Page 13 of Derecho

“Are you sure?” she asked, to which I nodded. “Okay. I can pay you back⁠—”

I shook my head then. “I don’t need you to pay me back. Between my split of the ranch profits and the settlement I got from the mechanical lift company for their faulty equipment, I’m doing just fine. So, I’ll try my hardest to get a good look at things. Your car sounds like it’s about to die every time you drive up here. There’s probably more going on than just your AC.”

Her entire demeanor shifted. There was worry still written all over her face, but the minute her eyes dropped to the floor—or maybe her belly, because that was directly in her line of sight—I knew that worry had shifted off of me.

“What is it?”

“I just…He just bought a new truck. It doesn’t even have an extended cab for us to be able to put the baby in it. My car is being held together with duct tape and hopeless dreams…” Her eyes widened, and Lainey squared her shoulders, fingers on her hips as she stretched her back. “I should go. Thanks for the water and pie.”

“No.”

“No?”

“No. You can’t go yet, I haven’t fixed the AC. And you’re right, I need to look at the car. I’ll put in an order for whatever will get it in the best shape the fastest, and we’ll have you good to go in no time.”

I had no idea why the thought of Lainey running off without letting me make sure the car was safe was getting to me, but damn, if getting off the porch felt like the least of my worries, now that I knew that car was the only transportation she and the baby would have.

“It was a silly idea…” she protested.

“It wasn’t silly. You’re right. I need to get over myself, and I’ll be dead and in the ground before I let you get back in that death trap.”

Lainey smiled. “I mean, I have to get in to it to drive back home, but I appreciate the sentiment.”

Shit. I should be able to offer her a ride home. But I couldn’t. Because I hadn’t even been off the porch. But maybe that could change. Maybe I could…

“Yeah, well…let’s go see what we can do about your car, then.”

Lachlan

“It’s been really hard to not have…” Lainey’s voice faded into the background as the beat of my heart grew louder in my ears. My fucking eyes couldn’t stop looking at the edge of the porch.

I tried to remind myself that this was no big deal. I wasn’t going to let my body feel dizzy or nauseous. Because there was a job to be done. And this job would make Lainey’s day safer.

I was going to help her. I was going to make her life a little bit better when her fucking fiancé couldn’t be bothered to.

“Lach? Are you okay?”

I nodded, hating the way my body was already starting to shake. I took a step toward her. Then another.

“I…”

Dark spots danced across my vision as I tried to slow my breathing down. The same thing that happened last time was happening again. My mouth was still open, but it didn’t feel like I was getting any air into my lungs.

I was still so weak, and I was going to let the fear win again.

“Trouble, I…” I shook my head, turning away from her.

“Hey. That’s okay. Why don’t you stay there, and I’ll pull the car up a little closer? I can pop the hood and you can tell me what to look for? Or will it be under the car? I don’t think I’ll fit.”

Like hell was I letting a pregnant woman get under a goddamn rickety car.

“No need to growl, Florence,” she laughed. “Take a breath. We both know I wouldn’t fit under there.” Lainey stepped back up onto the porch with me. “Not with this belly. But if me trying is the thing that motivates you to step off that porch…I’d have fun trying.”

“Quit calling me Florence,” I grumbled, but a smile slipped past my panic. I took another step closer to her. “I’m good. I can do this. You, stay on this goddamn porch. Give me your keys and go sit. I’m going to fix this for you.”

My cane hit the dirt beside me with a resounding thud. I’d done it. I’d taken my first step off my porch. In months.

Weirdly, knowing Lainey was there watching me—counting on me to fix her car—made it easier. I had a task to do. A simple, five-minute fix that would make her life better, and I’d sleep better because of it. Yup, I could do this.