Page 42 of Hell and High Water

The jet black jeep is stacked, loaded with just about every possible accessory I could think of.

“Should get us through any rough terrain along the way.”

“I’ll drive?—”

“Like hell you will,” I cut him off.

The roundabout road circling Sanctum takes us longer but avoids the thick of town, keeping us in secluded wilderness. Only the occasional house and drive mark the sides of these roads, mostly old hermit types who keep to themselves like me.

“Left?” I interrupt the silence of the drive.

“Hmm. Yes, but take the right fork right after. That’s the last marked road on the GPS that dead ends where I think we need to go.” Evan’s absorbed in studying the map. “Another gap.”

“Ah, more Sanctum Harbor ‘blurs’ on the map, huh?”

“You’ve noticed it too. Most of the town doesn’t show up on any map app.”

“Wonder how the hell they pulled that off?”

“More Sinful secrets,” Evan muses.

“That sounds like an underground sex club.” I chuckle.

“Not a bad idea…”

“Speaking of bad ideas, why have you been avoiding Hellena, really?”

“I thought we already touched on that.”

“Well, let’s revisit it. She needs to see you.”

“Did she say that?”

“What do you think?”

“Right.” Evan sighs, looking out the window as we bounce along the rocky trail.

“Gah, you’re both idiots.”

“I–I don't know how to face her. What to say.”

Odd. The guy’s rarely unsure of himself. At least it’s telling that he’s a mess over her. Otherwise, I'd have to kick his ass.

“You wouldn’t have to say shit. Except maybe that you’re sorry.”

Evan raises an eyebrow, looking aloof, looking a little more like his old self. Jackass.

“You’re such a prat. Can you get over yourself for two seconds and have a real conversation?”

“Says the guy who couldn't get over himself to tell Hellena how he felt because of his age.”

“And my relationship with her father, thank you very much. It was awkward. And then I did get over it, and voila! Everything was fine.”

“I guess we all have our reasons for chickening out when it comes to her.”

“Yeah, but she makes it really easy to get over them if you give it a shot. You know that as well as I do. Don’t you miss her?”

“Of course I fucking miss her,” Evan snaps in a grumble. And that’s about the end of it.