Promise Me (Book One of the Kirkland Family)

Promise Me: Chapter 26

Chapter 26


“Damn, I’ve gotta get me one of these,” Hannah muttered to herself, driving Justin’s big black Dodge along the interstate behind his rental car.  She grinned giddily as the rumble of the engine filtered through to her seat.  He’d given her a lengthy lecture about how to handle this beast back at his parents’ farm, but she’d been chewing on her lip the whole time, avoiding the watchful smiles of Mr. and Mrs. Kirkland as he rambled on about not changing his radio stations and to anticipate braking, since it was a lot bigger than she was used to.

“Hey,” Justin had said, drawing her attention back to him.  He penetrated her with a single gaze, darting once to his mom and dad, who stood on the porch with Josie, who was chattering non-stop about her first lock-in experience.  They weren’t listening to their granddaughter any more than Hannah was listening to Justin.

“You got this?” he asked softly, and she knew he meant more than his truck.

Calmly, she nodded, wanting to get out of there quickly.  Justin did not go home last night, and his parents had to suspect where he’d been.  Then to top off that ice cream sundae, she showed up with him and Josie later that morning.  The make-up did not quite hide the love marks on her neck, nor did it mask her rosy glow and swollen, bruised lips.  If there was ever a bigger Walk of Shame, then she’d be a fool to believe it.

But as she soared down the interstate in control of Justin’s rig, her apprehension raced away like the white dotted line dividing the two lanes.   Josie chose to ride along with her father, leaving Hannah to drive alone, but she didn't mind much.   The bond those two were forming strengthened every day, and Hannah couldn't be happier for them.  Lately, it was like looking back at her own childhood when she saw Justin and Josie joking around with each other.  Sometimes, it hurt her heart to know she'd never be part of that kind of relationship again.  But the pain of remorse could never compare to the joy of watching it firsthand through two people she had come to love very much.

Hannah sucked in a full breath.  Though Justin never mentioned when he would head back to Savannah, she anticipated that he would soon.  That morning, when he asked when he could see her again, he went on to inquire about the next day or during the upcoming weekend, but nothing beyond that.  Her full breath came back out in a loud wooosh. 

Last night had been incredible, and this morning, he kept kissing her instead of leaving, and he'd been late picking up Josie from the church.  Hannah only got twenty minutes to get dressed for the day, rather than the initial forty-five.  She smiled, recalling how Josie barreled through her front door while she was still brushing out her hair.  Justin hung back out in the yard, leaning indifferently against the rental car, his arms crossed uncaringly over his chest, his face a study in annoyed boredom.

Hannah took one look out her window at him and almost died laughing.  Who was he fooling?  There was no masking the permanent grin pulling at the corners of his lips or the glow in his green eyes.  He could argue all he wanted, but Hannah knew she was inching further and further under his skin.  Although she had to admit that he pulled off the "Just Strangers" act better when faced with his parents.   They asked no questions -- at least, none that Hannah heard -- but that didn't mean those questions weren't eager to be uttered and answered at some point in the next few days. 

I wonder how he will explain his absence last night, she pondered, while smiling through the windshield at Josie, who had turned around in her seat to wave back at Hannah.  She'd love to be a fly on the wall when the Kirklands next get Justin alone.  Oh...she'd settle for being the mite on the fly on the wall, if she got to hear thirty-four-year-old Justin Kirkland explain to his parents why he missed curfew.

"And what would you say, Justin?” she said in the cab of his truck as they switched lanes to get to the car rental place by the airport.  “Would you lie to your own parents?  Would you tell the truth?  Or would you just ignore the questions, hoping they would eventually go away?”