Page 19 of Reckless

“A little, yeah. Question is, how crazy are you?”

Cars are moving past us, the tail winds from the speed blowing my hair across my face. I go to brush it away, but Jude does it for me. He’s standing right in front of me.

“What are you doing?”

“Asking you to take me with you.”

My head rears back and my mouth drops open.

“Preferably before highway patrol shows up, or a car hits your RV.”

“You’re out of your mind.”

“I’ll explain on the road.”

I wonder whether I’m dreaming. Another car speeds past, honking its horn, and snaps me out of it. I hurry back to the driver’s door and indicate for him to get in. He clambers across the seat, and I get in behind him. In my hurry to find out what the fuck he’s doing, I didn’t even cut the engine.

“Oh God, do you know how hard it’s going to be to get back on the exit road?”

“Sorry, but you were driving out when I got back here. I ran all the way after you.”

It’s only now we’re inside, I see he’s sweating. And panting a little.

“You’ve lost your damn mind.” I shake my head, but we can’t sit here.

It takes some serious skill and luck to get off the lay-by and back onto the road, picking up enough speed to merge onto the highway without too many horns blaring. My heart is pounding by the time we’re in a lane driving at a normal speed.

“Uh, sorry,” he says from where he is standing behind me.

“Sit down and put your seatbelt on, you lunatic.”

He does what I say without arguing, taking the seat beside me. His bag is on the floor behind him. We drive for a few minutes before he speaks. He can tell I’m annoyed.

“After I got back to the hotel and called everyone I cared about to let them know I was good, I sat waiting for the car to take me to the airport. Cody chewed me out all the way back there, and I kept thinking he’s acting like a fucking asshole. I didn’t need to be spoken to like that.”

I hold my tongue, not expecting him to get this deep.

“One of Bill’s assistants got me a new phone. They never found mine. I sent the number to three people. Not Cody, in case you’re wondering.”

“I wasn’t. But continue.”

“The plan is to get me to the shrink back in LA. Because according to Cody I’ve lost my mind.”

“I’m inclined to agree with him after that stunt,” I mutter.

“I don’t want to see a shrink, Krista. I want… to be me,” he looks down at his feet. “I chose me.”

We ride in silence after that. Until we see the road sign for the airport. Our eyes meet again, and I lift a brow in question.

“I’ll leave it up to you,” he says.

Some of his melancholy has lifted. Amusement takes its place.

Against my better judgement, I keep driving.

“Put on some music,” I say, after a while.

He lifts my phone.

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