The drive back to the town felt as though the road itself were stretching, an endless journey through the encroaching pines. Every mile gained was a heavy tug on Betty’s chest. The silence in the car wasn’t peaceful, it was thick with the things they weren’t saying, and by the time the familiar gravel of her grandfather’s driveway crunched under the tires, Betty felt like she was vibrating with the need to escape the cabin of the truck.
Grayson cut the engine, the sudden quiet of the woods rushing in to fill the void. He turned in his seat, his arm draping over the steering wheel as he looked at her with an expression she couldn’t quite decipher, something between possessive and lingering.
"I’ll come see you soon, Betty," he said, his voice low, vibrating with an assurance that made her
