Page 64 of Runaway Road (Runaway 1)

“You okay?” Brooks asked as he got in the truck. “Cold?”

“Just a little.” I forced a smile. “Nothing some pie won’t fix.”

He turned the heat on for me, even though it was still sweltering outside.

I focused on the drive to town, on the homes and the trees and the quiet neighborhoods. The unsettling churn in my gut was still there when we reached the diner, but it wasn’t nearly as potent. It faded to ignorable as we crammed into a booth.

“I’m squishing Londyn.” Ava shifted in the seat. “Should we get a table instead?”

“No.” I touched her arm before she could stand. “I don’t mind the squish.”

I was sandwiched between her and Brooks on one side of the booth while Carter and Wyatt were in the opposite. I didn’t have a ton of room, but Brooks tossed his arm over the back of the seat so I could burrow into his side.

The waiter came over and we all placed our pie orders. He’d just collected our menus and disappeared to the kitchen when another figure appeared at the end of the table.

Brooks’s spine went rigid as we all stared up at his red-faced ex-wife.

“Mom?” Wyatt’s forehead furrowed. “What are you doing here?”

“You called the cops on me?” she hissed at Brooks.

Oh, shit. When? I thought he’d decided to leave it alone yesterday when we’d left the garage.

“I told you I would,” he said. “You crossed the line.”

“No, you did.” Moira pointed at him. “I didn’t do anything to her car.”

“Mom.” Wyatt stood, placing his hand on her arm.

She turned her eyes up to her son. They softened, pleading for him to believe her. “I didn’t do anything to her car.”

Uh . . . I didn’t know Moira, but that sounded a lot like the truth.

Wyatt gave her a sad smile, then pulled her in for a hug.

She held him tight, then let him go and was out the door as quickly as she’d appeared.

“What was that about?” Carter asked Brooks as Wyatt took his seat.

“Someone’s been vandalizing Londyn’s car,” Brooks answered. “Keyed it last week. Poured paint all over it. Yesterday, we found all four tires slashed.”

Ava sucked in a sharp breath, covering my hand with hers.

Carter hung his head. “When’s that girl gonna learn?”

“It’s okay,” I told the table, my eyes aimed at Wyatt, whose shoulders were hunched forward. “It?

?s just a car and I’m only passing through. On Monday, this won’t be a problem.”

Brooks’s arm tightened around my shoulder.

“Are you sure it’s Mom?” Wyatt asked his dad.

“I don’t know, kid. I wish I could say it wasn’t, but your mom’s done stuff like this before.”

“I know she flies off the handle, but she’s been different lately. Happier, I guess. She’s been seeing this guy and he’s . . . nice.”

“She has?” Brooks leaned forward. “Who?”