with his foot on my lap. What the hell?
I push his foot off me and he starts to wake up. “Get your damn foot off me.”
I can already see he is not a morning person. He opens his eyes slowly and looks around, dazed.
“Huh? What’s going on?” He straightens out and looks over at me. “What are you doing?”
“Your foot was on me.”