Page 11 of Darlin'

"Wake up, looney.”So rude!"Hey!"

"Will youstoprattling me?!" I groan, fluttering open my weary eyelids. I glance up to find Jesse hovering over me. His presence is a depressing reminder that this is indeed my reality, not some absurd dream. "I'm not a flipping Shake N' Bake!"

"What are you still doing here?" he asks as my vision adjusts to the dark, eerily silent night. Jesse raises an impatient brow, waiting for an answer as I release a yawn. "Yoo-hoo? Lady? What're you doing?"

"Will youpleaseshut up," I grunt, swatting at his shins as my temples ‌pulse. Unanswerable questions are the worst types of alarms. How do I snooze him? "Give me a second..." Street lights flicker around us as I peer up at him, somewhat mentally receptive to a conversation. Or a fight. The pendulum could swing either way at this moment. "What do you want,Jesse?"

A ghost of a smile graces his shadowed face, and for the first time, I notice that he's got a diamond stud in hisnose. The sparkling gem does nothing to draw my eye away from the dried cuts on and around his lips. I wonder how often he bleeds.

"Why aren't you at the motel?" He cocks his head. "Get lost on the way?"

"Maybe I figured that this filthy sidewalk would be much more sanitary than a motel room," I sneer, resting against the lumpy fence, my back sore from slouching for God knows how many hours. "If it's anything like yourclubhouse, I'm saving myself from having to get a tetanus shot."

"Probably," he agrees with a grin, leaning his right shoulder against the gate as he crosses his arms. "But you should still go." He nods down at my luggage. "People have killed for a lot less around here."

"What?" My eyes widen with fear as I yank on my monogrammed carry-on.I'd like to see them try. "You're just trying to scare me."

"Nah, I'm just telling you how it is," he says matter-of-factly, his keen gaze flitting across my face. "Pretty girl, empty streets, couple grand worth of luggage." He shrugs. "You do the math, babe."

"I'll be fine." I swallow, immediately fishing a pink spritz bottle out of my purse. "I've got pepper spray."

"Pepper spray?" Jesse snorts. "Jesus..." Shaking his head, he holds out his hand. "Come on, get up. I'll drive you there." He rolls his eyes when I don't budge. A sassy one, I see. "Listen, I'm not gonna stand here and play babysitter all night, 'kay? Get the fuck up, Savannah."

I glower at him. "Don't cuss at me."

"Or what?" he asks, smirking. "You'll pepper spray me?"

"Don't tempt me with a good time," I snap back. "There's nothing I'd like more than to see you cry."

"The only person crying will be you if you stay out here alone," he states with an edge. "It's not safe. You need to go to a motel."

As if on cue, a terrifyingly loud and powerful gust of wind howls through the barren mountain ridge, sending a ripple of trepidation down my spine. Distant shouting and cursing—and oh, God, was that a gunshot—fill my ringing ears.

"I can't leave," I mumble, angry at myself for not having a backup plan. "You don't know how much I wish I could..."

"Youcan't?" He looks down at me, confused. "Why not?"

"Because I can't afford a motel," I whisper, tugging my cardigan around my chest as I physically shrink in size. Momma would be so pleased. "Damn it."

"What?" he asks. "Didn't quite hear that."

"I said..." My jaw tightens. Oh, he heard me just fine. "I cannotafforda motel."

His skeptical gaze floats toward my luggage again. "You can'tafforda motel?" He blows a stream of dubious air out of his nose. "I highly doubt that. Try again."

"You think I'd lie about something soembarrassing?" I whimper, dropping my head to my knees. "Oh God, this has got to be one of the worst nights of my life." I sniffle as realization dawns on me. He's right. Iamgoing to die out here. "All I wanted was to see my brother"—tears startgushing down my face like a broken hose—"but instead, I'm stranded in some weird-ass town with no street signs, no money, and I'm pretty sure I forgot my phone charger in Alabama." My shoulders heave as I sob. "Why is this happening to me? Why?"

"Uh—" Jesse clears his throat, his feet shuffling against the pavement as he awkwardly taps my shoulder. "You okay?"

"No!" I whip my head up, further smudging the mascara that's already dripping down my cheek. "Do I lookokayto you? Did you not hear anything I just said? I spent all the money I have traveling thousands of miles to come and sleep on the street like some sad sewer rat." Snot collects in my nostrils as I weep, "I might as well justdie."

"Damn..." Jesse blinks, rubbing the nape of his neck. "Rad mentioned you were a bit dramatic, but this? Wow. Talk about high maintenance."

"I don't think that the need for a warm bed and a roof over my head is high maintenance!" I frown, sniffling as I push myself to my feet. "Wait...did you say that Beau mentioned me? He...he mentioned me?"

"Couple times," Jesse says, eyeing my face uncomfortably. "You...you kind of look like a sad raccoon right now." He motions around my face. "You got some stuff..." He expels an airy laugh. "Well...it's everywhere."

"Couple times—" I gasp, shoving Jesse with two hands. He staggers back a foot, shooting me a bewildered look. "Oh my God! You are such a dick! Youdoknow who I am, then!"

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