Free Scandalous by Missy Johnson Page B

idea what’s going on, but she looks like shit. Her eyes are red and puffy and her hair is a tangled mess. I wait as she throws her bag on the backseat and jumps into the car.
    “Where do you want to go?” I ask.
    “Anywhere,” she mumbles, waving her hand. “Just drive. Go.”
    I nod, insert the car into gear, speeding off. My first thought was she had a fight with Roman. Why else would she call at three in the morning? I swear to God, if he hurt her I’ll fucking kill him. My grip tightens on the steering wheel as I try to contain my anger.
    “What happened?” I ask gently after a few more minutes. She still hasn’t said anything and I’m worried. I take the first exit onto the freeway. It’s pretty quiet, as you’d expect this time in the morning. It’s a cold and overcast morning, and even with a jacket on I’m freezing. I reach over and crank up the heater.
    “I can’t… Can we not talk about it?”
    “Sure,” I say. “But I need to know if you’re okay.”
    I’m worried. I haven’t seen her like this since the attack. My throat constricts as guilt again begins to consume me. Am I ever going to get over not being there for her? It seems no matter what I do the guilt is still there, eating me up.
    “I’m fine. I just needed a friend, okay?” she asks and I shrug. Something tells me I’m not going to get much more than that out of her at the moment.
     
    She reaches forward and fiddles with the radio until she finds a station playing crappy pop music. Sighing, she leans her head against the window, quietly wiping away a fresh wave of tears that are threatening her eyes.
    I head to the first place I think of: my sister’s cabin in the woods. It’s weird taking Beth to the place where Mia and I hooked up, but I can’t think of any other option.
    God, Mia.
    In the last few days we began talking—like really talking. It actually felt like we were getting somewhere, that maybe our relationship could be saved. I glance over at Beth, my jaw tensing. I could only imagine what Mia would think if she knew I was with Beth. That once again I had dropped everything to come to her rescue. I reach over and turn up the radio, trying to drown out my thoughts.
     
    The rest of the drive goes by quickly and uneventfully. Before long, I’m pulling into the driveway of the cabin. It’s just as beautiful as I remember it. Beth, who had fallen asleep about halfway into our trip, stirs and opens her eyes.
    “This place is nice,” she mumbles, rubbing her eyes. She unclips her seatbelt and opens the door, reaching into the back for her bag.
    I get out too, yawning as the cold air hits my face. “Yeah, it’s my sister’s. It was the only place I could think to take you.”
    She turns to me and smiles. “Thanks for this, Coop. I always seem to be running to you for help.”
    “I’m always gonna be there for you,” I murmur. I slam my door closed, making her jump. “Sorry,” I say sheepishly. “Let’s get inside, huh?”
    I take her bag from her and walk up the stairs to the front door. The keys are where I thought they would be. I unlock the door and let Beth inside, dumping her bag on the floor before going back outside to turn the power and water on. The sun is starting to come up. I look out over the perfectly still lake. A thick layer of fog hangs in the air, and in the distance I can hear birds calling. I can’t ignore how romantic the setting feels or the question that keeps running through my mind.
    Why did I bring her here ?
    Walking back inside the cabin, I find Beth curled up on the couch covered in a blanket to try and keep warm. I grab an armful of firewood and start lighting the fire. Beth watches me, though she seems lost in her own world.
    “Cheer up. Your life can’t be worse than mine.” My comment earns me a smile. Rocking back on my knees, I stand up and survey my work. The fire is crackling away nicely. I walk over and sit down next to Beth. “You want to talk yet? You have to