Page 21 of Always Beth
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The rain is so heavy I can barely see the road ahead of me, not even the wipers are helping. I think this is how I’m going to die.
‘If you keep going this slowly, you’re going to get us killed,’ he mutters, folding his arms tightly across his chest.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see his shirt strain against the tautness of his muscles and find myself flustered, unable to think of a witty comeback.
‘I’m going slowly so we don’t get killed, actually.’ The blaring horn of a car startles me as it overtakes us, and he sighs heavily, leaning back against the head rest.
‘Do you want me to drive?’
‘No. I’m quite capable thank you. It’s just the roads around here are so narrow and in a bad condition.’
He discreetly rolls his eyes and one half of me is desperate to prove him wrong and the other is cursing for even offering him a lift in the first place.
‘Typical. Next you’ll be telling me the weather is to blame.’
I bite down hard on the inside of my cheek. If I were an irrational person, I would kick him out on the side of the road and make him walk the rest of the way, but there’s something about him today that makes me want to give him a break.
The wipers screech across the windscreen and coupled with the low hum of the radio, it fills the silence between us. In normal conditions we would’ve been home by now, but we’ve been granted this extra time together and I’m struggling to work out if it’s a blessing or a curse.
‘Beth, let’s just stop, wait for the rain to ease up.’
I hesitate for a second, indicating to pull over as we rumble across the bumpy terrain, then finally cut the engine. My fingers uncurl from around the steering wheel and the sensation returns as I realise how tightly I’ve been gripping it.
‘Leave the ignition on, I want to listen to the radio.’ Reaching forward, he fumbles with the dial on the dash.
‘You’re very bossy today.’ I turn and lean against the door to get a better look at him. It’s the most I’ve seen of him in the last twenty minutes.
‘Well, you can sing to me instead if you like?’
The nervous laugh that escapes my lips makes him smile and I’m relieved his mood has lifted.
‘I like this one.’ He turns the dial and the car fills with ‘Everlasting Love’.
‘Love Affair?’ I ask in surprise.
The corners of his mouth twitch in delight. ‘Is that a proposition?’
His knee begins to bounce lightly to the beat, and I pinch the bridge of my nose as I try to disguise my smile.
‘A big fan of all the old stuff then, are you?’
‘I grew up listening to sixties music, my parents were older and it was all from their generation.’
‘That sounds better than what I grew up listening to. Are you close to your parents?’
His body goes rigid and I immediately regret asking.
‘I was, they’re both dead now.’
‘James, I’m so sorry, I—’
‘It’s fine, how would you have known? Why wouldn’t you ask about my dead parents?’
What the hell?
Pulling the belt back around myself, I quickly readjust my seat and turn the key in the ignition. My cheeks are inflamed, and I don’t know if it’s anger or embarrassment.
