No Second Chances by Marissa Farrar Page A

what’s going on. That’s your business, and believe me, I know how it feels when everyone wants to know your business. But if you ever need someone to talk to, you know where I am.”
    I appreciated him not pressuring me. “Thanks, Cole.”
    “So you want me to drive you home?”
    “Yeah, I guess so.”
    A smile quirked his lips. “You don’t want to walk?”
    I smacked him on the arm. “Don’t tease.”
    He laughed. “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. Are you going to tell me where home is?”
    I gave him my address and then settled back in the seat as he pulled the vehicle away from the curb and headed toward my house. “Who does the truck belong to?” I asked, realizing I hadn’t seen him driving it before.
    “My foster parents. The guys I play in the band with needed some gear moved and I offered to help.”
    “They don’t have cars of their own?” I inquired, thinking as they were older they’d be more likely to have their own transport.
    “Yeah, Ryan does, but he said it was in the shop.” He gave a shrug. “I don’t mind helping out.”
    “How long have you been playing in the band?”
    “About six months now.”
    “And you enjoy it?”
    He laughed. “Of course. I wouldn’t do it, otherwise. The band is the one thing I have where I don’t have to worry about all the other shit in my life. The guys can come off a bit cocky at times, but they’re all right, really.”
    I didn’t intend on telling him about my instant dislike of the other band members. Maybe it was just because they were older, but they’d given me the distinct impression they looked down on us, Cole included.
    He glanced over at me as he drove. “Aren’t your parents going to be worried about where you are?”
    I shrugged. “It’s only my dad, and he doesn’t pay much attention to me. My mom took off when I was two, so I don’t even know where she is, and I doubt she’s given me a second thought.”
    He gave a slow nod. “I know all about parents being screw-ups, seriously. My folks didn’t even want me around. Apparently I was off the rails because I snuck out a couple of times, and got drunk.” He shrugged. “They were just looking for an excuse to be free of me.”
    “I’m sorry. My dad stuck around, at least, though there are days when I wonder if life would be easier if he hadn’t.” Immediately guilt swamped over me in a wave. Of all people, I shouldn’t have said that in front of Cole. He’d probably love to have a parent around, even if they were an alcoholic who embarrassed themselves in front of the whole town.
    But to my surprise, he reached out with the hand not holding the wheel, and his fingers covered mine. His eyes appeared closer to grey than blue as he regarded me with a depth I’d not felt about him before. “Sometimes we just have to make the best of what we’ve got. None of it is ever easy.”
    Surprise tears sprang to my eyes and I blinked them away, pulling my hand from his.
    As we approached my house, my heart lifted with relief to see my dad’s car parked back in the drive.
    Cole also spotted the vehicle. “Your dad’s home.”
    “Yeah.”
    I didn’t know what else to say.
    “Are you okay going in there alone?” he asked me.
    I forced a smile. “Of course I am.”
    His blue eyes focused on mine, studying my face. I felt like he could read all my secrets as though they were tattooed upon my skin.
    “You can tell me if you’re not, Gabi,” he said. “I’ve been in the position plenty of times where I haven’t wanted to go home.”
    I appreciated his honesty. I could hear the pain in his words, saw the flash of discomfort across his face as he confessed this to me. I felt awful that I couldn’t be honest with him in return, but it wasn’t just my life I’d be messing with if I told him the truth.
    A sudden impulse overtook me, and I leaned over and planted a kiss on Cole’s cheek.
    His eyes widened, his lips tweaking in a grin. I had caught him by