Still The One - Carrie Elks Page 0,85

Once she’d worked out how to clear up this mess.

Becca turned to smile at them both. “I’ll have you home in a couple of minutes.”

“Thank you,” Van mouthed. She needed to get out of here. Away from the scrutiny of the crowd, and the loud vibration of the screen.

And Tanner. Oh god, Tanner.

She couldn’t think about him. Not if she wanted to stay sane. She needed to get home, and make sure her mom was okay. Only then would she let herself wallow.

In her bed. All alone. Without him.

Where she deserved to be.

The road into Hartson’s Creek was empty. Nearly all of the townspeople were at the drive-in, no doubt with only one eye on the screen as they gossiped about her mom’s revelation. Zoe slid her hand into Van’s, her fingers squeezing tightly, and Van squeezed back.

She forced her mouth into a smile. Zoe didn’t need to know any of this stuff. If there was one thing Van knew, it was that her sister needed to be protected the way she never had been. If she managed to do that and nothing else, then it would be okay.

Not great, but okay. Right now she’d take that.

“Here we are.” Becca parked behind Logan’s rental car. “Home sweet home.”

Van looked at the bungalow she’d grown up in. It wasn’t hers, though. It was Tanner’s. What a damn mess this all was.

Zoe was already pulling the door on her side open, running up the path toward the front door. Van followed her quickly, as Zoe wrenched the door open and ran inside.

“Mom?” she shouted out. Van hurried behind her, gathering her red dress in her hands. Their mom and Logan were sitting at the kitchen table, Kim sipping at a steaming mug of black coffee as Tanner’s brother shifted uncomfortably in his seat. As soon as he set eyes on Van, Zoe, and Becca he stood, looking like a man who’d been given a final reprieve.

“Oh, Van,” her mom slurred. “I’m so sorry.” She put her mug on the table, her hand shaking enough to send some hot liquid sloshing over the side. Her chair scraped against the tiled floor as she tried to stand, lurching to the left before walking to Van and hugging her, putting almost her entire weight against Van’s shoulders.

Van stood there, her stomach turning as she tried to decide what to say to her mom. It wasn’t okay. None of this was. She wanted to curl up and pretend that none of this happened. “You should go to bed,” she said, her voice low. “We’ll talk about this in the morning.”

“Do you hate me?” Her mom’s breath caught in a sob. “Of course you hate me. I hate me. You were never supposed to know.”

She was completely aware of both Logan and Becca’s presence in the room. They were kind, more than kind. She knew that. Yet having them here was intensely uncomfortable. Even if they weren’t judging her, she was judging herself.

“Thank you for all you’ve done,” she said to Logan, before she turned to Becca. “You guys can go now. I’ll take it from here.”

“I don’t mind staying if you need any help,” Becca said brightly.

The pure kindness in her eyes made Van want to cry. “It’s okay,” she said softly. “We’ll all just go to bed. Deal with everything in the morning.” She was too exhausted to do anything else. Sleep felt like an escape from the awful reality of her life. One she desperately needed.

Logan stood, rubbing the back of his neck the way Tanner always did, and the simple gesture made Van’s heart ache. “Let us know if you need anything,” he said. “Or I can call Tanner to come over?”

“No,” Van said quickly. “It’s fine.”

“You’re family,” Becca said, giving Zoe a hug. “We take care of our own. We’re always here for you.” She kissed the top of Zoe’s head. “Stay strong, kiddo.”

Zoe nodded.

And then they left, pulling the door closed behind them. Van let out a lungful of air, but it didn’t relax her body at all.

“Come on,” she said, looking at her mom’s tearful face. “Let’s go to bed. We’ll talk in the morning.”

“I’m under strict instructions from Logan to take you home,” Cam said as he walked into the drive-in office. Tanner had been pacing the room ever since Van had walked out. He wasn’t even sure how much time had passed since he’d heard her steps on the metal treds. Ten minutes? Twenty? All he knew was