The cold air inside smelled of stale coffee and damp floor mats.

I turned the key, and the engine sputtered twice before catching in a rough, rattling idle.

Ben stood by his tailgate, watching me through the driver’s side window until I put the car in gear.

Tasha’s white SUV backed out of a spot by the front entrance, its dual exhaust pipes puffing thick clouds of steam into the night.

Rory sat in the passenger seat with his arm propped on the door while Tasha fiddled with something on her dashboard screen.

I kept my foot on the brake and let them pull out onto the main road toward the highway first.