Healing Over Time

Chapter Thirteen

A loud horn honking made them both jump. Alex's panicked eyes found Kayce's as she slowly looked behind them. John was sitting in his truck, waiting for them to turn.

"Fuck," Alex quickly fell back into her seat. "It's your dad."

"Shit," Kayce quickly flipped the truck into drive and took off.

Alex glanced behind her and saw John go the other way in his own truck.

"Do you think he saw?" She asked Kayce.

"Honestly, don't know?" Kayce stared straight ahead.

"You're going the wrong way," Alex realized.

"I know," Kayce sighed. "Knew he'd head left."

"Oh," Alex sat back up and smoothed her hair down, trying to take deep breaths. 

She looked over at Kayce and saw a sour look on his face. Alex leaned up and buckled her seatbelt as she pulled the console back down between them. Kayce sighed heavily as he slowed the truck down before flipping it around to head the correct way. 

Alex frowned. 

"I'm sorry," She said softly. 

"It's fine," Kayce muttered. 

"Clearly it's not," Alex said as if Kayce's attitude now was obvious. "You're mad." 

"I ain't mad at you," Kayce said. 

"You can't be mad at your dad," Alex rolled her eyes. "It's not his fault." 

"Not mad at him either," Kayce said as they came up to the highway. 

"Then why are-"

"Just hate that you felt the need to jump away from me," Kayce interrupted. "Like we were doing something wrong or something." 

"Jump away?" Alex leaned up in her seat. "Kayce...your father was behind us, he could see us...we weren't in the best of...predicaments." 

"I know that," Kayce sighed. 

Alex blinked a few times. 

"Kayce, I didn't jump away from you," She said slowly. "I jumped because of-"

"Our situation," Kayce answered for her. "I got it." 

"Then why are you being rude?" Alex asked. 

"'Cause I hate it," Kayce finally glanced at her. "That's why...I hate this." 

"Hate what?" Alex felt like the truck was becoming too tense. "You and me?" 

"No, I hate...this" Kayce held his hand up and waved it between the two of them. "I hate that it's been over a month since we first kissed and we can't even have a moment alone. I hate that I have to wait until we are alone to...be with you, to touch you or kiss you." 

Alex swallowed harshly as she sat back in her seat, finally realizing what was bothering Kayce so much. 

"I hate that I haven't done this right," Kayce ran a hand through his hair. "I haven't treated anyone right in this situation, most of all you." 

Alex took a deep breath, glancing out at the landscape as Kayce drove. 

"Do you...do you want to stop?" Alex asked him, mentally slapping herself for doing so.

"Do you?" Kayce looked at her briefly. 

"I don't want you to regret something," Alex told him. "I don't want to be a regret to you." 

Kayce suddenly pulled off to the side of the highway, coming to a stop. There was a low fog over the land he parked next to. He turned more in his seat to look at Alex.