Page 76 of The Replay

"What?" I mutter and frown to my phone.

I ask for another one. I don't expect it to take long, and the rain fits my nostalgic mood, so I stay put while waiting for the notification confirming a new driver.

It happens three times before I give up and try again from the entrance hall. Should I go upstairs? Probably not. The app says my car will be here in five minutes. Not worth being a bother for five minutes.

I go outside again with two minutes to spare. The rain is falling a bit harder. I take a big sigh and lift my face to the sky, using the sensation of the drops onmy face to calm me down. I shiver and cross my arms. My thick wool sweater would have been fine, if I didn't have to stand in the rain for so long.

Maybe I'll take a long, warm shower when I make it home—

The ding on my phone alerts me to another ride cancellation.

"What the fuck?!"

I'm tapping away, looking for options, thinking fast, when a car stops in front of me.

The window slides down. I take a step back and frown.

"Mariana. What are you doing?" Dom's voice is irritated again. "I thought you would be home already."

He leans toward me, one hand on the passenger seat, and a raised eyebrow my way.

"I should be!" I exclaim. "I would be, if they didn't keep cancelling my rides."

"You could have gone back upstairs."

"It didn't kill me to wait for twenty minutes. I'd be fine, if I could only get a car."

"You're in the rain."

My hair is getting heavier, and I have to keep cleaning my phone's screen.

"I know." I resist the urge to be snarky about it. "I'll go inside to wait."

"Get in the car."

My eyes snap to him. "What?"

"I'll drive you."

"What?" My tone comes out with a lot more wonder this time.

He stretches to open the side door and gives it a little push. "Come on. You must be drenched."

"I'm not drenched." I get in the car. "But thank you."

He turns on the heating setting for my seat. "Where to?"

I give him my address and he starts driving. I shiver, warming up now that I'm enveloped in warm leather and air and… his smell.

Of course. His car is full of him. With his phone carelessly tucked in the center console, and music playing from a group he liked in college.

I stare at my lap. I don't know if our past is conducive to friendship today, but I'm crossing my fingers. At the end of the day, who knows where I'll end up with Dom, his friends, or beyond. Trying to rebuild your life as a grown up sucks.

He clears his throat. "Did you have fun?"

"The evening was amazing. I'm not into cooking shows, but Ames was great. So warm and approachable. I think the show will be a hit."

"Yeah, I agree."