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Cal laughed but I caught Theo’s eyes in the rearview mirror. Theo nodded and an understanding passed between us. No matter how together he seemed, Cal needed me.
I scooted to the middle and buckled in before grabbing Cal’s hand in mine and resting my head on his shoulder. His muscles relaxed as he traced calming circles on my hand. We were silent the entire way. Once or twice, I thought of starting a conversation to break the tension, but both men had their mouth set in grim lines, like they’d fall to pieces if they opened them.
We drove to the old Crawford farm, down a rutted dirt road, past the farmhouse to a large barn that had seen better days.
Poppy and Aiden stood in the field, still handcuffed together. She’d swapped her Grinch slippers for an enormous pair of work boots that were obviously Aiden’s. Theo slammed on the breaks and threw the truck into park. He exploded from the driver’s seat so fast Skye jumped and barked.
“What’s going on?” Theo shouted, stalking toward them.
Cal ran after him, and I opened the passenger door to help Skye down.
“Greetings, Theodoros,” Aiden said, lifting his arm, and by extension Poppy’s in the air. “A little help Cal.”
“What the hell are you up to?” Cal asked but laughed.
Aiden reached into his left pocket and pulled out a pair of handcuffs. “Your choice, Pixie. You can be handcuffed to me or Theo.”
“Why don’t you play with each other,” she said, and turned her face away.
“Sorry, Poppy,” Cal said snapping the handcuff to her right hand.
“You don’t deserve my sister,” she said.
“Don’t I know it,” he said. “Theo?”
Theo blew out a breath and stepped close enough to be snapped into the other cuff. “You really don’t understand triggers, do you, Aiden,” he said.
“Key to this set is in my pocket,” Aiden said, holding up the arm connected to Poppy.
“Aren’t these things universal?” Cal asked.
“This pair is for kink,” he said, looking at the arm attached to Poppy. “The other are the kind correctional officers use.”
“Man, you really don’t get triggers, do you?” Cal said, unlocking the cuffs that bound Poppy and Aiden together. “You could have at least put him in the fluffy pair.”
“Rowan,” Poppy said. “Are you sure you like Cal? He’s giving off mad creeper vibes. And his best friend is a lunatic. Not you, Theo,” she added softly.
A smiled tugged at Theo’s lips. Cal glanced at Theo and patted Aiden’s shoulder. The bond between the three of them, forged in so much pain, brought tears to my eyes.
“Good job, you’ve made Rowan cry,” Poppy huffed.
Cal’s attention snapped to me, and he hurried to where I stood with Skye, his forehead scrunched with worry. “I know this is weird. But I think Aiden was right to bring Poppy. If you think she’s uncomfortable, I’ll make him give me the key now.”
I shook my head. “She’s only fighting because Theo didn’t ask her himself. She wanted to come.”
Cal nodded and pulled me into a hug. “Thank you, for being here. For being you. I wish Logan could have seen us together.”
“Me too,” I whispered.
He stepped away from me, his face anguished. “It’s my fault he died. I was the DD that night, but I got trashed after Avery broke up with me.”
“Bullshit,” Theo shouted. Poppy jumped, jerking the cuff that held them together, and Theo softened his voice. “I was the one driving. The accident was no one’s fault but mine,” he told her.
“Stop being such a fucking martyr,” Aiden yelled. “As much as you’d like to take all the blame, Cal and I have just as much guilt as you do. Logan was sitting in the backseat behind you, Theo. If he’d been wearing his seatbelt, he would have walked away like you did. I’m the reason he wasn’t buckled in. So go ahead and claim the accident as yours, but Logan’s death is on me.”
“Neither one of you should feel guilty,” Theo said.
“You went to jail for a year,” Cal yelled. “You’re a convicted felon. I ruined your life, brother. I ruined Aiden’s. Everything happened because I broke my promise to drive. No matter what you say, Logan would be alive today if I hadn’t.”
