She was relieved when they reached the highway again. Harvey stopped his car and turned to her. “What’re your plans?” Harvey asked. He shifted in his seat and rubbed the length of his legs. “We could go to my house,” he said. He slipped his hand beneath her armpit and tried to pull her to him, his thumb ticked at her nipple. She could see a blue crack of sky over the faded hills. He leaned across the seat and kissed her ear. “I’ve been missing you,” he whispered. She felt the warm lick of his tongue and she brushed her cheek to her shoulder, trying to wipe him off. Harvey leaned even closer to her. His voice was sharp. “I need to see more you,” he said.

“I’m sorry,” she said, “it’s been a hard time.”

He gripped her thigh and she crossed her arms over her chest. She had wanted just to go home but she knew Harvey would not accept that excuse. “I need to go to Baptiste’s place,” she said and closed her eyes.

“You’re not getting back with that guy, are you?” he asked. She knew then he had not heard the news of her husband, had not heard Baptiste had to leave the reservation. She figured Harvey Stoner probably didn’t listen to all the gossip of Perma. Harvey was thinking Baptiste was still around.

“I’m going to go for a ride,” she said.

“I’ll bet,” Harvey winked at her.

“A horseback ride,” she said and pulled back from the steam of his breath.

He drove fast toward Dirty Swallow’s house, dipping potholes, tapping the steering wheel with his ruby ring. He was reckless. She felt the shifting weight of his car as he wheeled the corners. He was angry with her. She felt the sudden need to make amends. She didn’t want to lose Harvey Stoner’s attention. He was the only person who could get her off the reservation. She folded his coat in her lap and stroked the sleeves. “I love his horse,” she said. “It’s the reason I’ve stayed with him.”

“His horse,” he snorted. Harvey Stoner was ugly when he was jealous.

Louise didn’t reply. She did want to see Baptiste’s horse, hoped in some way she would feel close to Baptiste too. It occurred to Louise that Baptiste was the only man who seemed honest to her. He didn’t have any secrets. He didn’t hide anything from her. Harvey stopped the car short and she lurched forward.

“You’ll be sorry,” he said.

She gripped the door handle. “What did you say?”

“I said, you’ll be sorry,” Harvey Stoner said again, swatting the keys in the ignition. She felt the threat of his words even when he finished the line, “… you didn’t come with me.”