I smile, but my face falls immediately after. “Look, I really am sorry,” I mumble.
Sierra hugs me. “Please, don’t be. It’s not your fault those guys were creeps. You okay?”
I nod. “Yeah, I-” I grin. “I actually had a great time.”
Sierra laughs, hugging me again before she lets go and yawns. “Okay, I’m actually beat. This was a long week. Row, feel like giving me a ride to Mom and Dad’s?”
“Sure.” He glances up, his eyes locking onto me with an intense look. “C’mon, I’ll drive you too.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Rowan
Sierra’s asleep in the backseat by the time we’re three blocks from where I parked. I pull onto Front Street, driving past the closed tourist shops by the main docks, past the ferry terminal, and past the slips for the out-of-town yacht owners. I pull up Levine Street, up past Julie’s Pizza, the Citgo station, and Hammond park — formerly Marsden park until the town renamed it in honor of my dad and his contributions to the community last year.
And here I am, owning a fucking dive bar.
No pressure, right?
I feel eyes on me, and I turn to see Eva glaring at me.
“Oh, what.”
“What is that I was not ‘with you’ back there.”
I roll my eyes as I turn back to the road. “Trust me, in that place? With those guys? You were with me. The alternative is worse.”
“Who were those guys?”
“Hell if I know. Townie douchebags.”
“No, the guys before that. Who you were talking to.”
I frown. Shit, she saw that. Yeah, not telling her about Rich and that whole thing. She already saw enough with Gus that night behind the bar.
“No one, just assholes.”
“Well, I can take care of myself,” she mutters, turning to stare out the side window at the passing town.
I snort.
“Excuse me?”
“That was me respectfully disagreeing with you.”
“And what makes you think I can’t? I’m not as sheltered as you like to think I am. I’ve been abroad you know.”
“To Korea.”
“Yep.”
“Where you, I’m guessing, stayed with a very nice, very wholesome church family in a very nice little town where nothing ever happened.”
She purses her lips and I grin.
“I’m just saying, it’s not like you went to Kabul or something. Yeah, angel, you’re sheltered, trust me.”
“You can stop calling me that you know.”
“What, angel?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I know you’re making fun of me.”
“I’m not- hang on.”
I pull into my parents’ driveway, shifting into park before I reach back and shake my sister. “Rise and shine, kid.”
“Hmph?” Sierra startles awake, wiping drool from her chin.
“That’ll be four bucks for the ride.”
“Thanks,” she mumbles. “Sorry again for the weird night, Eva.”
Eva turns, beaming at my sister. “I had a really great time tonight.”
“Good.” Sierra glances back at me.
“I’ll drive her home, it’s on the way back to O’Donnell’s anyways.”
“Okay, night.”
We pull back out of the driveway, and I turn back to her.
“I’m not making fun of you.”
She gives me a look.
“Honestly.”
“Now who’s lying.”
I chuckle. “It’s supposed to be a compliment.”
“How’s that?”
“Because you’re…you. You walked in a the bar that day when you woke me up in the office in that white dress with that hair and that innocence on your face.”
“Right, you’re making fun of me for being into church and religion and-”
“I call you that because you’re beautiful, actually.”
She freezes, and her eyes dart to mine in the darkness of the car. Lights from a streetlight wash over her face like a wave. “Oh. Thanks.”
I shake my head. “You’re welcome.”
I pull up to the curb on the corner near the rental house.
“This is you. Hey, don’t worry about Chastity. She seems a little high-strung, but I doubt she’s the squealer type. She’s not going to rat you out for being out tonight. Besides, she was there too.”
“You think I’m beautiful?”
She says it softly, and when I glance at her, I see her eyes big and round as she watches me from her side of the truck.
“I don’t think you’re beautiful, I know you are.”
She blushes, her eyes dropping as she tries to hide the smile.
“You don’t hear that enough, do you.”