Safe and Sound

Safe and Sound - Chapter 28

Chapter 28

My phone was ringing again, the next time I woke up. This time, it was my Mom.

   "Hey," I answered, trying to sound awake.

   It was 9 A.M. Crap.

   "Hi, Cass. I just wanted to check in." Her voice sounded relieved to hear me.

   "Okay, Mom. I'm good. I'll be home in, like, an hour?" I told her.

   "Okay, honey."

   Rowan didn't complain about having to drive me home not long after waking up. I wanted to stay in his bed all day, but I knew we had to get back to Dallas. I explained about Kate, on the drive.

   "Well I can't say I'm surprised," he said, rolling his eyes. "She was really drunk."

   "Yeah, she always gets really drunk. But this is... not like her."

   "Are you going to go see her today?" Rowan asked, changing lanes.

   "Yeah. Sonya doesn't always know how to deal with Kate," I answered.

   Rowan didn't say much else, but he held my hand for the entire drive. The radio was on low and the heat was blasting onto me. I liked it there, in his truck with him.  When we got close to my neighborhood, he agreed to dropping me off down the street from my house.

   "I'm sorry," I told him, trying to get him to look at me. "If you pull in the driveway, my mom will-"

   "I get it," he said, slowing down and eventually stopping the truck.

   "Row... thank you for last night. It was perfect," I told him, reaching for his hand.

   He didn't hesitate. "My favourite part was falling asleep with you in my arms."

   I smiled at him. "That was your favourite?"

   He grinned and leaned in to kiss me. "I love you."

   It felt surreal now, him saying those words again. The night before, it was so passionate, now it felt so different. We were sitting in his truck, parked down the street from my house, so my mom didn't find out I was with him. The sneaking around was less romantic, for sure.

   "I love you," I repeated.

   He groaned, then asked, "When will I see you?"

   "Oh, you're the needy one now, huh?" I laughed.

   He looked embarrassed, for a second. "I guess so."

   "Whenever you want to come, I want to see you," I told him.

   "Okay. You should go, it's after ten." But I knew he didn't want me to go.

   I picked up my bag from the floor of the truck, leaned in and kissed him and then got out and walked down the sidewalk. He turned the truck around and disappeared from my sight, my heart feeling a tight tug as he drove off.

   My mom was sipping coffee, Rich at the table beside her. They both smiled at me as I entered, yawning.

   "Didn't sleep much at that sleepover?" my mom asked, then laughed.

   "I'm fine," I said quickly, then walked to the coffee machine to pour a cup. "But Kate and her boyfriend broke up last night, so I'm actually just going to shower and change, then I'm heading to hang out with her."