Page 10 of Love and Other Lost Things

“No. I decided college wasn’t a good fit.” Jane could barely choke out the lie. Had her dream to study music really just vanished into thin air?

Kait stopped her SUV at the red light on the edge of town and gave Jane a sideways glance. “So, what’s in New York?”

“Eight million people.”

Kait nodded like she understood that and, briefly, Jane wondered why the other woman had stuck around in Linden Falls for all these years. Kait looked to be in her early thirties, and she’d been running the autobody shop since Jane was a kid. Why did she put up with people like judgy Mrs. Swanson and Dad harassing her? Surely there was a more accepting place than this.

Kait hit her turn signal, coasting off Route 8 and onto the main road leading to Westbrook, a slightly larger town than Linden Falls, but not by much. Maybe it had two stoplights instead of one. And the bus station, of course.

“Thanks for going out of your way,” Jane said.

Kait laughed. “Half a mile out of the way isn’t going to make much of a difference to me. I’m just grabbing some things from a friend’s house and then heading out to Los Angeles.”

“Tonight?” Jane blinked and turned to look at Kait. Her reddish hair glowed crimson in the traffic light. “You’re driving all the way to California?”

“Well, I’m not going the whole way tonight. I’ll probably make it about as far as Toledo, Ohio tonight, and then grab a motel room until morning.”

“What’s in Los Angeles?” It was none of her business, but an idea was slowly starting to form in Jane’s head, and she couldn’t help herself.

“A buyer for this car.”

“All the way out in LA?”

“We find them cheap and fix them up. If someone in LA wants it, I’ll deliver it for the right price,” Kait said, with a smirk. “We’re a full-service garage.”

Jane wondered if she was sitting in one of those stolen cars Dad used to rant about. But what did Jane care? The car was on its way to LA, and it wasn’t like Dad had a stellar track record of tracking down Kait’s vehicles. Hopefully, he wouldn’t be very good at tracking down missing people, either. “How will you get back here?”

“I’ve got a plane ticket for Tuesday.”

The light turned green, and Kait accelerated through the intersection. They rode the next block in silence as Jane turned over this new information in her head. New York City was huge, but it was still only a couple of hours away from here, and even closer to Cornell. But Los Angeles… She could be truly anonymous in Los Angeles. She could start a brand-new life, away from Dad’s control, and Mom’s betrayal, and…

Her heart stuttered.

Away from memories of Nik.

Nobody would ever think to look for her in Los Angeles.

They coasted down another block, past a sign directing them to the bus station. Jane peeked through her lashes at Kait. She didn’t know Kait at all, but she had a feeling she could trust her. By the long looks Kait had been casting her way, slowly lingering on her bruises, Jane had a feeling that Kait knew exactly what had happened—or close enough that she wouldn’t rat her out to Dad. And she’d shown genuine concern when she’d picked Jane up on the side of the road.

Jane took a deep breath. “Can I come with you?”

Kait’s eyebrows shot up. “You want to come to LA with me?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Jane was eighteen. Technically, she could go anywhere she wanted. Do anything she wanted, and Dad would have no say about it. But it didn’t mean he wouldn’t try. “Because nobody would ever think to look for me there.”

Kait parked the car in front of the bus station and turned in her seat to face Jane. “Are you in some kind of trouble?”

“No.” Jane shook her head. “No. I just need to get out of this town. And away from…” She pressed a hand to her face, wincing as her fingers slid over the lump that had formed on her cheekbone.

Kait nodded. “Yeah. I get it.” Her hands tightened on the steering wheel. “I’ve seen your mom around town with bruises that matched yours. Always wondered if I was the only one who suspected. I even approached her once when she came into the minimart, offered to help, but she told me to mind my own business.” Her eyes darkened. “I guess he’s been treating you the same.”

“He didn’t…” Jane said. “Not for a long time. And then—” She closed her eyes and saw the stairs coming fast, felt the splinters dig into her palm as she grasped at the railing to slow her fall, the pain in her shoulder as her weight propelled her forward anyway. “And then he did.”

Kait cursed under her breath.

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