But I send her to voice mail. Devin’s been waiting longer than he should thanks to Mercedes. I’ll call Mom back as soon as he leaves.
Returning my phone to my pocket, I shove open the building’s glass doors and a blast of heat and humidity smacks me in the face. You’d think we’d enjoy breezy, mild summers since Cleveland is next to a lake that borders Canada. Too bad that’s not the case. Cleveland summers are as hot and sticky as the winters are long, cold, and dreary. Sweat gather on the back of my neck as I stride through the small parking lot and meander down the rows, scanning for Devin’s car—a black BMW, I think—but it’s not here. Did he leave already?
A car door clicks opens behind me, and I spot Devin stepping out of an unfamiliar white Lexus. He’s wearing a sky-blue button-down that’s open at his throat, gray slacks that hug his hips in the most oh-so-perfect way, and leather loafers the smoky color of burned wood. Closing the driver’s door, he casually tosses an arm over the roof of the car.
“Hey, you.” Crossing the distance between us, I plant a quick kiss on his cheek. Wrapping his arms around me, he pulls me into a lingering hug. I take the opportunity to inhale the spicy-rich scent of his cologne before stepping back. “Sorry you had to wait so long. I got cornered by a coworker on my way out.”
“No worries.”
“What happened to your car?” I nod at the Lexus, which is definitely not what he drove when he picked me up for our last date.
His full lips curve into a radiant grin. “It’s back at the dealership.”
“Did you trade it in or something?”
“No, that’s the surprise.”
I furrow my eyebrows. “I’m not following.”
“Well, I know you still don’t have a car, so I asked a buddy of mine who works for a dealership in Brook Park to let me know if any sweet deals cross his desk. He called me up this morning to tell me about a 2014 Lexus ES 350 he just happened to acquire.” He pats the car’s gleaming hood. “Apparently it belonged to an elderly woman who only drove it to church, poker nights, and the grocery store, and she maintained it like a pro. It’s in perfect condition with only fifteen thousand miles on it.”
He looks between me and the car with barely contained excitement, and a blast of shock barrels through me like a shotgun shell.
“And you… bought it?” I splutter.
“Ahhh, no. That’d be pretty over the top, don’t you think?”
Oh thank God. I exhale a jittery laugh. “Yeah, just a little. So what’s going on?”
Chuckling, Devin steps closer until our bodies are mere inches apart. “I didn’t buy you a car, but I did convince my friend to let me take this one out for the afternoon so you can give it a test-drive. See if you like it.”
A boulder settles over my chest. “Wow, that is so thoughtful of you, Devin. Thank you. But I’m not looking to buy a car right now.”
“Really, why not? Is it because of money?”
I could lie and say yes. Not that I have big bucks in the bank, especially after the past year of medical bills and zero income, but a summer associate salary is nothing to sneeze at, and between the money I’ve saved from my law school scholarship and what I hope will be an impending full-time job offer at a top firm, I can afford a car—a used one, anyway. Blaming my budget would certainly be easier, and less painful, than telling the truth, but the truth would come out eventually and Devin deserves honesty.
“No,” I say simply. “It’s because I don’t drive. Not since the accident.”
“How do you get around then?”
I shrug. “Walk, Uber, bicycle.”
“But what if you wanted to drive out to Chagrin Falls to visit your mom?”
“She picks me up or Brie takes me.”
“And you think that’s sustainable?” His voice is soft, but his words cut like ice picks.
Rubbing my arms, I take a step back. “I know it’s hard to understand. Cleveland isn’t exactly public-transportation friendly and, yeah, life would be easier if I had a car. I’m just not ready to drive yet.”
“Wasn’t the accident nearly a year ago? Not judging,” he adds hastily.
Folding my arms across my chest, I force my voice to remain even. “It sounds like you’re judging.”
“What I meant was… have you tried driving since then?”
“Yes, several times. But whenever I get behind the wheel, everything seizes up and I can’t breathe. I panic.”