That was just a few hours ago. Then, the snow had just been forming a powdery layer that totally covered the grass and soil. Now, it’s almost noon, and the wind is beginning to build the snow into banks along the road. He has to focus to keep the truck where it should be, and still they occasionally lose traction and fishtail, but it’s all in slow motion, devoid of a real sense of danger.

Robbie is glad he has something to focus on instead of the young man sitting silently beside him, his long, white fingers toying with the oversized buttons on Robbie’s jacket, which seems huge and shapeless on his slighter body.

He has so many questions, but he knows better than to fire any of them off. Even if Lance weren’t giving off a steady nonverbal message of “Don’t ask,” Robbie would remember how Lance was as a child. Secretive, so guarded about any pain. That secretiveness used to make Robbie crazy, worrying that something horrible would happen or was happening in Lance’s life, and that Lance would refuse to ask for help. Robbie had done all he’d felt he could do, under the circumstances—he’d made sure there was always an extra pillow and blanket on Danny’s bed and an extra plate at the table in case Lance showed up. Caring about Lance had been like taking a shine to a lone wolf, even back then. He was never going to let you take care of him the way you wanted, but he’d occasionally appear for a small dose of kindness before disappearing back out into the dark.

“Is this really okay? Me staying with you?”

“Yes,” Robbie says with a quiet vehemence. It bothers him that Lance feels the need to ask, or could ever think Robbie wouldn’t welcome him.

“Megan won’t care?” he presses.

For a second, Robbie doesn’t understand the question. Then, he huffs out a laugh and rubs his jaw. “No. Megan won’t care.” Well, she probably will have opinions, but they aren’t relevant in the way Lance means. “We broke up a couple of years ago.” And because he and Megan were famously on-again-off-again from the ages of fifteen to thirty-two, he clarifies, “For good, this time.”

If Lance is surprised by the revelation, it doesn’t register on his face. He nods a couple of times and looks out the window, and the cab falls silent again.

Robbie continues to hold back the questions burning in his mind. What happened yesterday? Why were you in Dell? Why were you in jail?

He has other questions, too. What happened six summers ago? Where did you disappear to? Why didn’t you call? Danny had been outright miserable for the rest of that school year.

In fact, Danny still winces whenever Lance’s name comes up. Robbie has never been able to get Lance out of his head, either. That sweet, shy kid. That lovely boy, who bared his heart and soul to Robbie so bravely on that last, awful day….