Page 12 of The Road to Finding Us

I let out a groan as I try to stuff one of her suitcases into the bed of my truck. “Yes, I’m listening to you. I’m just choosing not to respond,” I reply with a grunt, somehow managing to stuff her second suitcase on top of the other. “I don’t think two suitcases was really necessary,” I add, while squeezing her duffle bag on top of my own suitcase. I’d offer to put her purse back there as well, but considering she wouldn’t let me touch any of the contents from it earlier, I’m going to assume she wants it in the front seat with her. Or at least easily accessible in the small back seat.

I step back, my hands finding my waist to assess the situation. Technically, I got all our bags to fit back there. But there’s not an inch to spare. Luckily, I have a cover for the bed, or I’d be nervous on what could happen to all the luggage in the back.

“Yes, completely necessary,” she clarifies. “I’m not getting in that truck. There’s no way you plan to drive that all the way to South Carolina.” The last words fall out of her mouth in disgust.

I finally pull my gaze from the truck and aim it directly at her. All I do is glare at her.

She squirms underneath my gaze. The loose T-shirt she has on falls off her shoulder with the slight movement, and I’m greeted with a glimpse of her smooth tan skin. She anxiously plays with the frayed threads of her jean shorts, rubbing the long strands between her thumb and index finger. I continue to watch her as her eyes bounce between me and my death trap, as she likes to keep calling it.

“So be it. I’ll unpack the back for you then.” I step closer to Gladys, reaching to lift the tailgate.

Before I can make my next move, her small hand finds my bicep. “Wait,” she begins, and I look at her from the corner of my eye, seeing the uncertainty written on her face. She cautiously inspects Gladys. “Is it even street legal?” she asks in a straightforward tone.

I chuckle at her ridiculous question and shake my head. “Did you really just ask that?”

Lily quickly pulls her hand off my arm. Even though her hand is no longer there, I immediately miss the feeling of her skin on mine.

She takes a few hesitant steps back, her back hitting the car I’m parked next to. “It was a legitimate question, Aspen.” The look on her face makes it clear that she was actually serious.

I want to continue to pester her about how dumb of a question it was, but I’d like to avoid an argument with her before I’ve even finished my morning coffee. “Then I’ll give you a legitimate answer. Yes, Gladys is completely street legal.” I go to open the passenger door for her, the door letting out a long groan in the process. I wipe my hands on the front of my jeans, taking a few steps closer to her.

Lily pulls her lip between her teeth, and my fingers itch to pull it out for her. It was something I used to do to piss her off. A simple excuse for me to touch her under the façade of trying to make her mad. If I were to do it now, I’d be afraid to see her reaction.

I used to love getting a rise out of her. I’m not sure I have that ability anymore.

It feels like an unfortunate punch to the gut. I would rather she be annoyed by me than feel indifferent. I’m too scared to see where the ball might drop now.

“Gladys?” she finally asks, her dark blue eyes assessing me.

“Lily, meet Gladys.” I extend my arm to point out my baby. “While she may not look the best on the outside, I can assure you she’s fit as a whistle on the inside.”

“You named it?” she mocks.

I feel a pang in my heart. I try to erase the memories that flood my brain with her question.

I speak through a frog in my throat when I say, “She, uh…came with the name. She was my grandfather’s. It was left to me when he passed away last summer. I still have my car from college, but I’d much rather drive this. It makes me feel, I don’t know, closer to him.” I give her a weary look, not really wanting to explain myself any further. “I promise it’s safe.”

Lily’s dark eyebrows pull together. The next few moments are silent as she quietly assesses every little detail of Gladys. I watch in fascination as her eyes travel over every slope and curve of the truck.

She’s still hesitantly evaluating the car when I speak again. “C’mon, Lily, do you really think I would jeopardize this beautiful body,” I start at my head and travel the expanse of my body with my hands, “and get in a car I thought was unsafe? To put myself in jeopardy would be a tragedy for so many ladies.”

Lily scoffs, giving me a dirty look while she does so. “Rule number one of this road trip: you aren’t to speak of the ladies you claim are attracted to you.”

“You didn’t mind it when you were the object of my affection.” I peer at her from across the hood.

Her jaw drops, her tan cheeks getting a pink hue to them. Her mouth opens and closes a few times. There aren’t many times that Lily Morrison is speechless, but it appears this is one of them.

“And besides, I think that would be rule number four,” I declare, before pulling on the driver’s side door handle and swinging inside the car.

A few seconds later, she throws her purse in the backseat, and then plops down in the seat with a loud huff.

I put the keys in the ignition and start the truck. It comes to life with a loud rumble. Lily reaches to grab the seatbelt while I begin to reverse out of the parking spot. “Heads up, it sometimes—”

She shushes me as she tugs on the seatbelt, pulling hard until it abruptly stops. I watch the situation unfold from the corner of my eye. She yanks harder this time, but the belt doesn’t budge. The force of her final yank causes her head to bounce off the window.

“—gets stuck,” I finish, trying to keep my lips from curling into a smile as she rubs her temple.

“Holy shit,” Lily mumbles, after pulling down the visor to look at herself in the mirror.

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