Page 21 of Trailer Trash

I’d slipped out the back door and walked to the nearby bus stop just as a bus was pulling up. I wasn’t sure it was the bus I needed, but I couldn’t risk Jed finding me, so I hopped on. Luck was on my side—I only had to switch buses once—and I was at the Greyhound station within forty-five minutes. I had exactly twenty minutes before my bus to Texarkana left. If I missed this one, I’d be taking the red-eye. I was standing in line when I heard an all-too-familiar voice behind me.

“I know a faster way to Oklahoma.”

Well, crap on a stick.

I spun around, expecting to see Jed wearing a satisfied smirk, but his expression was as unreadable as usual. “I’m not going back to Henryetta.”

“And I believe I offered you a ride to Oklahoma, not Henryetta.”

“No, thanks.” I turned back around to face the front of the line, and Jed moved in place behind me. How had he figured out I was going to Oklahoma?

That was the thing about Jed. He didn’t say a whole lot most of the time, but he was sharp as a thumbtack.

I steeled my back. “I’m not gonna change my mind.”

“I never expected you to.”

“Then what are you still doin’ here?” I asked, still facing the front.

“Buying a bus ticket, same as you.”

I twisted at the waist to look back at him. “Why on God’s green earth would you do that when you have a perfectly good car?”

He searched my face. “One could ask why you would take a ten-hour bus ride when the trip would be a little over five hours—and a lot more comfortable—if you took me up on my offer.”

I sighed. “Look, I appreciate the offer, but I need to do this on my own.”

He leaned closer and lowered his voice. “Why? I know you think you’re going to lose Rose and Joe if they find out about your past, but you can’t scare me off with the big bad things you’ve supposedly done. I guarantee I’ve done worse.”

“There’s no supposedly about it, Jed.”

“Fine, then you’ve done some bad shit. So have I. Let’s go face it together.”

I was tempted for a lot of right reasons, but some wrong ones too.

I shook my head and turned back around. I expected Jed to try to convince me, but he was his typical quiet self. I reached the window and told the booth attendant I wanted a one-way ticket to Ardmore, Oklahoma.

“Make that two,” Jed said, putting two one-hundred-dollar bills through the window.

I glanced back at him. “What in the Sam Hill are you doin’, Jed Carlisle?”

“I’m buying our tickets to Ardmore.”

“Why on earth would you buy a ticket when your car’s parked right over there?” I pointed to the parking lot.

The attendant paid no mind to our conversation, but instead slid the two tickets and Jed’s change through the window. “Platform two. Your bus is already here and pulls out in ten minutes.”

Jed grabbed my bag from me and headed to the loading platforms.

“What the hell are youdoin’?”

He turned to face me, walking backward as a boyish smile lit up his face. “I’m getting on the bus. I hear they have tight schedules.”

“Are you insane?”

He looked me up and down. “Probably.”

A wave of lust washed through my body, nearly making me stumble. But Jed had already turned around and was heading for the bus. I followed along like he was the Pied Piper. I told myself it was because he had not only my ticket but also my bag.

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