16
NINE
For the first time in my life—the Darla years excepted—I was driving under the speed limit. Emmy had long since disappeared ahead of us, but Alex didn’t say a word when I lagged behind.
Not one word.
What were we meant to talk about?
I’d wanted him here, and now I had him, but my tongue was tied in knots.
“So…” he finally started. “How bad was the fight?”
“I’ve been in better ones.”
“Emmy came off the worst?”
I pushed up my sleeve and showed him the damage. “Let’s call it a draw.”
“A regular conversation wouldn’t have sufficed?”
“I thought they were there to kill me. It’s a long story.”
“We have an hour.” He glanced at the speedometer. “Maybe an hour and a half.”
“Unlike some people, I prefer to avoid tickets. Does Emmy get many?”
“She could wallpaper her house with t
