Page 28 of Rival Darling
I hadn’t seen her since lunch, and not all that much had changed during the last classes of the day. “If you’re asking whether I’m still resisting the urge to key Jeremy’s car, I am.”
“Are you sure?” she continued. “I overheard a few girls chatting just now. They were all sympathetic toward Jeremy and didn’t know he cheated on you. From the way they were talking, it was as though you were the one who broke his heart.”
I let out a humorless laugh. “So, I’m the bad guy?”
“Well, obviously, you’re not…”
But apparently the rest of the school didn’t see it that way. I should have expected this. People were always going to take Jeremy’s side. He was the boy they idolized, and I was just the new girl.
“I could tell people the truth about what happened,” Mia suggested.
“What’s the point?” I replied. “Even if they believe you, he’ll score a few goals in his next game, and then no one will care.” That was yet another reason why dating a jock was a terrible idea. People were far more forgiving of their heroes.
She gave me a sad smile. “Things will be better tomorrow.”
I didn’t agree. If anything, things would probably be worse. I was sure that, by tomorrow, everyone at school would know about my breakup with Jeremy and be silently judging me for it. On top of all that, I now had to wait another day before I could check on Betty.
As I hopped in Luke’s car, I made a swift decision. “Screw it,” I said, pulling out my phone and punching in the directions to Danny’s Garage.
"Screw what?” Mia said.
“I’m going to see Betty.”
“Uh, Vi, did you miss the part about the mafia hideout?”
I waved off her concern. “Luke worries too much.” I preferred to go without him, anyway. I didn’t want Luke feeling obliged to help pay for any repairs I might need, especially since I knew he’d struggle to afford it.
“What about my concerns?” Mia asked before lowering her voice. “You know the Darlings are bad news.”
Although I’d heard so many negative things about Danny and his sons, I found I didn’t share Mia’s concerns. I’d been alone with Reed and his brothers on Saturday night and had survived unscathed. Visiting their dad’s garage in broad daylight hardly felt like the perilous task she was making it out to be. I’d be lying though if I said I was completely without nerves. My decision to go to the garage had awoken one lone butterfly in my stomach, and it was gently fluttering about because there was a chance I might see Reed again.
“Well, I’ve always got that pepper spray Luke gave me as a welcome-to-Minnesota gift,” I replied. “I’ll make sure to keep it handy.”
“I think we’d all prefer if you didn’t need to use that,” Mia grumbled. She crossed her arms over her chest and sat back in her seat but didn’t say anything else. That was about as close to approval as I was going to get from Mia, so I started the car and pulled out of the parking lot.
It turned out Danny’s Garage wasn’t too far from school, but from the way Mia complained as we crossed over the river and into Ransom, you’d think we were trekking from the Shire to Mordor. It was the first time I’d entered our neighboring town, and immediately I felt like it wasn’t nearly as bad as Mia and the other kids at Sunshine Prep made it out to be. We passed cozy cafés and cute-looking dress shops and a tiny bookstore that was crammed with so many novels they seemed to spill out the front door and onto the street.
The way people in Sunshine Hills whispered about Ransom made it sound like the bridge across the river was a gateway to another world. Ransom might have lacked the obvious opulence of Sunshine Hills, but I found myself drawn to its simple charm and welcoming atmosphere all the same.
When we reached our destination, I found a parking space on the other side of the road from the garage and left the car running for a minute as I gathered my thoughts. The garage looked surprisingly modern. It had freshly painted charcoal walls with white trim, and the “Danny’s Garage” sign was displayed neatly above the wide entrance.
"This is exactly what a mafia hideout pretending to be a garage would look like,” Mia said as she studied the building.
“Please stop calling it that,” I grumbled. Despite the confidence I’d portrayed to Mia about coming to check on Betty, it was only now we’d arrived that I began to realize this might not be the best idea. I didn’t know the first thing about cars, and there was every chance I’d have no idea what Danny was talking about when he explained what was wrong with Betty. Mia didn’t know any more than me, so she’d be just as useless if I brought her inside.
I probably should have just come back with Luke in the morning, but Danny was expecting me, and I didn’t want to wait another day. Besides, I was here now, and I was genuinely worried Luke would try to pay for my repairs if he came with me. This was my car and my problem to fix.
“Do you think one of the Devils will be there?” Mia murmured. “Maybe you’ll see Reed again?”
I’d been doing my best to avoid the thought. But every time it entered my mind, another butterfly awoke in my stomach.
“I’m sure he won’t be there,” I replied even though there was no way I could know.
Still, I glanced at myself in the rearview mirror and swallowed. I looked a mess. There were shadows under my tired eyes, and strands of hairs were sticking out at odd angles. I looked like the day had steamrollered me—because it had.
I ran a hand through my hair but quickly gave up on trying to fix it. I wasn’t sure why I cared how I looked anyway. I was just here to find out what was wrong with my car.
“But what if he is there?” Mia continued.