He walked toward the car quickly, too quickly for someone who was supposed to be calm. The parking lot was dim, lit only by a few tired streetlights that flickered like they were struggling to stay awake past midnight. He got to the vehicle.
Then he saw her.
She was inside, seated with her head rested back. And in that instant, something inside his chest loosened, something he hadn’t even realized had been clenched so tightly. Relief hit him hard.
He knocked lightly against the window.
A second passed. Then he knocked again. She opened her eyes and the unlocked the door.
Smart girl, he thought automatically. Even when drunk and devastated, she knew to keep the world out.
He opened the door slowly, like any sudden movement might shatter her. The first thing he saw was her face, and it
