“What’s happening to me, Zack? What happened to Daniel?” I had so many more questions, but was too spent to stay awake for the answers.
† † †
Heavy paws pounded through the forest as the pack chased me, gaining ground. My heart slammed against my ribcage as I ducked through the brush, only to come face-to-face with a wall of rock. Their growls sounded behind me.
I sucked in air to scream, bolting upright. My heart pounded and adrenaline roared through my veins. Slowly, the room came into focus and I realized I was home. There were no wolves hunting me.
Zack sat on the sofa at my feet. He placed a warm hand on my ankle. “Bad dream?”
“Yeah.” I reached a hand to my forehead. “When I was younger, I used to have nightmares about wolves. It’s odd I’m having them again.”
“Autumn, don’t you know why you were shaking so much in the car?”
“No. Do you?” As much as I liked Zack touching me, I sat up straight and dropped my feet to the floor.
“How can you not know?” He narrowed his eyes as if willing me to say what he wanted to hear.
“Because I don’t. But apparently you do, so why don’t you clue me in?”
“I’ll do my best.” He rose and held out a hand for me. “But we’d better get to the bank first.”
“What time is it? How long have I been sleeping?” I stretched and stood, feeling much better.
“Half hour or so. We still have time, but we should get going. When we get back, I’ll answer all your questions.”
“Okay.” Locating my purse, I made sure I had my ID and reached for the doorknob.
“Wait.” He moved some strands of hair from my face.
My eyes lingered on his lips as I stood rooted to the floor. The other night, I’d thought Zack would kiss me, but I’d opened my mouth and ruined it. In the class room earlier after Daniel left, Zack had been holding me. When I’d sighed, he’d withdrawn. Maybe this time, if I didn’t make a peep, I wouldn’t interrupt him from kissing me.
Alas, Zack spun around, picked up my keys and opened the door.
Giving in to my feelings for Zack was a terrible idea anyway. Obviously, he was emotionally unavailable. I mean, he’d had so many opportunities to hook up with me and hadn’t. I needed to face facts that Zack just didn’t feel that way about me.
At the bank, I handed the teller my ID, Zack by my side. After studying my picture, she handed my ID back to me with a smile. “Happy birthday.”
“Thank you.” I returned her smile, but inside I couldn’t believe that once Maya had presented me with the nail polish at lunch, I’d completely forgotten it was my birthday. Not that it mattered since my parents were gone and we hadn’t planned a party.
As we left the bank, cashier’s check in hand for fourteen grand, my stomach protested. I wanted a burger. “I’m hungry.”
“Me too.”
“Uhm, I think I’ll go back to being a vegetarian though.”
“Why would you do a thing like that?”
Why, indeed? It was nearly unthinkable. “I don’t like what it does to me. It’s weird losing control over food.”
He chortled. “But you enjoy it so much.”
“Whatever. I’ve survived my whole life without meat.” I groaned anyway.
Zack laughed. “Atta girl.”
I ordered a bean and cheese burrito while Zack got tacos. I did my damnedest to ignore the aroma of the beef while we ate. After we made the exchange with Mr. Peters, we headed to my house, me in the Mustang and Zack in his Jeep.
The top was still down and the breeze whipped around me. It felt almost as good as my nightly runs, free and unchained. I lovingly steered my beloved car into the driveway and Zack pulled in right behind me. Locking the Mustang, I tossed the keys into his waiting hands. As I walked with him to the front stoop, his eyes scanned the area. For Daniel, I assumed.
Once inside the house, I dropped my purse. “Thank you for everything today. You keep rescuing me.” I tilted my head and shifted my weight from one leg to the other, my gaze meeting his. “Except for John, I’ve never been friends with a guy who didn’t hit on me.”
Zack’s lips curved. “Who says we’re friends?”
Irritation crept up on me. I opened my mouth to tell him how right he was and that we weren’t friends, but he cut me off by holding up a hand. “Just kidding. Speaking of hitting on you, whatever possessed you to date a guy like Daniel?”
Backing up, I sat on the couch and took off my shoes, folding my legs under my butt. “Daniel could be charming when he wanted to be.”
“There’s nothing charming about him now.” Zack sat on the other end and turned to face me.