Page 24 of Coffee Break with the Billionaire

I find a very winding road with the ocean crashing against the shore on one side and a lot of big trees on the other.

But I have a car, so I’m happy.

I didn’t bother trying to negotiate the price. Coy and Laura need the money more than I do. But I was surprised when Coy pushed the keys at me after I finished my chowder.

I also can’t believe they fed me, just like that. I could have been anyone, and they invited me in and gave me soup. Who does that?

“I can’t take it now. I don’t have the money with me,” I told him. “I can bring it tomorrow.”

“I figure a model staying at the castle should be good for it. Take it tonight, drop the money off here tomorrow or the next day, whenever you get it sorted,” Coy said.

And he just gave me the car to take tonight.

So of course I have to go for a drive.

The headlights sweep along the road, illuminating the rocky shoreline that leads me out of town and up the cliff where the castle sits watching. I pass it and keep going. The farther away from town, the more trees there are. I catch glimpses of the water now and again.

I make a mental note to change the presets on the radio, or subscribe to Sirius, although I’ve never had to do either of those things before. There’s also no Bluetooth for me to sync my phone, so I end up listening to a station thatplays twangy country music.

Not my first choice, but driving always needs music. And at least it’s not Opium.

I bought a car. I own a car now.

To think, earlier today I was so bored that I debated calling my father to ask if I could come home, and now I’m happy to be in Laandia again. Retail therapy always helps my mood, but the boost buying the car gave me is like a drug. I can get used to this.

What isn’t helping my mood is the car in front of me.

This could be a fun road—curving and winding around the cliff. I keep driving up and up, so it’ll be amazing coming down. I’ve driven the California highway, Sea to Sky in British Columbia, and Autobahn, and this road might be up there.

If I can pass this guy.

I caught up to the fossil in the beat-up Corolla taking their own sweet time a few kilometres past the castle and there hasn’t been a straight part where I can pass him.

It’s a little frustrating.

Finally, they signal and turn on a deserted-looking gravel road. I fly by with a roar, but once I hit the next curve, I think maybe I should figure out where I’m going. The sky has darkened since I left town, a dark purple and I have no idea where I am. Or what is around here. Like bears. Or another castle.

I turn around to head back to find the gravel road and see if they’re friendly and can tell me where the heck I am.

My headlights show the white Corolla parked in the middle of a clearing and two men taking something from the trunk. Closer to the water, a lighthouse rears up into the sky, bright light stretching far out into the ocean.

I didn’t expect a lighthouse, but I also never expected that one of the men would be Silas from the coffee shop.

He puts up a hand against the bright lights as I park beside him. “Fenella?” he asks with surprise as I bounce out of my new car. “What are you doing here?”

“I bought a car. You like?” Silas stands with a younger version of himself and I smile at the expressions of shock on their faces. “What are you doing out here?”

“That’s Coy Schmidt’s car,” the younger version says.

“It is. He’s an interesting one, don’t you think? I bought it about an hour ago.” I don’t feel like getting into the fact I technically haven’t bought ityetbecause that’s just semantics. It’s still my car.

It’s surprising how possessive I feel about it.

“You just went out and bought a car? He’s been trying to sell the thing for years,” Silas says in a warning voice. He pulls a case out of the trunk and shuts it.

“And I have no idea why no one scooped it up. A little pricey, but when you think about all the work he must have put into it, it’s worth it. It’s a 2007 and it looks fabulous.” I give a little shimmy as I pat the hood.

Silas leans against the Corolla, which looks like such ababycar next to my yellow beast. I mean, it’s a fine car, but it’s no Charger. “You sound like you know about cars.”

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