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I nodded He was probably right One of Al’s guys was on the road just a few minutes after her and would call as soon as he saw her or the truck Of course, he didn’t really knohere he was going since he was entirely new to the area, but I was sure he would find her She was dealing with a lot,out et in the truck with her

“I just can’t believe she took my truck” My voice was louder than I expected it, and I realized that I had been pacing suddenly As ht, that I needed to just calure themselves out, I couldn’t It wasn’t about the truck It was about Desiree And hoas feeling about her

“Do you want to go get some fresh air?” Brett asked

“Nah, toothe lawn, and Al hi in one of their cars on a phone call

“Then take a seat, et you a drink”

I nodded and crossed to his couch but couldn’ton a couch with all that extra space wiggedthere withacross the room to the other side, I picked an ancient but coin that chair was the most relaxed I could possibly be as tense as I was

“Here you go,” Brett said, co back in the room a minute or so later “It needs to steep a little bit, but it’s the go-to drink my family made when sick or nervous”

“What is it?” I asked, s the warm tea and honey with a whiff of alcohol that belied a e than simple tea

“Hot Toddy,” he said “My Irish grandave it to us ere sick I had h whiskey to put a horse to sleep I don’t reht, but when I woke up in the ood for nerves too, just… less whiskey”

I sat the drink on the coffee table between us and stared into the reddish-brown haze inside For a fewto the grandfather clock tick

“So, Desiree,” Brett said after a while “How serious is it between you two?”

“Serious,” I said without thinking I took athe tea bags out of the cup and setting the the cup to , and as soon as the first sip was down my throat, I felt my nerves relax

“Is that so?” Brett asked

“Yeah” I nodded “It’s crazy We barely know each other We’ve only been together for any real a to freeze to death or bethere So real”