The Rescue - Nicholas Sparks [111]
Melissa didn’t respond right away. She turned on the blinker and began to slow the van.
“If you ask me . . . it’s because of something that happened a long time ago.”
Melissa’s tone made her meaning obvious.
“His father?”
Melissa nodded, then let the words out slowly. “He blames himself for his father’s death.”
Denise felt her stomach dip, then roll. “What happened back then?”
The van came to a stop. “You should probably talk to him about that.”
“I’ve tried. . . .”
Melissa shook her head. “I know, Denise. We all have.”
Denise worked her shift, barely concentrating, but because it was slow, it didn’t really matter. Rhonda, who would normally have driven her home, left early, leaving Ray as the only option to bring her and Kyle home. Though she was thankful Ray was willing to drive her, he usually spent an hour after closing cleaning up, so it meant a later night than usual. Resigning herself to that, Denise was doing her own closing work when the front door opened just before it was time to lock up.
Taylor.
He stepped inside, waved to Ray, but didn’t make a move toward Denise.
“Melissa called,” he said, “and told me you might need a ride home.”
She was at a loss for words. Angry, hurt, confused . . . yet undeniably still in love. Though the last part seemed to be fading with each passing day.
“Where were you earlier?”
Taylor shifted from one foot to the other. “I was working,” he finally answered. “I didn’t know you needed a ride today.”
“You’ve been driving me for the last three months,” she said, trying to keep her composure.
“But I was gone last week. You didn’t ask me to drive you in last night, so I just figured Rhonda would bring you in. I didn’t realize that I was supposed to be your personal chauffeur.”
Her eyes narrowed. “That’s not fair, Taylor, and you know it.”
Taylor crossed his arms. “Hey, I didn’t come here to get yelled at. I’m here in case you need a ride home. Do you want one or not?”
Denise pursed her lips together. “No,” she said simply.
If Taylor was surprised, he didn’t show it.
“All right, then,” he said. He turned to look at the walls, then the floor, then back to her. “I’m sorry about earlier, if that means anything.”
It does and it doesn’t, Denise thought. But she didn’t say anything. When Taylor realized she wasn’t going to speak, he turned away, pulling the door open again.
“Do you need a ride tomorrow?” he asked over his shoulder.
Again she thought about it. “Will you be there?”
He winced. “Yes,” he answered softly. “I will.”
“Then, okay,” she said.
He nodded, then made his way out the door. Turning around, Denise saw Ray scrubbing the counter as if his life depended on it.
“Ray?”
“Yes, honey?” he answered, pretending that he hadn’t been paying attention to what was going on.
“Can I take tomorrow evening off?”
He glanced up from the counter, looking at her as he probably would have looked at his own child.
“I think you’d better,” he answered honestly.
Taylor came by thirty minutes before her shift was supposed to start and was surprised when she opened the door dressed in jeans and a short-sleeved blouse. It had been raining most of the day, and the temperature was in the sixties, too cool for shorts. Taylor, meanwhile, was clean and dry—it was obvious he’d changed before coming over.
“C’mon in,” she said.
“Aren’t you supposed to be dressed for work?”
“I’m not working tonight,” she said evenly.
“You’re not?”
“No,” she replied. Taylor followed her inside, curious.
“Where’s Kyle?”
Denise sat. “Melissa said she’d watch him for a while.”
Taylor stopped, looking around uncertainly, and Denise patted the couch.
“Sit down.”
Taylor did as she suggested. “So what’s up?”
“We’ve got to talk,” she began.
“About what?”
She couldn’t help but shake her head at that. “What’s going on with you?”
“Why? Is there something I don’t know about?” he said, grinning nervously.
“This isn’t the time for jokes, Taylor. I took tonight off in the hopes that you’d help me understand what the problem is.”
“Are you talking about what happened yesterday?