Across the Vanishing Sky (Starlight Grove, #1)(46)

Fucking hell. That was the last thing I needed to be considering. The last thing I normally would be considering.

Aidan rubbed the back of his head. “You know, if I get brain damage because of your constant abuse, I’m suing.”

“Don’t be an idiot, and we won’t have a problem,” Wylder shot back.

“Keys,” I demanded, my voice gruffer than I meant for it to be.

Brae’s head tipped back as if in search of the voice. Her golden eyes held questions I didn’t have answers for.

I extended a hand, palm up. “Keys.”

Because while I may not have answers, I could take her to pick up her kid. Make sure they got home safely.

“Why?” she asked.

“Because you’re not driving.”

Her jaw went a little slack. “Excuse me?”

“Hellion,” I said, my voice dropping low. “You’re shaky. I don’t want you behind the wheel. Don’t want you driving Owen home. You’ll be distracted. He’ll be talking your ear off about boobie cookies and—”

“Boobie cookies?” Maverick cut in. “How do I get some of those?”

I shot him a look that promised vast retribution if he didn’t shut the hell up. “You don’t get them. They’re mine.”

Mav held up both hands. “Touchy, touchy about the boobie cookies. Noted.”

My scowl only deepened.

Brae just shook her head as she slid a hand into her bag and pulled out her keys, dropping them into my palm. “You can drive.”

A small thrill of victory slid through me. “Thank you.”

I didn’t wait for her to change her mind. I ushered Brae out the back amid a chorus of goodbyes and into the small parking lot behind the Boot. As she pointed us toward her small maroon SUV, my scowl reemerged.

Really taking in the vehicle—if you could call it that—for the first time, it looked like it was held together by duct tape and a prayer. Okay, maybe it wasn’t that bad. But it was clearly aged in spots, and the tires were pathetic.

“Are you still traumatized from the bird-poop incident?” Brae asked.

My head jerked up. “What?”

“Still traumatized that I stole your parking spot and you got pooped on?”

I shook my head. “It was seriously scarring. Living next to you should mean I get hazard pay. But no.”

Brae’s mouth curved like she found my annoyance adorable. “Then why are you scowling at my car? Got an issue with the color maroon now?”

“I’m scowling at your goddamned tires. They’re practically bald. You need to get new ones before winter.”

She frowned, studying the SUV. “I just got this. Used, but all the checks came through.”

“You ask when they last replaced the tires?” I pressed.

She tugged her lip between her teeth, pressing down. Like I’d just dropped the final straw that would break her.

Shit.

My hand found the small of Brae’s back on instinct, like that would somehow make it all okay. “We’ll deal with it. Just get in.”

We’ll.

I didn’t think I’d ever used the word we with a woman. Yet it had slipped right out with Brae.

It seemed to take her by surprise just as much as it did me. She rolled her shoulders back as if heading into battle. “I’ll get new ones before the winter. These are good for now.”

I eyed her as I opened the passenger door and ushered her in, but I didn’t say a word. Because I got it. She’d ask for all the help in the world when it came to Nova but never for herself.

As we made our way to the parks-and-rec area where the camp was being held, I could feel and see Brae’s nerves: the drumming of her fingers against her thigh, the way her gaze jumped from place to place, never landing on any one thing for more than a second or two.

I couldn’t stop myself from touching her, trying to ground her. My palm curved around her forearm—nothing forceful, just gentle reassurance. “It’s okay to let someone help you every once in a while.”

Brae’s golden eyes cut to me, going glassy in the afternoon sunlight. “Everyone I’ve ever leaned on has vanished.”

My hand on her forearm tightened for the briefest moment. My emotions, the ones I normally kept so carefully under wraps, broke through. “Hate that for you.”

She blinked away some tears as she watched her son climbing on the jungle gym outside the rec center. “Me, too.”

I would’ve done anything to change that for her. To tell her parents they were narrow-minded assholes with a side of idiot. Tell her ex that he’d ruined his damn life by missing out on the magic that was Brae and Owen. Go on that cursed hike so her best friend never would’ve vanished into thin air.

But I couldn’t do any of that. I could try to be her friend.

Friend.

What a joke. Friendship didn’t exactly seem like an accurate term for Brae. I’d try to live out that lie anyway.

Brae shoved out of the SUV, forcing a smile as I hurried to follow. Owen’s laugh pierced the air as Skylar chased him around the castle-like play equipment.

Kol stood watching them like a sentry as a few other parents, kids, and camp staff milled about. They were all in small groups, laughing and chatting. But not my brother. He stood with his arms crossed, a hard look on his face.