Where the Darkness Goes

Chapter 25

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

TESSA — PRESENT DAY

As I round the corner into the living room, I see the head of the person waiting there through the glass of the small windows.

“Mark!” Strangely, I’d nearly forgotten about my car in all the madness going on. He grins, holding out a pair of keys, and I spot the tow truck in the driveway.

“I thought you might like to have this back.” He looks over my shoulder. “Hey, Garrett.”

“Hey,” comes Garrett’s distant reply.

Mark places the keys in my hand. “Realized after we got it fixed that no one had your phone number. Figured I’d come rectify that.”

“Oh my gosh, you’re right.” I slap a hand to the side of my face. “I totally forgot to give you my number. I’m so sorry.”

“Nah. Not a problem.” His smile is warm and innocent. Mark was around quite a bit in school, not part of Will’s main circle, but close enough that I know him well. He’s always been sweet, if a little quiet. “Wheel and rims were fine, by the way. Luckily. We just replaced the tire, aligned and rebalanced, and you’re good to go.”

“Thank you. Truly. What do I owe you? Do you have a way to take a payment? I don’t have checks or anything.” I can’t recall the last time I wrote a check. “Or should I call in or stop by to pay? I’m sorry. I feel so bad I didn’t call to check in. Life has been…” I release a drawn-out breath, not sure how to finish that sentence. Thankfully, he doesn’t wait for me to.

“Eh.” He waves me off. “Don’t worry about it. It’s just one tire. Consider it a favor for Ms. Frannie’s daughter. I was really sorry to hear about her accident.”

“Thank you, seriously. Is Ernie okay with that?”

“Ernie retired last year, and I bought the shop.” He shrugs. “It’s no problem.”

“I feel bad. I should really pay you something. Especially after you had to drive out here, too.”

His lips curve. “It was worth it.” He takes a step forward, leaning an arm against the frame. “Besides, if you really want to pay me back, I’d love to take you to dinner.”

Behind me, I hear Garrett shutting the pantry door with a little extra force.

“Dinner would be great. When were you thinking?”

“Well, if you don’t have plans tonight, I thought we could go to Joanie’s. You were always crazy about their cookies.” He watches me closely, his eyes hopeful. I don’t bother to correct him, but it was Will who was a sucker for Joanie’s cookies. I preferred the ones from the other bakery in town, Overflow. Still, it’s a sweet offer.

“Good memory. I love Joanie’s.”

“Yeah? I could go home and change and then come back for you. Say around seven?”

I glance behind me to see if Garrett’s there, but he’s not. He’s probably not even listening. He doesn’t care. I don’t know why I feel guilty. Garrett and I decided a long time ago that this would never work between us.

It’s why I hear myself saying, “Yes. That sounds perfect.”

“Perfect,” he repeats, patting the doorframe and taking a step back. “I’ll, uh, see you around seven, then?”

“See you then.” I shut the door and turn around, dropping my keys on the coffee table and going back to the kitchen. Garrett is next to the sink, pouring bourbon into a tie-dyed silicone cup. “Well, that was nice of him.”

He looks over, like he hadn’t heard me enter the room. “Super nice.” He lifts the cup, taking a sip.

“It feels good to have my car back.” I stroll past him and stand on my tiptoes, leaning up to reach for a plastic container to store the remainder of the pizza in. Will and Garrett are so much taller than me. Nothing in this house is accessible.

Garrett leans over me, his body pressing on mine without warning as he grabs the container I’m reaching for. Every inch of his body is touching mine, and I’m very aware of it. My breathing is so loud in my head I can’t think straight. I inhale the warm scent of his cologne, closing my eyes to find my train of thought again. He sets the container on the counter in front of me and steps back. My voice is breathless as I say, “Thank you.” I pause, collecting myself. “Were you done eating?”

He nods, tapping his cup against his chin. My skin tingles as I move to the table and place the few remaining slices of pizza into the container.

With leisurely, steady footsteps, he follows me.

“Sorry,” I tell him, looking up as I remember the conversation that was interrupted by the knocking on the door. “Were you going to tell me something earlier?”

He smiles with his lips pressed together. “Nah, I can’t remember. Not a big deal.” I can’t read his expression, can’t tell the difference between sadness and frustration, perhaps because there’s a mix of both.

I’m not na?ve. I understand this will never be easy between the two of us—seeing each other date—but I also know that no matter how difficult it is, it’s necessary. I don’t particularly see Mark as an option, but he’s sweet. Shyness isn’t always a negative. There were plenty of good things about him in school. Top of the class, decent athlete, well liked. If I’m going to exist in town, it won’t hurt to get out of these four walls and reconnect with people other than my brother and Garrett.

With the leftovers from dinner put away in the refrigerator and the pizza box thrown away, I tell him, “Thanks again for going with me today. I don’t remember if I said that, but I appreciate everything.” I take a step backward, feeling awkward when he just nods again, still not saying a word. “And now I’ll get out of your hair and give you a break.”

His brows draw down, confused. “You were never a bother, Tessa. Don’t act like spending time with you is a chore.”

“Still. I know you probably had other things planned before I came into town with my flat tire. I’m just… I just want to say thank you for helping me, like you always do.”

He twists his lips into a wry grin. “What are friends for?”

“Right.” I take a hesitant breath, then step backward and away from him, heading for my room to get ready. Inside, I turn to my closet, sorting through the clothes I brought with me.

“You’re really going to go with him?” Garrett’s voice comes from just outside the door. When I turn, it’s mostly open, but he hasn’t entered.

“I think so, yeah.” I hesitate. “He’s nice.”

“Sure. He’s nice.” He’s definitely irritated, but he has no right to be. We aren’t together. That was his decision. “And you like him?”

“I don’t really know him. Just from the few times he was around with you guys.”

“I mean, is this really the best time to be going out with anyone? With so much else going on?”

I stop going through my clothes, turning to face him with my hands on my hips. “Why don’t you just say what you really want to say, Garrett? Do you not want me to go with him?”

He runs a hand over the top of his head. “I didn’t say that.”

“Do you know something about him I should know? Is he a bad guy?”

“No.” He scowls. “No. He’s…whatever. I’m just trying to make sure you’re ready for this. You just got back into town. You don’t owe him a date because he was nice to you.”

“I’m well aware of that.”

“And you still want to go?”

Now, stubbornness gets the best of me. “Yeah, I do. Unless you can think of a reason I shouldn’t.”

His hands go up, and he takes a step back. “Nothing important, no. Have fun with your favorite cookies.”

With that, he disappears into the hall, and I hear his bedroom door shut seconds later, leaving me alone with my spiraling thoughts.