Page 49 of Until the Sea Runs Dry

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Wind blew through her hair,the smell of salt water tickled her nose.

Jane drove down the winding road from Logan’s estate as cautiously as possible without being a menace to other drivers, knowing that a timid driver was as bad as a careless one.

Before she had gone, she had popped in to see Kitty. The woman had been overjoyed, approving of her plans to go out for the day. She had offered to babysit Loki, though Jane had declined. Though she and Logan hadn’t discussed the issue further, she felt that Loki was her responsibility. Plus, she happened to adore his company, so it wasn’t a hardship to take him with her.

Her eyes flicked over to the small bundle of fur by her side. On getting into the car, he had circled the seat several times. He’d looked out of the window, yipping at the scenery flying by with such extraordinary excitement, only to have passed out, dead to the world, after just ten minutes.

A smile tugged at the corners of her lips when she heard the whisper of his breath hissing out from the gaps in his teeth.

There was something comforting about the little sounds he made. Whenever he was with her, she felt less alone in the world, and wondered if all pet owners felt the same way.

Her thoughts turned to Logan. There was something unreachable about him that was at odds with the kindness he displayed. He could be somewhat aloof at times, but he didn’t seem the awful person the world said he was.

She pushed the thought away from her mind.

It didn’t really matter what anyone thought of him. What mattered was how he treated her and so far, that was better than anyone else.

She drove through luxurious neighborhoods, each more extravagant than the last. With driveways that were as wide as an entire street, and imposing front doors that seemed designed with giants in mind, she lost count of the water fountains that welcomed any visitors who might have set foot on the properties.

It wasn’t until another fifteen or so minutes, when she approached the South side of the neighborhood, that the homes became more modest. Single-family dwellings with terracotta roof tiles littered this new area. Along with it came a different scent in the air. Warm spices that tickled the back of her throat, warming her all the way down to her toes.

She felt a pang of longing in her chest as she drove past the homes and wondered where it came from. Did these houses remind her of her own house?

That familiar frustration began to build. A weight pressing down on her chest that constantly reminded her that she wasn’t a whole person.

Loki whined in his sleep, possibly picking up on her turmoil.

Considering how well known Rodeo Drive was, it wasn’t as wide as she expected, consisting of only four lanes divided by a central reservation of white flowers that ran the entire length of the main strip.

But what it lacked in size, it more than made up for in appearance.

Lush palm trees with their trunks wrapped in fairy lights flanked both sides of the street, giving it a boulevard feel. The pavement itself was spotless — if any litter or gum was dropped here, it was removed almost immediately.

All around her were some of the flashiest cars ever produced, most of which she wasn’t familiar with. There was one car whose sleek, almost futuristic body she recognized as a Lamborghini. She was pretty sure she couldn’t have owned one of those since they cost several million dollars. That she knew that surprised her. Logan’s extensive car range hadn’t filled her with any kind of interest. It seemed likely, then, that her knowledge of the car might have something to do with the previous man in her life.

She pushed back into her mind, trying to picture him, but as usual, there was only a black fog where her memory should have been.

She studied the glistening shop fronts with their sumptuous displays. Names like Ferragamo, Chanel, Valentino, and Vera Wang flashed past. She recognized all the labels, and could even have listed them in ascending order of the most exclusive.

Perhaps she was affiliated with the fashion industry?

Fueled by this new thought, she started pulling the car into a spot that opened up ahead of her when a bright yellow Hummer blasting hip hop music cut her up, stealing the space, almost causing them to crash.

The driver who couldn’t have been more than twenty, had the nerve to scream at her as if she were the one in the wrong.

She opened her mouth to snap back a sharp retort of her own, one that would leave a searing mark on his skinny, little head…

But only the faintest whisper of a word came out and even then, she was horrified to find that it was, “Sorry.”

Why on earth would she apologize to him?

Her reaction to the jerk shocked her almost as much as his attitude had.

A million responses ran through her mind, a million other ways that she could have — and should have — responded. All manner of stinging retorts that would have put the little punk in his place, if she hadn’t been such a coward.

The music from the hummer woke Loki, who yawned, then stood up to see where they were. Jane looked out past him, to the Gucci store they were parked by, and saw the pristine sales assistants in their sky-high stilettos, marble-smooth faces, and salon-styled hair as a lead weight sank to the bottom of her stomach.

She knew she wasn’t bad looking, that she would possibly be considered pretty by some, but she looked nothing like these carefully presented women. She wore no make-up and her nails were as chipped as the moment she had woken up on the shore.

Maybe coming here in her condition hadn’t been the wisest of choices.

“Hold on, Loki. We’re not staying.”

He yapped at her, not understanding a word yet excited non-the-less. Lifting his wriggling body off her lap where he had now climbed onto, she set him back onto the passenger seat, curling his leash around the seat belt.

When he was calmer, they set off again.

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