Page 46 of Till The Sun Dies (Checkmate 2)

“I wanted to visit.”

“With Kane?”

I shake my head. “No. With all of you.”

Still peeking through the gap in the door, she watches me like I’m the enemy. “I’m probably going up to my room now. I’m pretty tired.”

It’s eight in the morning.“That’s a shame. I brought something I wanted to show you. It’s kinda exciting.”

Before Graham came along, Laine would’ve been all over that already. She sucked at surprises, because she wanted to know everything, and she wanted to know itnow. She didn’t believe in delayed gratification. She was the girl who’d flip to the back of a book to get spoilers, or fast forward to the end of ‘Homeward Bound’ just to make sure Shadow was fine. She would always rip a corner off wrapping paper to get a peek inside, and she’d peek inside a birthday cake box just to see the design.

Me saying I had something exciting to show her would normally have track marks on my face as she ran over me to get there, but this new version of her, this scared version, simply bites her wobbling lips and pretends she’s not peeking at my hands.

She wants to know.

But she refuses herself freedom.

“Wanna come out to the garage? You still have a thing for cars, right?”

She shrugs. “Not really.”

Liar.“Please? I picked up an old clunker, but I’m not sure if it’s a genuine classic or a total write off. It didn’t cost me anything but a tow job and a favor. You’re still into classics, right? You could tell me if it’s worth something.”

Okay. So maybe I’m here to manipulate her a little bit.

She chews on her bottom lip, but that chain remains in place, and the white bandaging on her wrist peeks through the gap. “What did you get?”

“A nineteen-fifty Buick Super. It’s old as fuck and kinda busted up, but it’s a soft top – minus the actual soft top, ‘cause it rotted out on someone’s farm for the last thirty years.”

“So it’s a permanent convertible?”

There she is!

“For now, but I got a parts supplier on speed dial, and he’s got three-hour delivery. I just don’t wanna hit thatbuybutton till I know what I got on my hands.”

“And you want me to look?” Her curiosity turns to distrust. “You know cars more than me. Everything I know is because you taught me.”

Yeah, I did.“I know engines, but I don’t know makes and models like you do. It wasn’t me sitting in the garage with those heavy ass books in your lap while you studied classic muscle. I dunno…” I drop my face forward until my hair hides my twitching lips. “I thought you’d like to look.”The old Laine would’ve already taken it for three laps around the block.“I could go though. It’s fine.” I step back. “Sorry to bother you.” And another step.

“No, wait.” She slams the door closed, flips the chain, and swings it open again to reveal sloppy sweatpants and a stained hoodie. Long blonde hair sits knotted high on her head, and her cheeks are still pale, but she’s never been more beautiful. “I wanna see.”

“Yeah?” I watch her slide her feet into an oversized pair of men’s flip flops. “You don’t have to. If you’re tired or whatever, I can go.”

“No.” Without waiting for me, she steps off the porch and heads toward the garage.

Movement at the door stops me from following straight after. Instead, I turn back to the grinning couple and smile when Jess lifts both thumbs.

“You did it, Ang!”

“She hasn’t stepped outside once since she got here,” Kane adds quietly. “Not one single time, so good job. Now go fix that piece of shit or get it out of my garage. The neighbors are gonna file complaints.”

I flip him off and step off the porch. “Have fun. We’ll be awhile.” I follow the path Laine took and stop at the entrance to the garage. Standing back, I watch in silence as she marvels at thenot-a-piece-of-shit classic. It’s messed up, it’s dented and needs a little love, but it’s as strong and beautiful as its new owner.

“Did you really get this for free?”

“Uh-huh.” I lean against the garage door frame and fold my arms. “I saw it when I was driving around the other week. It was sitting at the back of a property near the fence line, but I forgot about it again, then I just so happened to meet the owner the other day. He said he bought the property as is; it was a working farm, but he’s not a farmer. He cleared out a bunch of trees so he could use the place for his work, and the Super was right there. The soft top was still on it, weathered and almost dust. It protected a lot of the inside, but as soon as we moved the car, it basically dissolved.”

“Now you gotta keep it inside till you replace the roof.”

---