Chapter 5: The Final Turn—And a Shocking Payback

Wow, so that’s how you use ‘If you’re broke, don’t drag others down’? I’d heard the phrase before, but never quite like that. It was almost impressive. Learned something new today.

I raised my hands in surrender. “Let’s drop it. Next intersection, turn right—that’s your place, right?” I was itching to drop her off. My patience had long since run out. Better drop off this goddess ASAP.

I turned the corner, squinting through the Spanish moss hanging from the oaks, hoping I wouldn’t hit a pothole and add insult to injury.

As I turned, my phone rang. Coincidentally, it was the car’s owner. His name, Derek, popped up on the display. The car’s Bluetooth made sure the whole car heard the conversation.

Derek’s voice boomed out, cheerful as ever. “Where are you? Blind date over?”

“Yeah, I’ll be there soon.” I tried to keep it vague, glancing at her out of the corner of my eye.

“How’d it go? My car didn’t embarrass you, did it?” He laughed, totally oblivious to the tension in the car.

I glanced at the girl out of the corner of my eye. Her face looked like she’d just lost a fortune. She was frozen, one hand gripping her bag so tight her knuckles were white.

I coughed. “We’ll talk when we meet.” I tried to keep my tone casual, not wanting to rub it in.

“How about you don’t rush to return the car—let’s swap for a few more days? I really like your G-Wagon! If I’d known, I’d have bought this car with you!” He sounded like a kid trading baseball cards, not luxury SUVs.

“Forget it, I still prefer my own car. I’ll hang up now.” I didn’t want to drag out the charade. I pressed the END button, grateful for small mercies.

I hung up, and the car stopped by the curb. I let the engine idle, waiting for her to make the first move.

“This is your place, right?” We were in front of a cute brick townhouse, porch light glowing. She just sat there, staring at me, mouth half open.

The girl didn’t answer, just gave me a strange look. “You…” Her voice was softer now, almost hesitant.

I played dumb. “What?” I gave her my best innocent face.

“So you have a car!” She said it like she’d just uncovered some grand conspiracy.

“I never said I didn’t. My car’s on loan for a friend’s wedding.” I kept my tone mild, not giving anything away.

She looked exasperated, half laughing, half annoyed: “Why didn’t you say so earlier!” She huffed, tossing her hair, but there was a hint of a smile playing on her lips.

I grinned. “I’ve got things to do—let’s call it a day.”

She lingered, halfway out the door, as if hoping I’d change my mind. But I was already gone, mentally and emotionally.

The night air off the river was cool and salty, cutting through the leftover perfume and tension. I rolled down the window, finally able to breathe. Let out a long sigh of relief.

I cranked up the radio, the familiar sound of classic rock filling the car. The tension faded away with each passing streetlight.

I figured that was the end of it. But around midnight, she suddenly messaged me on Facebook Messenger, asking if I’d gotten home, thanking me for dinner, and saying the food was great.

My phone buzzed as I brushed my teeth, her avatar popping up with a cheerful “Hey!” I raised an eyebrow, half-expecting another twist.

At this point, you’re probably thinking: she’s trying to get back on my good side, see if there’s still a chance, right?

I admit, I wondered. Maybe she’d had a change of heart—or just realized I wasn’t so bad after all.

Honestly, that’s what I thought too. I even considered typing a polite reply, just to keep things civil.

But I was wrong. So, so wrong.

What she did next left me totally speechless: she actually sent me $280 on Venmo, straight to my account.

I stared at the notification, mouth open. If this was a test, I had no idea what the right answer was. Turns out, in Savannah, even gold-diggers can surprise you. I stared at the Venmo notification, wondering if I’d just met the world’s most complicated woman—or the most honest.