Say it like you mean it.
Don’t half-ass this. She needs to know this isn’t temporary. That this isn’t something that disappears the second it gets hard.
Carter nods beside her. “Always baby.”
She breathes out, some of the tension easing out of her shoulders.
“Alright,” he says after a moment, glancing at both of us. “I think it’s time we check out.”
I groan, stretching my shoulders and grabbing the duffel I’d dumped on the floor. Haven shrugs into her hoodie, pulling the sleeves down over her hands, and starts stuffing the few things she brought back into her bag. Carter folds his blanket off thebed, tucking it over his arm, and shoves a couple of wrappers into a plastic bag.
I zip my bag up, slinging it over one shoulder, and Haven bumps my arm lightly as she passes. “Race you to the lobby?” she teases, but her voice is soft, still carrying the traces of exhaustion.
“Not fair,” I chuckle and shake my head. She’s out the door in a flash but I follow, catching up with her as we make our way down the narrow hallway. Carter leads with the key cards in hand, moving at that calm, measured pace he always takes.
He steps up to the front desk, sliding the key cards across the desk. “Checking out,” he says, politely.
The woman behind the counter glances between the three of us, something curious in her expression, but she keeps it professional. “Everything okay with your stay?”
“Perfect.”
I lean against the counter with my arms crossed, watching Haven out of the corner of my eye as she spins one of the pens between her fingers.
“Receipt emailed,” the woman says. “You’re all set.”
Carter nods, grabbing it. “Let’s go.”
I glance at Haven as she walks beside me, her shoulder brushing mine for half a second.
We step out and she falls into step beside me while Carter moves a few steps ahead, carrying the bags.
We walk in silence, the rhythm of our steps pulling us along.
At the car, we start packing our stuff in. Carter opens the trunk, sliding in the remaining duffels and backpacks. Haven hands me a smaller bag, then climbs into the passenger seat.
I toss my bag in the back and slide into the back seat.
Carter leans over to click his seatbelt and starts the car, the engine humming to life. “Long drive back,” he says, glancing at us.
No one talks again for the first few seconds. The engine sound fills the space,but it doesn’t smooth anything out. I lean forward, bracing my forearms against my thighs, staring out through the windshield without really seeing anything. My leg starts bouncing before I catch it. I stop it, but it just starts again.
“Hey,” Haven says quietly.
I don’t answer right away.
“Hey,” she repeats, turning slightly in her seat now with one knee angled toward me.
I drag a hand down my face and lean back, forcing myself to look at her. “What.”
Her eyes narrow. “You’re doing that thing.”
“What thing.”
“That,” she says, nodding toward my leg before reaching back and pressing her hand flat against my knee to still it. I go still under her hand. “Relax Tate.”
I let out a deep breath. “I am relaxed.”
She gives me a look that calls that out for exactly what it is. “Sure you are.” She keeps her hand on my knee as she turns back around.