As they walked away, I turned on my phone and ordered a ride home, ignoring Erik’s mother’s insistence for me to stay. The rain poured down around me, and I felt utterly exposed and embarrassed.
Suddenly, I felt a warm presence beside me. Erik returned, breathless and soaked, wrapping me in his arms. “I’m sorry, Alyce. I shouldn’t have put you in this position.”
“It’s just that Polly has a child,” he continued, his voice softening. “I brought her here, so I felt responsible for making sure she got home safely.”
“Why didn’t you just wait at your mom’s house?” he added, a hint of complaint creeping into his tone.
I looked at him earnestly. “Are you the only one who can take her home?”
“What?” he asked, confusion etched on his face.
“You and Colin drove here today. Are you really the only one who can drop Polly off?”
Erik’s expression shifted from confusion to a mixture of shame and annoyance. He pursed his lips, caught off guard by my directness. “I...”
I cut him off before he could continue. “You want to send her home.”
A shadow crossed his face, and he sighed heavily. “Alyce, are you jealous? I only see Polly as a sister.”