Chapter 58
He smiled faintly. “Isn’t it always?”
A silence followed comfortable this time. Her presence wasn’t probing, just steady. She didn’t try to fill the space with chatter, and somehow that made Sammie want to talk more.
“You always drive nights?” he asked.
“Yeah,” she said. “People are quieter. And lonelier. They tip better when they’re thinking about their exes.”
That made him laugh.
“What about you?” she asked. “You always get in cabs just to get away from your thoughts?”
“Only when I want to remember what it’s like to feel... I don’t know. Real.”
She didn’t reply immediately, but when she did, her voice was softer.
“Well. Welcome back to reality, Sammie.”
He blinked. “Did I tell you my name?”
She gave a sly smile. “Nope. But your wallet’s in your lap, and your ID’s half out.”
He chuckled, leaning back. “Guess I’m not as mysterious as I thought.”
“You’re not mysterious,” she said, turning onto a quieter road. “You’re just... running.”
The words hit too close. He turned to look at her not just her silhouette this time, but her. Strong jaw. Calm eyes. Hands that gripped the wheel like she was holding more than just direction like she held decisions, futures.
“Can I ask your name?” he said.
She considered, then offered it. “Maya.”
He tasted it in his mind. Maya. A name with weight and wind behind it.
“You ever... drive someone around just because you liked their voice?” he asked, unsure why he was even admitting it.
Her eyes met his in the mirror.
“No,” she said. “But I’ve slowed down before... because I liked the silence between us.”
That did something to him.
They kept driving.
The rain had stopped by the time the cab came to a halt in front of Sammie’s building. The ride had been quieter, more comfortable, like they’d settled into a space where words weren’t necessary. Neither of them had spoken much, but the silence wasn’t awkward it was peaceful, like two people who understood that sometimes, the best conversations happen without saying anything at all.
Sammie reached for his wallet, but Maya was already watching him through the rearview mirror. Her eyes were steady, calm, but there was something unspoken in them.
“Here,” he said, handing her the fare with a small tip. “Thanks for the ride.”
She took it without immediately looking down, holding his gaze for a moment longer than usual. “You’re welcome,” she said softly, almost like she didn’t want him to leave. “Take care, Sammie.”
There was a quiet tension that hung in the air, thick enough that Sammie could almost taste it, a strange pull that he couldn’t quite explain. For the first time, he didn’t want to just leave the car and disappear into his building. There was something... unfinished.
Before he could stop himself, he found himself asking, “Can I get another ride sometime?”
Her lips twitched into a small smile, as if she’d been waiting for the question.
“You’ll have to call me,” she said. “I don’t do this route every night.”
Sammie’s heartbeat skipped. “I’ll call.”
She nodded, the faintest smile still playing on her lips. “Good night, Sammie.”
It was just the smallest of moments. But it stayed with him long after he walked into his apartment, still feeling the warmth of her gaze in the back of his mind.