Page 39 of Powerless
I’m met with silence and slightly concerned looks because I don’t often get that many words out in one breath. In fact, I don’t usually get many words out, period. I retreated into myself a long time ago and got really good at listening rather than talking.
“Well . . . that’s quite the story,” Harvey provides, like he doesn’t quite know what to say.
“You do remind me a bit of a sad toddler,” Cade deadpans.
Dick.
“I’ll go. You guys stay.” I gesture between them. “You need to be here. Cade, you’ve got Willa and Luke—a baby on the way. Harvey, you’ve got several girl-friends and also your entire family.”
They both chuckle and I muster a small grin, happy to lighten the mood.
“You’re our family too, you know?” Cade is all serious now. It’s sometimes hard to differentiate with him because he’s got such a dry sense of humor, but this is him being sensitive in his own way.
“I know. But there’s no one here who needs me. Let me go. I can support the family by making this trip. You both taught me how to haul, you know I’m capable with the truck and trailer. Plus, it’d be good to see Violet. She could use some distracting as well.”
Harvey’s fingers drum on the table. “The roads could be bad through the mountains this time of year.”
He knows my anxiety about driving, vehicles, and accidents. It’s wild how one simple mistake can translate into such widespread anxiety. But for him? For my family?
I can swallow it down and overlook it.
My smile is tense. “I know. I can manage though.”
“Yeah.” We all jerk, surprised by the soft voice coming from the corner of the kitchen. Like having women in the house is just that unusual these days. “He can manage. And I’ll go with him to make sure he has company.”
Without even glancing at us, Sloane pours herself a coffee. She’s changed into a simple pair of black leggings paired with a gray sweatshirt that swallows her upper body, woolen socks stacked over her ankles.
And when she turns to smile at us, her pale blonde locks a little mussed, I can see the lines on her cheek from where her face was pressed into the sheets of my bed. She looks cozy—a tad dopey. It makes me think of how she felt pressed up against me last night.
She looks different than I’ve ever seen her. Or maybe it’s just the wayI’mseeing her now.
“Good lord, Gervais. What the hell are you wearing?” she blurts.
Everyone else dissolves into a fit of giggles. Cade murmurs something about he told me so, but I barely hear him.
I’m focused on Sloane. Because I will not tell her what she can and can’t do. So I’m left wondering how I’m going to handle a road trip through the mountains with just the two of us and not go completely insane.
Or do something completely insane.
11
Sloane
Willa:Sloane, can you confirm Jasper is okay? The guys are worried about him but don’t know how to talk to him about their feelings. They’ve requested we ask instead. It’s like a game of telephone over here.
Summer:We’re all texting. It’s nothing like a game of telephone.
Sloane:He’s sad. He’ll be okay.
Willa:You should bang him.
Summer:Wils, that can’t always be your advice.
Willa:Why not? It’s solid advice. Worked out for you.
Summer:She just fled her wedding.
Willa:Yeah, but that fucking guy sucked. Jasper has that hot, tortured vibe going for him.
