She couldn’t leave her mama.
She didn’t have the money.
And more than anything, she didn’t want to leave Wyatt.
She hadn’t even told him she’d applied, because he’d be stupid and noble and tell her to go. He’d probably even help her pay for it. It’d be different if he could come with her, but he was already planning on working full-time for his father once he got done with the police academy. She thought of asking him to go with her. She often fantasied about living in a run-down one-bedroom apartment near the college campus, but she wouldn’t be able to go through with it and ask.
Wyatt and Garnet went together like meat and potatoes. One was just not okay without the other. He was all the best things about her hometown. The only reason why she wasn’t bitter about growing up here was because of him.
She looked at the clock, seeing that it was past eleven. It was a school night. She should be going to bed, but she got up and unlocked her bedroom door instead. She peeked out, seeing that everyone was still partying. They’d be at it until the sun came up.
Then she walked out of the room, willing herself to be invisible to all the guys gathered around gambling. Her mother was sleeping on the couch, likely because of the bottle of vodka she had obviously fetched for herself once Tabitha left. For once Tabitha decided to leave her there. She grabbed the portable phone on the kitchen counter. A portable was one of the first things she bought after getting a job.
She sneaked back into her bedroom without fuss, making her feel like the gods might be smiling down on her this evening. She dialed Wyatt’s house, knowing the sheriff was on the late shift and was currently working until six in the morning. He’d switched his schedule so he could see the twins and Clay off to school, sleep while they were gone, and then have dinner with them in the evening.
It ended up being convenient for a lot of reasons.
“Conner residence.”
Tabitha winced, cursing her luck that had obviously just run out. “Is Wyatt up?”
“And who’s calling?” Jules asked in a falsely professional tone.
“Just gimme the dang phone, Jules,” Wyatt snapped before Tabitha had to answer.
“I was just asking who’s calling.”
“You know who’s calling.”
“Do I?” Jules’s voice would have sounded innocent to anyone who hadn’t heard this same game be played a hundred times before.
“Give me the phone,” he repeated in slow, precise words.
There was a scuffle on the other end, and Tabitha held the phone away from her ear when Jules screeched.
“Ow, goddamn! I will hit you back next time, I swear to God!”
“Do it! I dare you!”
“Give me the phone! Ouch!”
“My wrist! That hurts! Stop! I have judo tomorrow!”
“Drop it!” There was a loud thump, as if the phone had hit wood flooring. Then in the next moment, Wyatt sounded breathless as he said, “Hey, Tab.”
“Are you okay?” she asked uncertainly.
“Yeah, fine, what’s up?”
“I don’t think your sister likes me.”
“Oh, she likes you fine,” Wyatt said dismissively. “She just lives to give me hell. I can’t believe she decided to follow me to the police academy and then go to junior college. What shit luck. I thought she was going away for four years.”
“She’s really smart. She could go to a four-year college. She’s valedictorian.”
“She will. Just not right now. Dad’s down too many deputies. She’s gonna work part-time and go to school in Mercy for a few years. Plus, she’s training for judo so much she doesn’t want to leave. Her coach in Mercy is one of the best in the country. He thinks she has a shot for the Olympic team.”
“Really?” Tabitha raised her eyebrows, because she couldn’t imagine doing something as fantastic as going to the Olympics. “That’s really something. You think she can do it?”
“Probably, then she’ll be more unbearable than ever,” Wyatt said over the click of a door being shut. He made an umph sound as if he was falling back against his bed. “Maybe she’ll get a place in Mercy since she’ll be training and going to school there. She already spends a fortune in gas.”
“Eh, my brother’s living in Mercy, and he’s still here every chance he can get. He just steals all our food and toilet paper.” Tabitha rolled her eyes as she fell back against her bed as Wyatt obviously had. “It’s not as glamorous as it sounds.”
“Fucker.”
Tabitha smiled as she stared at the ceiling. “I tend to agree.”
“So what’s got you calling so late?” Wyatt asked curiously. “You okay?”
“Fine,” she said softly as she rolled over and held the phone closer to her ear. “Just missed you.”
“I miss you too.” Wyatt was silent for a long moment before he said, “Wanna come over?”
“Can I?”
“Yeah.” The spark of enthusiasm was hard to miss in Wyatt’s voice. “It’s just us here till morning.”
“What ’bout Jules? She seems feisty tonight. She might not look the other way this time.”
“Shoot.” Wyatt laughed. “If you only knew the shit I have on my sister. She’s been doing it since she was sixteen, and my dad would come unglued if he found out.”
“With who?” Tabitha sat up as her eyes grew wide at the controversy.
“Come over and I’ll tell you,” Wyatt said in a low, taunting voice.
“Luring me with gossip?”
Tabitha could just see Wyatt’s cocky smile as he said, “Whatever works.”
She had called him with the intention of getting out of her house, so she didn’t have to think too long before she answered, “I’ll see you in twenty minutes.”
“Awesome.” Wyatt sounded pleased. “See you soon.”
“Soon,” Tabitha agreed and hung up.
She dashed around her room and gathered up a change of clothes. She stuffed them in her backpack along with her books and homework for tomorrow. Then she slipped on her shoes and unlatched the window in her room. There was no way she was going to walk out there and announce she was leaving.
Usually it was just her mama, who was passed out by this time. So sneaking out was a little easier, but Tabitha had to get out of the house tonight. She just hoped they didn’t hear her start the car. It was a risk she was willing to take.
She crawled out her window and hopped down on the old crate she had set under her window a year ago when the sheriff switched schedules and started working until sunup. Then she reached up and tugged her window down from the outside.
The music was louder now, nearly vibrating the walls, and Tabitha finally found a reason to be thankful for it as she tossed her bag into the passenger seat and started the older-model car she had bought shortly after she turned sixteen. Some of the money came from her job at Maple’s, but most of it had come from Wyatt.
He had been stashing it away for ages without her knowing. Years’ worth of birthday and Christmas money that his father had assumed Wyatt spent on the worthless things teenagers buy had actually gone toward a car that gave Tabitha the freedom to get away from her family if she needed to. She really ought to go to prom with him. For a boyfriend who did as much as Wyatt did for her, she owed him that much.
She started her car, wincing as she did it. She looked at the front door uncertainly before she backed down the long driveway without headlights. She did it slowly, squinting in the darkness and hoping some poor, unsuspecting animal didn’t dart out behind her.
When she got to the main road, she flipped on her headlights and breathed a sigh of relief as she started toward Wyatt’s house. She left behind all her worries for the night, her body already tingling with excitement. She wished Jules would’ve gone to bed early and been out of their hair, but life couldn’t be perfect. Tabitha knew that more than anyone, which was the reason she clung so tightly to those small, perfect moments when they appeared.