Chapter 3 The Seat That Was Never Mine

Once dinner was over, everyone drifted out of the restaurant and gathered near the curb in small groups, chatting while they waited for their rides.

I headed toward Haiden's SUV and reached for the front passenger door, assuming I would sit beside him.

Kendall came around the vehicle before I could open it, stopping directly in front of me.

"Can I sit up front?" she asked with an easy smile. "I get really carsick in the back."

She did not wait for an answer. She opened the passenger door, climbed inside, and fastened her seat belt as naturally as if the seat had always belonged to her.

She glanced toward Haiden. "Come on, Haiden. Let's go."

Haiden looked at me briefly. "Kendall really does get carsick. Just take the back seat."

I pressed my lips together, opened the rear door, and climbed in without arguing.

We had barely left the restaurant when Kendall opened the glove compartment and pulled out a small bag of nuts. The ease with which she found them made it obvious that she already knew exactly what Haiden kept in his car.

After eating a few, she picked up another and held it toward his mouth. "Open."

Haiden leaned over without hesitation and took it straight from her fingers. His lips brushed against her fingertips, yet neither of them seemed to notice anything unusual about it.

Kendall settled back into her seat. "Liam and the others are going to that new campground next weekend. Are you going?"

"Yeah. I haven't gotten away in a while."

"Then, I'm coming too. You're taking the SUV, right? I'll ride with you."

"Sure. I'll pick you up."

Kendall grinned. "Deal. Don't ditch me this time."

She reached over and gave his arm a playful poke.

I stayed quiet in the back seat while the two of them casually arranged their weekend together. My fingers curled tightly against my palm.

Until that moment, I had not even known there was a camping trip.

Haiden had never mentioned it to me.

When we stopped at a red light, Kendall pulled out her phone and angled the screen toward him. "Ryan is bothering me about that proposal again. Look at what he wants me to change. Is he serious?"

Haiden glanced at the screen. "Write it the way you normally do. Don't let him throw off your whole approach."

Kendall sighed as she lowered the phone. "You're seriously the only person who understands me. When I complain to anyone else, they don't even get why I'm frustrated."

We were nearing Haiden's apartment when Kendall suddenly began coughing.

It started mildly, as though something had irritated her throat. Within moments, the coughing grew harsher and more frequent.

She pressed a hand against her chest and sank into the passenger seat.

"Haiden…" Her voice sounded strained. "I can't breathe."

Haiden immediately slowed the SUV and pulled over to the side of the road. The casual ease disappeared from his voice. "Where's your medication? Do you have your inhaler with you?"

Kendall struggled to catch her breath as she shook her head. "I… I forgot it."

Haiden leaned toward her and rubbed her back in slow, steady strokes. His movements came so naturally that it was clear he had taken care of her like this before.

After several uneven breaths, Kendall turned toward the back seat and looked directly at me. Her brows tightened. "Did you put on perfume?"

Another cough interrupted her. "I really can't handle that smell."

"I'm not wearing any perfume," I replied.

Kendall appeared not to hear me. She bent forward and continued coughing, clutching at her chest.

Haiden glanced at me through the rearview mirror, and irritation flashed across his face. "Jane, are you sure you didn't spray anything?"

"I'm sure. I didn't."

He fell silent after that.

For several seconds, he stared through the windshield as though weighing his options.

"We're pretty close to my place." He paused before looking back at me. "You can walk the rest of the way."

For a moment, I wondered whether I had heard him correctly.

Haiden had already unbuckled his seat belt.

He stepped out, walked around the SUV, and opened the rear door for me.

Cold air rushed into the car and cut through my thin jacket.

There was nothing left to misunderstand.

I got out.

The door had barely closed behind me when Kendall's weak voice carried through the window. "Haiden… Can we go to the ER? I really don't feel good."

The SUV pulled away seconds later.

I remained beside the road and watched the red taillights grow smaller until they disappeared completely.

The situation was almost ridiculous.

The street was nearly deserted, the hour was late, and the cold wind passed straight through the thin jacket I had worn to dinner.

Going back to Haiden's apartment was the last thing I wanted.

Unfortunately, I had left something there that I could not afford to lose.

The original property transfer agreement was still on the desk in his study.

My mom had gone to great trouble to get it back home before mailing it to me. She had reminded me more than once to keep it somewhere safe because it was the only original copy I had.

Leaving it behind was not an option.

All the time she had spent going back and forth to the notary office would have been wasted if anything had happened to it.

I eventually hailed a taxi, climbed into the back seat, and gave the driver Haiden's address.