Page 58 of Merrily Ever After
Chapter Six
We climb back inside the van as the heavens officially open, and not even the fluffy candy canes hanging from the rearview mirror can cheer me up. I can feel Daniela staring at me, but I’m a coward, so I ignore her as I buckle in and grab the keys. And that’s when the universe officially decides it hates me.
Daniela’s the first to notice something’s wrong, leaning forward with a frown. “What’s that noise?”
Only then do I hear it. It’s barely audible over the rain, but it’s there. A weak sputter from the engine, one that I’m pretty sure it’s not supposed to make.
“I just did it wrong,” I mutter and try again. This time I swear it gives a whine. My chest tightens.
I give it a minute and start it up again. Only this time when I turn the key into the ignition, nothing happens.
Oh no. Oh no no no.
“Try again,” Daniela says, and I do, but it’s useless. It doesn’t eventryto work. It just stays silent. Dead. Completely dead.
“No,” I groan, resting my head against the steering wheel.
“It’s fine.”
“It’snot,” I say, miserable and tired and covered in mud. “I’m calling the tow company.”
Daniela doesn’t respond, watching me with a faintly puzzled look as I grab my phone.
It will be an hour at least with the rain.
“I’m sorry,” I say when I relay the news to her. “You must be exhausted.”
“I’m okay,” she says, but I just shake my head, staring out the window. “Hannah.” My name is soft. Beseeching. But when I turn my head to look at her, she’s doing herI’m mad at youscowl. “What the hell is going on?” she asks.
“Nothing. I just wanted some privacy.”
“What do you mean?”
“With you,” I explain. “For Christmas. I haven’t seen you in weeks and I wanted to spend time with you.”
“Okay?” She looks confused. “I’m here now, aren’t I? For a whole week.”
“Yes, but it’s not the same. And I know you’re so good with my family, but they’reeverywhere. Like everywhere all the time and that never bothered me before. I love my family. But I love you too. So I thought we could do this. I would pick you up and we could go camping by the lake. You like the lake.”
“I do.”
“It was just going to be for a night or two. Just one night alone together and I just …” I sigh. “I wanted it to be nice.”
She doesn’t say anything for a long moment as cars continue to pass by outside.
And then: “We have plenty of privacy right here.”
I glance over to find her watching me. As soon as our eyes meet, she clambers into the back, and onto the bed, looking like she’s in heaven.
“These are so comfy,” she says, falling back against the cushions. “It does smell faintly of bleach, though.”
“There was a sheep in here,” I admit. “I made Liam hose it down. The van not the sheep.”
She bites her lip. “You didn’t have to do this for me.”
“Well, I know thatnow,” I say, and she laughs. Because that’s Daniela. Nothing can bring her down. It’s one of the reasons why I love her so much.
“Would you come back here?” she asks, holding her hand out. “Please.”
