guest.”
He walked over to her and gazed down at her. Taking a moment to brush her hair behind her shoulder, he gave her a half-smile. “I'll go wherever you want to go, but if you're running away from your family you can say so. It'd be nice to know in case of any aftermath.”
“No lectures?”
“Why would I do something like that?”
“Because you made me promise to try and make things right with them,” she said.
He nodded. “Yes, I remember. If you want my honest opinion, I do think you should go back in and eat with everyone. I've been invited to join, and I know your parents well enough to know they wouldn't start something in front of me. However, if it was that bad, I'm not going to force you into anything. Maybe spending every day at the house is eating away at everyone. Some space might be helpful.”
A small sigh of relief escaped her. Disapproval she could deal with, but a guilt trip was a whole other story. “You have a point. Meet me at my parents’ car. I just need to grab the keys.”
“You got it!” He gave her a thumbs-up sign. “It'll be about five or ten minutes. I've got a little cleaning up to do first anyway, so take your time.”
Arial finished brushing Jojo before putting the grooming kit away. She made the reluctant trek back to the house for the car keys, knowing she would have to ask before leaving. If all else failed, they could walk to the bus stop, but she'd rather not have to wait. When she opened the door, her family was already in the middle of breakfast. They all looked up at her as soon as she stepped inside.
“Change your mind?” her mother asked, eyes wide and hopeful.
Shaking her head, Arial leaned into the doorframe. “Just wanted to see if I could borrow the car for the day. Going to show Bryce around town. He's getting a little cabin feverish.” Normally, she'd expect a snide remark from one of her sisters, but none came. Some progress had been made after all. Arial cleared her throat and then continued. “If that's okay, I mean.”
“Be home before dinner and bring back some raspberry jam,” her mother said in a soft voice. No fight, not even a look, and the lack of both worried Arial. She had to stick to her guns, however, and not let her parents try to push her around. They especially were not going to get away with making her feel guilty anymore.
She grabbed the car keys off the counter and stepped out, paused, and then stepped back in. “I'll be sure to do that, Mama. I love you.”
Patty sat up in her chair. “Love you, too, honey.”
Chapter Eleven
Main Street, Gloriana was full of the typical small-town charm. The main town wasn't any larger than a mile down the street and expanding about two blocks in either direction. There wasn't much to write home about, and yet Bryce found himself loving it. It was quaint and rustic. The buildings were obviously from the early 1900s. Made primarily of brick, a lot of them had Grecian columns and high pointed rooftops. Vines grew along the side of one red brick house that doubled as a veterinary clinic, and next to that was a home that was connected to the mortuary. He'd seen a lot of movies about places like that but didn't believe they still existed.
Walking down Main Street, he noticed all of the shops were personal businesses. There were no big box stores, and not a brand he recognized outside of the gas station on the end corner. No fast food joints either. When Arial said her home was in the middle of nowhere, she meant it. He was surprised to see a cable company made up one of the stores. That was next door to the movie rental and music shop. He'd never seen anything like it. The small businesses all called out to him, wanting him to explore their contents. He knew if he did, he would find a great deal of treasures hidden inside them.
Bryce and Arial had eaten first before exploring. Which was good, because he could focus more on everything around him with a full stomach. He watched Arial, trying to get a feel for what was going on inside her head. Being at home hadn't been easy on her so far, he could tell. She was always so stressed out and on