Page 64 of Capturing Hearts

Rebecca blinks, dropping her gaze to the ground, thinking. “Where are you going to go?”

“Well, it’s not a secret, anymore, I guess. They both know.” I jerk my head toward the cave. “Canada.”

A sad smile curves her lips. “Oh. That’s great, Tommy.”

“You want to come?”

She blinks, staring at me. A laugh bursts from her. “I can’t!”

Grinning, I nod, and glance to the water. “Yeah. I figured. Well, I want to get a move on. Never know what the road has in store for me.” I step over to her, “Take care of yourself, Beautiful.”

Her eyes are sad as she watches me go. “Bye, Tommy,” she whispers as I make my way down the hill, my boots grinding into the crevices quickly.

The last time I did this trek today, I was entrenched in guilt and shame. Now, I’ve got a spring in my step like none I’ve ever known. That beater will take me as far as it can go. I’m going to have to drive up to a rural part of the border, maybe in Montana, so I can cross without alerting the patrol on either side. It’s not going to be easy, but I feel like I just might have luck on my side, for once. Maybe this whole doing the right thing nonsense has its perks. But I’m going to have to make money somehow. Let’s see how long this sticks.

At the bottom of the hill, Mark holds out his hand.

“You know what they were going to do?”

He nods. We shake hands. “Good luck, Tommy.”

“Thanks, Mark. Nice meeting you,” I say to his girl.

“Nicole,” she smiles, her eyes wary.

“Nicole. Right. I heard that earlier. Nice gams. Just kidding, Mark. Take care.”

Nicole’s voice purrs as I walk away, “I think you’re forgetting someone.”

I turn around to see Rebecca running awkwardly down the hill, her shoes in her hands and a scared look in her eyes. “Tommy!”

“Well, well, well. Merry Christmas to me,” I mutter, watching her.

Mark and I share a look like we’d have given each other in the old days, when we ran into a girl at a party who was a take-home prize. Rebecca Wells, elegant and sophisticated philanthropist, clamors down the dirt, hitting the pavement and stopping to wipe her feet off, and slide them back into her pumps. She throws her head back, her long hair flying as she grins at me.

“Can I still come?”

“Fuck yes, you can come. Again and again and again!” I laugh, walking to meet her. She flies into my arms and I spin her around and kiss her hard on the lips. “We better get out of here before these squares change their minds,” I say loudly enough for all to hear.

Mark shakes his head and she and I jump in the beater, with her waiting for me to open the door first, of course. Women. Gotta love ‘em!

It’s the beginning of a whole new life.

Can’t wait to see what happens.

A leopard can’t get rid of his spots, after all.

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