Becoming strangers again (Lily and Ryan) novel Chapter 164

LILY

Sitting in the back seat, I kept myself occupied by responding to a few messages from Ryan. We chatted for nearly the entire drive until he let me know he had to step into a meeting. With a quick “talk later,” I pocketed my phone and shifted my attention forward.

I looked at the driver, feeling a bit curious about him. “Clover, right?” I asked, hoping to start a conversation. I’ve never been one to ride in silence if I can help it, and I could only imagine that driving a stranger around might feel a bit awkward.

He nodded, “Yes, my name is Clover.”

I smiled, folding my hands. “That’s a pretty unique name. Is there a story behind it?” I asked, genuinely curious. I hadn’t come across anyone named Clover before, at least not in my adult life, and I found it refreshing.

He glanced back at me through the rear-view mirror, a small smile on his face. “No story, ma’am. I think my parents just liked the name.” He paused, then chuckled softly, as if the idea of his parents choosing it on a whim amused him.

“Something funny?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He nodded, a small grin on his face. “Yeah. I was in New York last week, and someone else thought my name was strange and unique, too.”

“Oh…” I smiled. “So I’m not the only one, then. Still, it’s a nice name.”

He murmured a quick thanks, and the conversation trailed off. For the rest of the drive, silence took over, but it was a tense silence, made worse by the glances he kept sneaking at me through the rear-view mirror.

After a few minutes, I’d had enough. The next time his eyes met mine in the mirror, I shot him a sharp look. “Do you have something you want to say to me?”

He looked startled, quickly diverting his gaze and clearing his throat. “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable, ma’am,” he stammered. “I didn’t mean anything by it.”

I leaned forward slightly. “I don’t need an apology. I just want to know why you keep looking at me like that. If there’s something on your mind, spit it out.”

He hesitated, swallowing nervously before speaking. “Well, actually… I was hoping I could make a quick stop at a store, just right on our path.”

I raised an eyebrow, skeptical. “Excuse me? Did I hear that right?”

He cleared his throat, looking slightly uneasy. “I just want to pick up something from a friend, that’s all.”

I stared at him, barely hiding my disbelief. Was he serious? “So, let me get this straight. You want me to let you, make a detour and stop somewhere unfamiliar, just so you can pick up something?”

He shook his head quickly. “No, no,” he said, stumbling over his words. “I promise, we’re not going off route. The store’s right along our path, and she’ll be waiting by the roadside. I won’t even need to step out of the car. I swear, it’ll just be a quick stop.”

I glanced at my watch, calculating how much time was left before the school day officially ended. “You have less than three minutes,” I said firmly. “You’re not changing directions, you’re not getting out of the car, and just so we’re clear, I have 911 already typed out on my phone. If you try anything—anything at all—I’ll call them in a heartbeat.”

He nodded, looking both nervous and relieved. “Yes, ma’am,” he agreed with a nod, his tone grateful. “And thank you for letting me pick it up.”

We continued the drive in silence for the next five minutes. While he seemed to settle back into a relaxed state, I couldn’t say the same for myself. I stayed alert, keeping my eyes on him and watching for any hint of strange behavior. Every glance he threw toward the rear-view mirror, every subtle movement of his hands on the wheel—I noted it all.

A few minutes later, he pulled over to the side of the road, just as he’d said he would. There, a young woman, who I’d noticed waiting by the roadside, hurried over to his window.

Clover rolled down his window, accepted the bag with a quiet thank you, and immediately continued driving. But my eyes were glued to that bag.

After a moment, I made up my mind. “Open the bag,” I instructed.

He blinked, his eyes flicking up to meet mine in the rear-view mirror, confusion etched across his face. “Ma’am?”

“I said, open the brown bag,” I repeated. “I need to make sure you’re not transporting me and… whatever that is, in the same car. For all I know, that could be drugs or something illegal.”

Clover’s face paled, and he held up his hands slightly as if to calm me. “I promise, ma’am, it’s nothing illegal. Just some personal items. I didn’t mean to make you suspicious.”