Page 18 of Drive
The hardest part was accepting that this was their new reality. No matter what, Holi was going to be sick for a long time. And she was going to need Rainey’shelp.
So Rainey had to try to bestrong.
As she brushed out her tangled hair and swept it into a ponytail, a nagging little voice in her head told her she should be doing something to make herself useful instead of flirting with an Uber driver, but seeing Jacques again that morning had been the one bright spot in the seemingly endless succession of dark hours since she’d arrived atLourdes.
She’d been able to relax talking to him and listening to his music. She’d been so relaxed she’d actually slept for part of the ride, and it was the best sleep she’d had in twodays.
And the thought of coming into the house alone and staying there alone with nothing but her worries had made her shiver, so even though she’d never done anything like that in her life, she’d invited himin.
And if you don’t hurry up and get your shit together, he’s going to leave, she scolded herself as she loaded up her toothbrush and attacked her mouth while she dashed back to her closet to find something towear.
Finally, in another five minutes, when she was dressed in a pair of gray leggings, a sangria tunic, and her black ballet flats, she headed backdownstairs.
She found Jacques Gilchrist at the cedar armoire, which she had refurbished and retooled to serve as storage for their sound system and all of theirmusic.
His wide eyes hit hers before she reached the ground floor. “This vinyl collection isincredible.”
“Thank you,” she said, hoping she appeared only half as rattled as she felt. “It’s a work in progress. Holi and I are bothcollectors.”
His gaze turned appreciative, and Rainey could only smile with pride. His eyes took on a measure of caution. “So this is all yours? Yours andHoli’s?”
“You mean as opposed to my dad’s?” she asked, raising a brow athim.
The two points high on his perfect cheekbones turned pink. Henodded.
Her smilegrew.
“Yeah. When my mom finally kicked my dad out for good, and he moved to Memphis full time, he took his collection,” she explained, talking past the blush that stained her own cheeks. “Which, I’ll admit, is about three times the size of ours, but we knew what we wanted and where to find it, so we started building ourown.”
Jacques gave a slow nod of understanding, his eyes watching her closely. “My dad’s doing twenty years at Angola for two counts of vehicular homicide, so if you’re pissed at your dad for being an idiot, I canrelate.”
The words came out in his deep voice so evenly, Rainey thought she’d misheard them. She stared at Jacques long enough for a slow grin to claim his mouth, and he stared back,unflinching.
Rainey was so used to the sting of shame that came with any discussion of her father she didn’t think the two could be separated. But with Jacques’s declaration about his own father, that sting of shame eased. Not completely, butsome.
She kept her eyes on his serene face when she asked her first question. “When did thathappen?”
His grin held as something in his dark eyes changed. “Fourteen years ago. When I wasten.”
Rainey swallowed. That would have been a hell of a blow for a ten-year-old. “And your mom? Did she have anyone to help her with you afterthat?”
“My mom?” His eyebrows went up in surprise. “My mom split two months before, which is why my dad soaked himself in Jack Daniels in the firstplace.”
Her mouth fell open. She couldn’t help it. And the way Jacques kept his expression so even — that grin never slipping as though it were made of steel — let her know that he might not have felt quite as calm as he appeared. He was gauging herreaction.
“That… that’s terrible.” A stunned whisper was all she could manage. “I’m so sorry that happened to you.” She swallowed again. If he could come out and say that to her after only knowing her all of two days, maybe she could tell him anything.Everything.
She took a breath and opened hermouth…
And knew she couldn’t. His eyes narrowed on her, and she was sure he was trying to make sense of her tongue-tiedstruggle.
“I think the coffee’s ready,” he said gently, releasing her fromherself.
“Right,” she said nodding, and then she moved to the kitchen. “How do you takeit?”
He followed her to the counter and dragged a stool between his legs. “A splash of milk and two sugars. Thanks.” He spoke as though he hadn’t just shared the darkest moments of his youth with her. As though they didn’t still hold him hostage. He could bring them to light and tuck them away again just like he might try on ashirt.
For Rainey, it was nothing likethat.
