Loner by Harloe Rae Page 0,14
to start with directions.”
“Okay, no problem. Never mind about that. Is there a spot close that will be easier to find? Just please bring her somewhere safe.”
“We’ll go to my shop.” I rattle off the address for her.
“Perfect. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.” She hangs up without fanfare.
I’m still staring down at the blank screen when Millie slams to a halt in front of me. “Is my mom coming to get me?”
“Yeah. We’re meeting her at my garage.”
“Is it far away?”
“Nah, just a five-minute walk.” I hitch a thumb over my shoulder.
“That’s super close. My mom will like that. Did she yell at you?”
“No, but she’s definitely not happy.” I let my frown dip lower.
Millie scoffs. The soft sound is meant to be oppositional, but I almost laugh. “My mama is super sweet. She doesn’t stay angry for long. It’s against her nature. That’s what Josey says, at least.”
She’s turning into quite a chatterbox. Maybe I should take that as another compliment. But a grunt escapes me at the thought. I’m the last person anyone should find comforting. “Who’s Josey?”
“My auntie. Well, kinda.”
“Ah, that’s, um…fun.” Family dynamics tend to confuse me on the best days. “We should get going, Millie.”
She pouts at me. “I prefer Peep.”
I’d already forgotten about that. Kids use silly nicknames, right? Aren’t they always calling each other something random? Shit, usually nothing nice. Words have the power to cut deep. But Millie is still beaming. That’s the best sign I’ll receive. “You really like that?”
“Uh-huh, yep.” Her posture straightens, as if she has something to prove.
Now I do laugh. The low notes are gruff, out of practice. Even to my own ears the tune is rusty and disjointed. When was the last time I laughed for the sake of humor? Probably not since I had a conversation of this length. And I’m talking to a child, go fucking figure.
“I think Peep fits because I prefer to be quiet,” Millie adds.
Solid argument, once again. “Well, all right.”
“High-five?” She lifts her palm.
I don’t leave her hanging, slapping our hands together. “You’re a cool kid, Peep.”
“You really think so?”
“Absolutely. Why wouldn’t I?”
She digs the toe of her shoe into the ground. “I dunno. Nobody ever wants to play with me.”
Well, shit. I’m all too aware of how mean kids can be. People in general, for that matter. “Don’t worry about them. I’ll be your friend. Patch, too. Plus, your mommy and Josey.”
“Okay.” I’m no kid expert, but her easy acceptance has me a little worried. I’ll let her mother handle that.
“Come on, Peep. I’ll show you how to replace a spark plug.”
Millie hurries to catch up when I begin walking. “A what?”
Another chuckle rolls out of me. Damn, this kid is easy to be around. “Precisely my point. You’ve got a lot to learn.”
Healing Hug #6: When emotion steals words. But maybe nothing else needs saying.
The traffic light changes to red and I ease off the accelerator. This is the third one in a row. I’m beginning to believe the universe is attempting to delay me on purpose, forcing me to waste precious moments sitting at these intersections. Millie needs me, and I can’t reach her with all these damn roadblocks. I’m still shaking over the fact that she went missing at all.
When I called Ms. Ross, she was flabbergasted that this sort of thing could have happened. I can’t believe it either, especially that they hadn’t counted her missing yet. Their class is still out on their nature walk, none the wiser. Even after several apologies and promises to never let this happen again, my nerves are fraying to flimsy strands. That level of fear is a very palpable being that I’ve fortunately never experienced until now. A burn flares under my skin, prickling me to move faster. If only Main Street could cooperate.
I check the map again, hoping for a different response. Nope, the directions are still taking me to some address off the grid. Well, that might be extreme. But my destination, Iron Throttle, appears to be in the middle of nothing. It’s safe to assume that’s why Crawford was trekking through the woods. And thank whoever is watching from above that he did. A slow pulse ripples through me while I allow my concentration to center on him.
He’s building quite the exemplary track record as a white knight. It’s some damn good fortune that he’s been nearby during these recent mishaps. This marks a second rescue. I can only hope there isn’t need for