his hands on the steering wheel. He doesn't want to talk about career options. He's still upset about not getting that job at the youth center. I'm upset about it too.
I'm starting to realize he might be right. Getting a job isn't going to be easy. But finding the person you love isn't easy either so he can't just give up on us. There has to be a way we can stay together.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
"Hey, there's that pie place," I say, pointing to it up ahead. "Let's stop."
"You want pie? You said you were full."
"They sell them to go. I want to get one for Grams and Walter. Grams loves pie."
He pulls off the road and parks in the lot, ironically in the same spot Keith parked when he took me here for our first date, a fact I won't be mentioning to Tyler.
We go inside and up to the counter where the pies are displayed in a glass case.
"What do you think?" I ask. "Something fruity or something chocolatey?"
Tyler points to a rhubarb pie. "Pops loves rhubarb."
"Grams does too. We'll get that one."
I order it from the guy at the counter, and as he's boxing it up, I hear a voice behind me.
"Faith?"
Turning back, I see Keith standing behind me, a wide smile on his face.
"Hey, how's it going?"
"Great! How about you? School going well?"
"Yeah, I really like it there." I slip my arm around Tyler's. "Keith, this is my boyfriend, Tyler."
Keith shakes his hand. "Good to meet you."
He doesn't act like he remembers Tyler from seeing him that night at my house. I assumed he would, given that he made that comment about me having feelings for Tyler, but maybe he forgot.
"Are you the fireman?" Tyler asks.
"That's me." Keith smiles. "It's just a side job. By day I'm a lawyer. How about you?"
Tyler glances at me, like he's not sure how to answer.
"Tyler's between jobs right now," I say. "He's staying with his grandfather."
"Are you from here?" Keith asks him.
Tyler shrugs. "I'm from all over. Most recently LA."
Keith smiles. "I'm guessing you're an actor? You look like an actor."
"He did some modeling," I say. "He's been in a lot of ads. He's kinda famous." I give his arm a squeeze and smile at him.
Tyler looks uncomfortable. I don't know why. He should be proud of his modeling work. It's nothing to be embarrassed about or try to hide.
"What school?" Keith asks.
Tyler's brows draw together. "What do you mean?"
"College. Where'd you go to school?" Keith says it casually, like he's just making small talk, not realizing this is a sore subject for Tyler. When Tyler doesn't answer, Keith says, "I thought maybe you knew Faith from school."
"No." Tyler shakes his head. "I just met her last summer."
"Keith, we really need to get going but it was good seeing you."
"Yeah, see ya." He walks back to his booth where a guy and two girls are waiting.
"That'll be $12.60," the guy at the counter says.
I get my wallet out.
"I got it," Tyler says.
"Tyler, no. You don't have to buy it. It was my idea to stop." I hand the guy a twenty before Tyler can. He sighs, seeming annoyed.
The guy gives me the change and the pie and we go back out to the car.
"Are you mad that I paid?" I ask as he pulls out of the parking lot.
"I'm not mad. I just don't like you assuming I can't afford it."
"I wasn't. If anything, I'm the one who can't afford it. I have no job and I'm going to school, but I can spare $12."
He gets quiet, and after a few minutes of driving, he pulls off the road and parks in a field.
"What are you doing?"
"Look." He points to the sky, which is speckled with bright shimmering stars.
"It's beautiful." I lean back in my seat and stare up at the stars.
"I love doing this. Just taking a drive on a country road. Finding a field to park. Looking up at the stars."
"I love it too. I always thought I was a city girl but I'm starting to think I might be better fit for a small town. Maybe even this one." I let out a laugh. "Probably not, but you never know."
He reaches over and holds my hand, still gazing up at the sky. "I don't want to leave."
My eyes move from the stars to him. "What do you mean?"
"I don't want to leave you." I see his throat move as he swallows. "I love you like I never thought