Page 82 of Forever Defiant
“I don’t think we are.”
She ignored me. “And friends do things together.”
“I think they get invited first.”
“Formalities.” She looked at me and the stick. “You sure you know how to drive?”
I put the car in drive. “You may be more annoying than me,” I muttered. She laughed with delight. “I need to apologize to every teacher I ever had.”
I drove us away from campus and headed north on I-65.
“What’s in Nashville?” She glanced at me. “Or who?” She turned in her seat toward me. “Did you find her?”
“No.” She looked disappointed with my answer. “How do you know I’m going to Nashville?”
“You don’t have any snacks or water. Figured it was a short-ish drive.”
“It’s two hours.”
She shrugged. “Yeah, short.” She leaned forward and fiddled with the radio station. “What do you want to listen to?”
“I don’t like music when I’m driving.”
She turned it off without question. “So, conversation starter, tell me about you.”
“No.”
She nodded. “Okay. I’ll start. Only child. Mom and Dad are... complicated.” She smiled briefly. “I was very much following in my dad’s footsteps, and then I met Dante.”
I frowned. “Aren’t you guys . . . new?”
She smiled. “Yes. But it’s been intense. He’s...” She sighed like a lovesick idiot. “He’s the best.”
“He threw my cat at me.”
A burst of laughter escaped before she slapped her hand over her mouth. “He told me you thought that. He didn’t, he’s just very fast.”
I gave her a flat look. “He tossed my three-legged cat at me like he was throwing a curveball.”
“A curveball? He doesn’t play baseball.” Savannah’s fingers were pressed across her lips. “Did youactuallysee him throw it? Her.”
I hadn’t. I know she was on the floor streaking for the door like a bolt of lightning, and then she was in my arms. “He threw her.”
Once you commit to the story, youcommitto the story.
“Okay.”
“Wow. That was pure condescension.”
“I wasn’t there,” she said diplomatically. “I can’t comment objectively.”
“Your dad ever tell you that you’d be fabulous in politics?”
“A few times.”
Imagine that.We drove for another five minutes in silence.
“Dustin and Noah have been really welcoming,” she started again, and I didn’t hide the groan. Savannah ignored me. “Which is really cool, I don’t... I don’t have many friends.”
