Page 3 of One Good Crash
Slowly, I looked up to study his face. Our eyes met for the briefest instant before his gaze drifted downward to my imprisoned elbow. He frowned. "Is there a problem?"
Oh yeah.Tonight, there were so many problems that if I started talking now, I'd still be yammering at sunrise – not that I'd ever subject a stranger to my list of complaints.
So instead, I gave my arm another yank. This time, my mom actually let go. Of course, she did it nice and smooth, as if shehadn'tbeen holding me in a death grip. Her hand drifted to her hair, and she made a show of brushing a long tendril off her nearly bare shoulder. In response to the stranger's question, she practically purred, "No problem here. Just girl talk. You know how it is."
The guy's jaw tightened, and something in his eyes suggested that yes, he did know – and not the way she hoped.
The stranger looked back to me and asked, "You need a ride?"
Before I could even think of answering, my mom spoke up. "Actually, we have plans for tonight, but I'd justloveto give you my number."
I couldn’t help but cringe. One thing about my mom, she never wasted an opportunity, not even now, when she was literally on her way to meet someone else – a guy who happened to be a whole lot older and a lot less attractive.
But then again, my momdidlike to trade up.
In the back of my mind, I gave it five minutes before she pulled out the old "I'm too tipsy to walk" routine. Isodidn't want that to happen. Already, she was like two seconds away from tossing the guy her panties – assuming she was wearing any.
On that disturbing note, I took a deep breath and asked the awful question that I'd been dreading. "Was that your car?" I felt myself swallow. "I mean, the one that just crashed?"
Of course, ithadto be. Pricey car, pricey guy, pricey shoes – well, as far as I could tell, anyway.
His gaze locked on mine. "Forget the car."
Across from us, my mom gave a little laugh. "As if we could." She glanced briefly toward the accident. "Thatisa Lamborghini, right?"
I tensed.Oh, God. Was it?With renewed dread, I turned to look. The car's engine was no longer running, and its stereo had gone utterly silent. As for the headlights, they were still on. But why? To illuminate the street ahead? Or because the crash had messed up something with the controls?
Either way, the car would surely need some serious repairs. I bit my lip.How much would they cost? And who would be paying?
I was still looking at the car when my mom told the guy, "You won't believe this, but that's my absolute dream car."
My stomach clenched. Her dream.Mynightmare. I didn't bother pinching myself, because I was definitely awake – unfortunately.
The guy said, "It's not a Lambo."
It wasn't?
Was that good?
Or bad?
Withmyrecent luck, the car was probably somethingmoreexpensive.
I looked back just in time to see my mom reach out and place a flirty hand on the lapel of the guy's tuxedo jacket. She beamed up him and whispered, "Funny, Istilllove it. Crazy, huh?"
The stranger's gaze shifted to her hand. After a long, cold moment, he replied, "You said it. Not me."
Something in his tone – or maybe in his eyes – made my mom pull back. Still, she managed to say, "So…maybe you'll give me a ride sometime?"
Oh, she wanted a ride, alright.
I spoke up. "Would that bebeforeorafterit's repaired?"
Her gaze snapped in my direction. "Of course, I mean after." She tried for a laugh. "Obviously."
I was glaring now. "Youdorealize we caused that accident." I held her gaze and waited. For what, I didn't know. It's not like she was big on accepting responsibility.
After a long moment, she looked away and mumbled, "I wouldn’t saywe."
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3 (reading here)
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134
- Page 135
- Page 136
- Page 137
- Page 138
- Page 139
- Page 140
- Page 141
- Page 142
- Page 143
- Page 144
- Page 145
- Page 146
- Page 147
- Page 148
- Page 149
- Page 150
- Page 151
- Page 152
- Page 153
- Page 154
- Page 155
- Page 156
- Page 157
- Page 158
- Page 159
- Page 160
- Page 161
- Page 162
- Page 163
- Page 164
- Page 165
- Page 166
- Page 167
- Page 168
- Page 169
- Page 170
- Page 171
- Page 172
- Page 173
- Page 174
- Page 175
- Page 176
- Page 177
- Page 178
- Page 179
- Page 180
- Page 181
- Page 182
- Page 183
- Page 184
- Page 185