Free Speak Low by Melanie Harlow

want to talk about this.”
    “About what?” Joey spoke loudly over the noisy motor. “There’s nothing left to talk about, Tiny. Just go home.”
    Without being invited—in fact, I’d been dismissed—I opened the door and hopped in. “No.” I shut myself in the car, put my hands in my lap and looked at him. “I can’t. I won’t.”
    Joey turned off the engine and squinted at me. “Have I told you how annoying you are?”
    “Not today.”
    “And also how weak and impulsive? And for such a smart girl, how stupid you act sometimes?”
    I squirmed, but it was no less than I deserved. “Go ahead. I can take it.”
    “You deliberately betrayed me, Tiny. After everything we went through last week. I told you something in confidence and you went right to him with it.”
    “I didn’t! I swear to you, I didn’t. He surprised me by showing up in my room late last night”—and here Joey flinched—“and we went for a drive. We got to…” I flapped a hand in the air, unsure how to proceed. “…Talking, and he started in about taking revenge for the heist into his own hands because he owes money to a whiskey distributor. I got scared for you, Joey, I had to tell him!”
    “I told you, I can take care of myself.” Joey’s knuckles were white on the steering wheel.
    “I’m sorry. I know I did the wrong thing, but I never meant to betray you. It just came out. Please forgive me.” I put a hand on his forearm, and he shrugged it off.
    “You should have left it to me like I asked you to.”
    “You asked me to set up a meeting!”
    “No, I didn’t! You offered, and if you recall, at the end of the night, I told you to drop it. And I meant what I said.”
    “I know, but…”
    “But nothing.” He stuck a finger in my face. “You fucked up. If we hadn’t been at the boathouse last night, he would have taken those drugs and left me with nothing.”
    No point in reminding Joey he’d stolen the drugs to begin with—these guys all played by their own rules. “I wouldn’t have let him.”
    “Ha! You’ve got no sway over him.”
    “You’re wrong. He listens to me.” What possessed me to say such a thing, I have no idea.
    Joey smirked. “If you think that, then you’re a bigger fool than I thought.” He cocked his head, looking more like the old Joey. “What did he do, tell you he loves you?”
    “Shut up.” My chest and neck flushed with heat.
    “Ooh, she’s blushing.” Joey poked his finger in my side repeatedly. “Did he proclaim his devotion for you, is that it? Is he going to build you a house on Boston Boulevard and buy you a fancy electric car and name his yacht after you? The Tiny.” Joey framed the words in the air with his hands. “Hmm, not quite grand enough, is it.” He widened his gesture. “The Frances Kathleen. Eh, a little better.”
    Irritation bubbled up in me, but I was relieved he was back to teasing. “You remembered my full name. Impressive. Don’t worry, I won’t ask you to spell it.”
    He turned to me with murderous eyes and poked my side once more. “Get out of my car, ya no-good, backstabbing floozy. Or do I have to drive his girl around as well as feed her?”
    “I’ll take a ride home, thanks. Sweet of you to offer.”
    Joey looked at me a moment and exhaled. “I should put you out at the curb right now.”
    “But you won’t.”
    A pause. “I guess not. “
    I grinned. I couldn’t help it.
    “Why can’t I stay mad at you, anyway?”
    Linking my fingers, I tucked them under my chin and batted my lashes. “Because I’m so adorable?”
    He scrutinized my face. “Nope. That ain’t it.”
    I dropped the pose. “Just drive me home already.”
    Rolling his eyes, he started the engine again. “Sure thing, Little Tomato. I only live to serve you.”
    Crossing my arms, I turned my face to the window so he wouldn’t see me smile at his nickname for me, which only a week ago would have made me scowl.
    When Joey pulled into the drive at my house, I was