Page 7 of Breathless With Her

“I don’t want to go home,” she whispered, looking down at her purse. “What if he’s there? What am I supposed to say?”

I cursed. “Didn’t think of that. Okay, you got my couch.”

She wavered on her stool, blinking. “I don’t think that’s a great idea, Devin.”

“I have a guest room, too. Or whatever. I promise I’m not putting on the moves. We’ll just get you somewhere to sleep, and you can figure out what it is you need to do in the morning. Promise.”

She studied my face for a bit before nodding, and I wondered if this was the right decision. I wasn’t going to sleep with her tonight, not considering everything going on, but to anyone else, this might look weird. Or off.

I wasn’t quite sure what to do. I couldn’t just leave her here, and she had nowhere else to go. At least, she hadn’t said so. Hadn’t mentioned friends, or her family, not even her sister. So, I would make sure she was okay for the night, and then I would send her on her way.

Because I knew what happened when you were the other person. When you had to watch your life fall apart because someone cheated. I might not be the person that had been cheated on, but I had been one of the broken pieces left behind.

I didn’t know if Erin had children or anything like that. But if she did, I liked to think she would have mentioned them at least once.

However, I didn’t really know her.

I paid quickly, and we headed out to my car, with Erin leaning heavily on my arm.

“Sorry, I didn’t really eat today, and I don’t usually drink, and I’m in heels. It’s how come I’m a mess.”

She wiped her face, smearing mascara. I just shook my head and helped her into the vehicle. “No worries. We’ve all been a mess.”

“Yeah? You ever been alone in a bar in a sequined dress getting drunk with someone that you really don’t know?”

“Well, I don’t know about a sequined dress, but maybe a little wrap dress thing. Less sparkle.”

She laughed just like I wanted her to, and I closed the door before moving around the truck to slide in.

I had an old Ford pickup that had once been my grandfather’s. While it had been old even then, I loved it. My dad and I had restored it back in the day, and I had fixed it up even more on my own with some of my brothers’ help over the years. I didn’t take it out often since I had a work vehicle, but I was driving it today. It was one of those trucks that were good for small outings, but it wasn’t in show condition or anything, so I didn’t have to worry about parking or the weather or dealing with things like that.

It didn’t guzzle too much fuel, and it got me where I needed to go. Connected me to some of the family that I sometimes forgot was there or tried to forget when the pain got to be too much.

And that was enough of that. Maybe half a beer was just too much if I was reminiscing about old shit like this.

“I like your truck,” Erin said, looking around.

“I do, too. It’s a good truck.” I patted the dash and then started the engine. It roared to life, and I grinned. Yeah, I fucking loved my truck.

“What is it?”

“A ‘48 Ford F-1 pickup.”

“Is that supposed to mean something? Sorry, I’m not really good at cars.”

“It means it’s a good truck. And don’t worry, it’ll get you where you need to go. You sure there’s no one I can call for you?”

She looked down at her hands, and I wanted to kick myself for mentioning that.

“Not really. Jenn’s probably sleeping. She has three kids and tends to go to sleep early these days since they all like to wake up before dawn it seems.”

“Jenn has three kids?” I asked, shaking my head. “I always thought she didn’t want kids.”

“Yeah, that’s what she said. At least when she was a teenager.”

“Jenn with three kids. That’s crazy.”

“No kids for you?” she asked, deftly changing the subject from why she didn’t have anyone to call. Maybe I’d ask again later. Or I’d just leave it be. After all, it wasn’t my business.