Page 103 of Late Nights & Love Lines
I hit the front porch as she holds out both hands and lifts Pappy from the ground. She’s not wrong—the guy is well into his seventies—but I might truly believe in magic if she can stop him from doing anything he sets his mind to.
“I don’t think there’s any quick fixes this time, Row.”
Leo had Rowan’s death trap towed here a few days ago.
“What do you mean? There’s always a fix.” I hate how her voice quivers.
“Not this time, kiddo. For what it’ll cost ya to fix, you could buy a newer, safer one. I know how much Junebug has meant to ya, but it’s time to let her go. You can’t keep dumping money into short-term fixes, especially when it’s already unsafe.”
“It’s not safe?” I ask. I knew she’d been hoping to have it fixed, but I had no idea it was unsafe to drive.
“You stay out of this,” she says, pointing her finger at me.
I hold up both of my hands while leveling Pappy with a stern glare. We have a conversation in the silence, and finally, he nods to confirm we’re on the same page. She cannot drive the death trap anymore.
“Okay, I’m taking Miles fishing. I’m sorry about Junebug, Peach.”
Her angry foot tapping intensifies, displacing gravel with each heavy stomp, while the muscles in her jaw set into a hard line.
Instead of going back inside, I jog down the stairs and tug her into my arms. The pull of her is impossible to ignore, especially when she’s trying so valiantly to shut everyone out and tuck her emotions away. “I am really sorry. I know you’re…attached, but please don’t put yourself at unnecessary risk to hold on to the past. We need you here, now.”
She nods against my shoulder, and her arms come up my back to hold on to my shoulders as though she’s afraid to let go. Her tears soak my shirt, and the shock of it has my stomach rolling with acid. My gaze lands on Pappy, silently imploring him for help.
Rowan doesn’t react this way. I’ll do anything to fix it, but unless she opens up, I have no idea what I’m fighting against.
“Junebug was home for Rowan for a lot of years. It’ll be hard to let go of that security.”
“Pappy,” she groans.
Jesus Christ. “Years, Rowan?”
“It’s not as bad as it sounds. Pappy shouldn’t be blabbing all my secrets when I’m literally standing right here.” If we needed a poster child for Grumpy, she’d be it.
She pulls away and attempts to shield her face from me while I openly gape at her.
“Not bad? Are you kidding me? How would you feel about Seren living out of her car in a few years? Would you consider that safe?”
“Obviously not, but I was a different person. Iama different person. My circumstances weren’t normal, so I did what I had to, and it made me who I am today.” Her words tremble, but the conviction is clear. She did what she had to do to survive.
Anger festers in my gut. At her mother, at the world, and at Pappy for knowing what was going on and not doing anything about it.
“How could you allow that?” My voice cracks as I glare at him, and he slowly shakes his head.
“I didn’t know, Seb,” he says sadly. “After I found out, she promised she’d never do it again. Then, her junior year, that bastard?—”
“Pappy,” she snaps. “It’s not his fault, Sebastian. He didn’t know because I didn’t want anyone to. It wasn’t anyone’sbusiness but my own, and I refuse to be indebted to anyone ever again. End of story.” Turning her watery gaze to Pappy, she nods. “I’ll let her go.” Then she spins on her heel and takes the stairs two at a time. The front door slams shut behind her, the sound cracking another wall around my heart.
“So goddamn stubborn,” I mutter.
“Stubborn is just another layer of protection for Row. So much of her life has been out of her control. Now she holds on to every bit she can get with an iron fist because she’s scared to repeat history.”
“What I wouldn’t give to find her parents in a dark alley.”
“Trust me, it wouldn’t do any good. I tried,” he says sadly.
Talk about a day of bombshells. “What do you mean?”
“I paid a visit to her house after I helped her get Junebug registered when she was sixteen. Something wasn’t sitting right for me and Gram, so I wanted to check on her. That’s when I learned that they had no idea where she was. That worthless piece of shit stepfather of hers may have gotten acquainted with my right hook.”
