Free Savage by Thomas E. Sniegoski Page A

you. . . .”
    â€œUnderstandable, I guess,” Rich said.
    â€œNo, it isn’t,” Sidney answered angrily. “I told you why we were breaking up, and it had nothing to do with anybody else, but you still didn’t believe me and had to come up with some reason to make me look even worse in your eyes than I already do.”
    â€œSid,” he started, looking up into her angry gaze. “I’m sorry.”
    â€œYou should be,” she shot back. “And you hit me back there.”
    â€œI was slapping your hand away and—”
    â€œYou hit me,” she said more forcefully. “If you even think about doing something like that to me again I will most certainly press charges. Do we understand each other?”
    She could see the shock in his expression, and she genuinely did believe that he was sorry, but she needed him to know that it wasn’t cool in the least to put his hands on her. Ever. No matter the situation.
    â€œYes,” Cody said. “I’m so sorry.” Nervously he started to pet Snowy again.
    â€œThen we don’t need to mention it again,” she said.
    Things then got awkward as they stood there in the rain, each of them hoping that the other would say something to shatter the uncomfortable silence.
    Sidney concentrated on the weather. It was getting worse, the wind and rain picking up, the clouds in the sky above them moving and swirling about so quickly they could have been smoke.
    She was just going to comment on it when—
    â€œSorry I attacked you,” Cody finally said to Rich, eyes darting about nervously. “There was no reason for it, and I feel like a complete ass.”
    â€œIt’s cool,” Rich said, then stepped forward and extended his hand.
    Cody looked at it for a moment before taking it in his. They shook firmly then quickly let go, stepping back. Sidney doubted the two would ever be best friends, but it was a start.
    â€œThis weather’s getting not so nice,” Sidney said to change the subject, squinting as she looked up into the ferocious sky.
    â€œThe weather guys said that it would be getting bad in the afternoon,” Cody added.
    â€œWhich makes the timing on that favor even more crucial,” Rich said.
    â€œWhat’s the favor again?” Cody asked. “Probably the least I could do after kicking your ass.”
    â€œYou kicked my ass?” The favor was suddenly pushed aside by his ego. “If there was any ass kicked today it was me firmly placing my foot against your—”
    â€œC’mon, don’t you think I’ve had my fill of this crap today?” Sidney asked with disgust. “Ask your favor please, before I lose my patience,” she told Rich.
    â€œI was hoping that you could help me get my sailboat out of the water before the storm,” Rich said.
    Cody looked up into the angry sky. “Looks like you might be a little late.”
    â€œYeah, but if we hurry we might be able to miss the worst of it. What do you say?”
    Cody looked to Sidney. “Probably the least that I could do, huh?”
    Sidney agreed. “Probably.”
    Yes, Rich mouthed, pumping the air with his fist.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
    The storm had grown from bad to even worse in a short amount of time. Sidney was having a difficult time seeing through the deluge assailing her wipers. She was following Rich’s car back to his parents’ place, with Cody following her in his truck. For an instant back at the marina, Sidney had considered leaving the boys to handle this on their own, but something told her that might not have been the best of ideas, the potential of a fight breaking out all too real. So here she was.
    â€œReally coming down, eh, Snowy?” she asked her dog, who leaned forward from the backseat, peering through the torrential downpour. It was like somebody was spraying a hose directly onto the windshield.
    Up ahead she saw the flash of