He sighed. “Yeah, aight. I got you. Where you want me to take it?”
“Your shop. I’ll swing by tomorrow, and we can start the process to junk it.”
“Aight. Send me the exact location.”
“I gotchu.” I hung up and looked at Stormie. She was staring at me, dish towel in her hands, eyes narrowed. “What?”
“Junking my car? Kade, I’ve had that car since…”
“1849. Yeah, I know.” I chuckled, and she swatted me with the dish towel.
“Shut up!”
Pulling her close to me, I told her, “Look, I know you’re used to being independent, but you know I gotchu. Always have.”
“That’s not the point.”
“Then what is?”
She opened her mouth, then closed it, like she didn’t know what to say. I could see her trying to process it–the fact that I’d just taken care of it without asking, without waiting for her to figure it out herself.
“I just…” She trailed off, shaking her head. “You didn’t have to do that.”
I lifted Stormie’s chin with a finger so I could look her in the eye when I said this shit. “Storm, you’re mine now, and I take care of what’s mine.” She didn’t respond. She just stared at me, her chest rising and falling a little faster. I reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “You gon’ argue with me about this?”
“Maybe.” She bit her lip, and I could see the war happening behind her eyes. The part of her that wanted to be independent, handle her own shit, not rely on anyone. And the part of her that liked this. Liked me taking charge. Liked being claimed. Finally, she rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. “Fine. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” I kissed her forehead and stepped back, grabbing my phone to text Malcolm the location. Stormie went back to wiping down the counters, but I could feel her watching me out of the corner of her eye.
After a minute, she said, “So what happens now? I just… buy a new bus pass until I can save up for another car?” She shook her head in disbelief, and I could tell she wasn’t actually mad. Just... adjusting. To me. To this. To the fact that I wasn’t letting her handle everything on her own anymore.
I leaned against the counter, “I’m gonna get you a new car.”
She glanced at me. “What?”
“You’ve needed a new car for a minute now. I’m getting you one.”
“Kade, you arenotbuying me a car. I don’t need you to take care of me like that.”
“Too bad. Now, do you wanna argue about it or fuck about it?”
She stared at me, her mouth open, like she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “You can’t just... decide that.”
“I just did, Stormie.”
“Kade.”
“What kinda car you want?”
With folded arms and a pout, she huffed. “I’m not answering that shit.”
“SUV? Sedan? Something smaller?”
“I’m serious. I’m not letting you buy me a car.”
“You don’t have a choice.”
Stormie rolled her eyes and balled her fists, cracking her knuckles. I just watched her. I could see her trying to come up with an argument, but she didn’t have one. Because she knew I was right. She did need a new car. And she knew I was going to get her one whether she liked it or not.