Savannah looked up at Dante. “You want to come in the car with me?”
He grinned and kissed her. “I would love to.”
“Cool. Noah, let’s go.” Dustin started walking.
“Well, you know, Savvy’s car... it doesn’t look as cramped.”
Dustin turned, his eyes wide as he looked at his friend. “Noah—”
“There’s plenty of room in the back,” Savannah piped up. “But it would only fit you...”
They all looked at me. “No. Nuh-uh. No way.”
Somehow Dante was already in the car, putting the seat back an obnoxious amount. Noah was climbing in the back behind the driver’s seat.
“Savannah! What are you—”
“Oh, Dust,” she said, smiling like butter wouldn’t melt. “Hadley doesn’t like music on in the car, so...”
“That’s not true!” I yelled.
He shrugged, looking resigned. “Stereo’s busted anyway.” He gave his three friends a look of disgust. “You suck. All of you.” He walked over to his car.
“Savannah!” I hissed. “What are you doing?”
“I’m helping,” she said sweetly. “Now go be grown-ups and talk it out.”
She left me in the parking lot. She’d arranged this in under sixty seconds; if it hadn’t involvedme, I’d almost be impressed.
Dustin honked his car horn. “Peterson, let’s move it. I haven’t got all night. We still have over two hours to go.”
And I was going to feel every minute of the clock ticking. I just knew it.
“Damn you, Savannah Cole. Damn you.”
Chapter 26
Hadley
The second I shut the passenger door, I regretted every decision that had led me here — starting with befriending Savannah Cole and ending with not sprinting in the opposite direction when Dustin Slater honked at me like a pissed-off Uber driver.
He didn’t look at me. Not once. Hands tight on the steering wheel, jaw flexing under the streetlights as he pulled out of the parking lot like he had somewhere better to be.
Fine.
Great.
Perfect way to kick off a two-hour hostage situation.
I lasted twenty minutes of silence before I crossed my arms and glared at him. “You’re welcome, by the way.”
He gave a humorless scoff. “For what?”
“For me gracing you with my presence,” I snapped. “Since you’ve been working so hard to avoid it.”
Silence. Tense, hot, and uncomfortable.
“Don’t flatter yourself, Peterson.”