Tight Knit by Allie Brennan Page A

them one of your hats.” 
    She frowns and I laugh again.
    “Seriously? You didn’t know that. Wow, you really do live under a rock.” 
    “Who said I live under a rock?” She crosses her arms. I’m pissing her off and I like it. Although I’m not sure why she chooses that to be the most offensive thing I’ve ever said.
    “I did.” 
    “Well, I don’t.” 
    “Ha! When’s the last time you left your house?” 
    She opens her mouth again but I cut her off.
    “With someone who wasn’t 100 years old... or to visit your grandma?” 
    Her glare deepens and her chest rises and falls rapidly. 
    “I, I, I don’t have to defend myself to you. To you of all people.” 
    “What’s that supposed to mean?” It isn’t fun now that she is turning it around on me. The twitch in my jaw starts. 
    “You come from a different world than me, Lachlan.” 
    She’s never said my name before and it makes my skin tingle. 
    “You and your tough guy crap. Just because I don’t go out and party and do drugs and screw people doesn’t mean I don’t have fun.” 
    I’m taken aback. Is that what she thinks of me? I glare at the road and for a brief moment. I feel ashamed. Ashamed of my reputation, of my lifestyle, of myself. But I don’t do those things any more. She needs to know that. I need her know that but I have no idea why.
    “Is that what you think I do?” I force a glare at her and she shrinks into the car seat. Her eyes are so wide, so big I feel I could crawl into them. I kind of want to. 
    She nods slowly. I clench my jaw tighter and fight back the slew of curse words that are always my first response. 
    I reposition my hands on the steering wheel and stare straight ahead. The sunlight glares off the road and I squint. 
    We drive in silence until I stop the car in front of a little church. I can feel Talia staring at me. When I look at her I’m prepared for a fight. I’m always prepared for a fight.
    “I’m sorry I said that. It wasn’t fair,” she says. 
    I nod. That’s not what I was expecting. She plays with the hem of her sweater.
    “I should know what it’s like for people like us,” she continues. 
    Us?
    “What do you mean people like us?” 
    She blushes and I want to touch her face. 
    Shit, I do like this girl. This is bad.
    “I just mean that people don’t know what really goes on,” she points to her head, “in here, you know?” 
    I nod again. I’m afraid if I open my mouth I’ll tell her everything. I want to tell her about him, the tattoos, the scars, the memories. I guess in about five minutes she’s going to know some of it. Showing her will be easier than telling her. 
    My stomach jumps. In five minutes she’s going to know things about me I’ve spent the last two years burying so deep that no one could find them. 
    For some crazy, fucked up and completely unknown reason, I feel like this is the right thing to do. 
    Talia glances out the window then back at me. She seems confused but I can see the curiosity there too. There has to be adventure lurking somewhere deep in Talia Gregory and I’ve decided I’m going to find it. 
    “Um, Lachlan? Why are we at a church?”  
    I grin at her.“Church is the best place for a first date. Isn’t it?” 

CHAPTER ELEVEN
    Talia
     
    I’m not sure if I should laugh. The look on his face says he’s joking but after one more glance out the window I’m positive we’re parked in front of a church.
    “What’s going on, Lachlan?” I ask. I have a feeling this means something to him. He goes pale every time I ask him what ‘get together’ means. He refuses to answer and the way he’s so casually leaning against the car seat, his shoulders hunched and his arm thrown lazily across the back of my seat tell me this place means something to him. I decided after the diner and the Knitting Club meeting that the more relaxed Lachlan seems, the more uptight he actually feels. 
    If I’m right, and something serious is