“And what, exactly, is wrong with the way I reverse?”
“Nothing, if you’re ninety, can’t see well, and like to hold up traffic.”
“You’ve driven with me twice! How can you say something like that?”
He shrugged his shoulder. “It only took me once to pick up how tense you are behind the wheel, which is why I offer to drive when we go out.” He cocked his head to the side. “Were you in an accident at some point? Is that why you dislike driving?”
“I have never been in an accident!”
“Who taught you to drive?”
“My mom.”
“Ah, well that explains it.”
“Excuse me?”
“You said yourself your mother was older. She passed her nervous habits on to you.”
“Take that back! You don’t know my mother, and you can’t just be spouting shit!”
/>
He arched his eyebrow. “Shit, Avery? You shoulder check at least six times before changing lanes, you go under the speed limit, and it took you a full five minutes to reverse from the parking spot last week—and there were no cars around. It’s not shit—it’s true fact.” He shook his head with a frown. “You turn into an old woman behind the wheel. An overly cautious stick-in-the-mud. You need to learn to relax. Or else you’re an accident waiting to happen behind the wheel. A real hazard.”
A memory stirred of Grant standing in front of me, sneering. “You’re so dull, Avery—a real stick-in-the-mud. Old before your time. Besides your odd looks, frankly, you bore me. I’ll be glad when I don’t have to deal with you anymore.”
Tears pricked my eyes. Daniel felt the same way?
“I’m sorry I’m so much trouble to you.”
“Don’t twist my words. I didn’t say that.”
“Yes, you did.” I sucked in a shaky breath. “I’ll call Beth and tell her we need to cancel. I think it may be for the best.”
“Is that so? You want to leave?”
“I want you to leave.”
“Now you’re being childish.”
His words stung.
“Well, then, it’s for the best if you aren’t stuck with my childish, hazardous behavior this evening, isn’t it?”
“And how will you get home? Walk?” He dragged a hand through his hair, no longer smiling or teasing. His eyes narrowed in anger as he glared. “I suppose you’d get there quicker than driving.” He added in a sardonic tone.
That was it—I was done with this conversation. “That isn’t your concern. Beth will make sure I get home safely. You take your shortcut, go home, and pat yourself on the back for saving your precious four minutes in such a manly fashion.” I spun on my heels, heading toward the restaurant. I half expected for him to shout my name or come after me, but all I heard was the slam of the truck door, and the tires peeling on the asphalt as he tore out of the parking lot.
I turned in time to see his truck disappear around the corner. I blinked at the tears in my eyes. How had that happened? One moment we were fine, and the next we were being ugly toward each other. I had never heard Daniel so critical. It made my chest tighten at the thought of his opinion of me changing.
I took out my phone with trembling hands to text Beth and cancel, but it was too late. Her car pulled in, and she waved at me, looking perplexed when she saw I was alone.
She parked the car, and her and Ryan came over. She pulled me in for a hug. “Where is Daniel? Did he go in to get the table?”
I steeled my features. “No. I was just texting you. There was an emergency—he had to go. He sends his apologies. It’s been a bad week at the clinic.”
“Oh no!” She frowned and glanced at Ryan. “I was looking forward to getting to know him.”