Page 11 of Finding Hayes
“All right. Let me just walk through the house and check all the rooms, okay?”
She sighed. “Fine. Let’s go together.”
We made our way through the formal dining room that was as dated as the rest of the place. The living room had no furniturein it anymore, as Abe was clearly only using the small den off the kitchen to watch TV. The rest of the house was similar. Seven of the eight bedrooms were practically bare. Like he’d gotten rid of the furniture, but never got around to replacing it.
“Looks like me and my future hubby will have our work cut out for us fixing this place up,” she said, as she turned around and waggled her brows at me with a laugh.
That was Sav. She’d just lost it in the car, and her world was crumbling around her, but she was cracking jokes now and making the best of the fact that she was staying in this scary-as-fuck house alone.
Some people were glass-half-full people. Others were glass half empty.
Savannah Abbott’s glass had always been overflowing.
But I didn’t know her anymore, and I’d seen cracks in that exterior already tonight.
She was trying to hold it together. And she didn’t need to do that on my account.
“You’ve got my number if you need anything. Just text me. Unless you deleted me, seeing as you haven’t used it in a long time.”
“I’m fairly certain you’re still blocked.” She smirked. “But if someone tries to murder me during the night, I’ll unblock you if I’m desperate.”
She fucking blocked me?
“Good to know that you’re willing to unblock me if you’re being murdered.” I walked toward the front door, still trying to wrap my head around the fact that she’d really wanted to be done with me when she left all those years ago.
“Desperate times and all that,” she said, pausing at the front door. “Thank you for the ride. I really do appreciate it.”
“How will you get your car in the morning?”
“I’m a very resourceful girl, remember?” She shrugged, andthen her gaze softened. “I’ll Uber to the funeral and deal with the car after.”
I wanted to offer her a ride, but I stopped myself. She’d made it clear she didn’t want my help, or maybe she just didn’t want to be around me at all.
I nodded. “All right. I’ll see you there.”
“Sure. Thanks for the ride. Get home safely.” She pulled the door open and nearly bumped into me, trying to get me to leave.
My God. She couldn’t get me out of here fast enough. I leaned down and took a little whiff near my armpit. Maybe I stunk.
Her head fell back in laughter. “You don’t have BO, Woody.”
“What? I know.”
“I know what you’re doing. You used to do that all the time. That little sniff test. And trust me, during your football years, you smelled rancid. I hated getting in the car with you.”
I barked out a laugh as a memory flashed through my mind of the way I used to grab her and shove her head toward my armpit when she’d gripe about my stench after practice.
“I remember. You were very dramatic.” I walked backward out of the house and into the cold. “Lock the doors.”
“Thank you, caveman. I will.”
I turned around and jogged to my truck after she closed the door.
Tonight had been a blast from the past.
Seeing Savannah had brought back a lot of memories. Good and bad.
I turned on the engine and cranked up the heat, rubbing my hands together when my phone vibrated in my pocket for the millionth time.
