Page 76 of Let It Breathe
Reese squeezed Larissa’s knee and stood up. “Come on. Let’s get you home.”
Behind her, Wally cleared his throat. “There should be room for all three of you in the backseat if you give me a second to get some of the stuff out.”
Wally. Hell. Somehow, Reese had forgotten all about him. She gave him a weak smile as she offered Larissa a hand up. “Thank you. I know the evening hasn’t gone the way we’d planned.”
“It’s fine, really,” he said, smiling a little. “It’s definitely one of the more interesting dates I’ve had.”
“You’re on a date,” Clay said, his voice hollow. “That’s right. Reese, I’m sorry you got dragged down here. Look, I can take Larissa home. Patrick can run me back to Finnigan’s for my truck, and I’ll drive ’Riss from there. We don’t need to ruin anyone else’s evening with this mess.”
Reese shook her head. “It’s okay,” she told him before turning back to Wally. “I’ve had a great time so far, but maybe we can do a rain check on dinner?”
“Absolutely.”
“No, really,” Clay insisted. “I’ve got my truck back at Finnigan’s. I need to get it anyway and I can take Larissa wherever she needs to be. Go on, Reese—don’t give up your date on account of us.”
Reese shook her head. “Larissa called me, I want to be here for her. ’Riss, you ready to go?”
Larissa blinked up at Clay, then looked to Reese. “No, Clay’s right—I’m sorry I dragged you down here, Reesey. I wasn’t thinking when I called you. I knew about your date, but I got so worked up and forgot and?—”
“It’s fine, sweetie,” Reese insisted. “I don’t mind. I want to be here for you.”
Larissa shook her head. “I’ll go with Clay. Really, I’m sorry. I just didn’t want to go home alone and I panicked.”
“Tell you what,” Wally said, reaching out to give Reese’s shoulder a small squeeze. “Why don’t I run Reese home right now, Patrick can take Clay and Larissa back to get Clay’s truck, and Clay can drive Larissa back to your place so she’s not alone tonight?”
Reese looked up at him as the relief flooded through her body. “You’re sure you don’t mind?”
“Positive. You need to be with your family right now.”
She nodded and turned back to her cousin. “That sound okay to you?”
Larissa bit her lip, then nodded. “That would work,” she said, brightening a little. “That way you and Wally can be alone in the car to make out, and when I get to Reese’s, she can tell me all about it.”
Reese rolled her eyes and pretended not to notice the way Wally’s face also brightened at that idea. “She’s drunk,” Reese told him. “But I like your idea about the driving. Clay? Is that okay with you?”
Clay nodded, then looked at the cop. “We’re all free to go, right?”
“Right.” The cop nodded at Larissa. “As long as that one’s not driving.”
“Definitely not,” she said, reaching down to help her cousin to her feet. “You sure you’re okay, ’Riss?”
“I’m fine. I’ll see you back at the house.”
Reese nodded and looked at Clay. He held her gaze for a moment, his eyes flashing beneath the fluorescent lights. “I’ll get her home safely.”
“I know you will.” She swallowed. “Thank you for everything.”
He held her gaze a few beats longer, then turned to Wally. “Sorry to kill your date, man.”
“No sweat,” he said, reaching out to shake Clay’s hand. “Sounds like you did a good thing there.”
Reese saw Clay grimace—from the words or the pressure of the grip on his hurt hand, she wasn’t sure.
She turned and followed Wally out to the car. They buckled their seatbelts in silence, neither of them saying a word until they were safely out on the road.
“That really wasn’t how I pictured this date going,” Reese said.
“It’s fine, it made for an interesting evening.” He chuckled. “Why do I have a feeling there’s never a dull moment when you’re around?”
