Not Now (Sequel to Man Overboard) *On Hold*

8. Honest, Let's Make this Night Last Forever

It was weird driving in Tom's car. I had only been in it once before, after I had seen him again for the first time in nearly five years. When we went to the mall and then back to his place to see Boomer. The night I had kissed him again. And then almost jumped off a cliff.

When we began hanging out again after Mark's wedding, I was sure to meet him places, not trusting myself to be alone in a car with him due to what happened last time. Not that driving together had much do with the events of that night, although it had certainly made for an awkward getaway. It was a strange mental block, since friends gave each other rides all the time, but for some reason it felt more intimate with Tom, and it was easier for me to drive separately to make sure I didn't blur the lines of our relationship in my head.

That was only part of the reason why it felt weird though. It was also due to the driving being in an actual car, a sleek, black Audi no less. The same one I had commented on back at Sombrero in September. It just wasn't Tom's style, at least not the Tom I knew. I missed his old pickup truck, with the blink cassettes and handmade T-shirts and guitar cases digging into my shin. The car was just another reminder of how much Tom had changed, and how I had been left behind.

It also felt weird because of our destination. Even Tom had admitted it when he had asked me to go with him.

"So, I know this is really fucking weird," he said to me on one of our many walks with Boomer. I tried to see the dog at least once a week, but it was challenging sometimes with both Tom's and my conflicting work schedules. It seemed like blink was working on the new album 24/7 now, and I still worked a nine-to-five job in addition to the extra editing hours I'd been spending with Zach. "But it's Pappy's 90th birthday in a couple of weeks and he specifically asked me to invite you to the party."

I laughed at Tom's embarrassed expression and his faint blush. "Really?" I questioned, slightly surprised that I had made such an impact on the grandfather. I probably shouldn't have been, based on our run-in at the coffee shop, but it was still surreal to me, that a member of Tom's family still cared so much about me even after things were over between the two of us.

"Really," Tom nodded, pulling his lip ring between his teeth. I didn't know why he was nervous. Did he think I'd be upset Pappy had invited me? Was it because he didn't want me to go and was afraid I would?

"Isn't Pappy's birthday the tenth?" I checked, even though I knew it was. I remembered all his family members' birthdays. At least the ones I knew about and had celebrated with him in the year we'd been together.

Tom looked at me with surprise, but he nodded again.

"That's Valentine's Day weekend," I stated, as if reminding him. With the romantic holiday falling on a Wednesday this year, most couples I knew – or really just Mark and Skye – were celebrating the weekend before.

Boomer tugged on the leash at the sight of a squirrel a few feet away. It was rare for him to do that, no longer having much energy nowadays, but even as he pulled, it didn't take much of my own strength to keep him under control.

Tom raised an eyebrow at me and smiled in confusion. "Yeah...?"

I sighed. Was he really going to make me spell it out for him?

"Is Jen going?"

That only seemed to make him more amused.

"Would you go if she was?"

"Sorry, Tom, but I don't really feel like third-wheeling for Valentine's Day."

Tom laughed, making me huff. I didn't know how that was so funny, but maybe I was just being childish.