Page 27 of The Boy I Hate

“Nothing. Well, except get herefaster.”

Samantha closed her eyes, because she wanted nothing more. “I’m working on it.Believeme.”

“How’s everything with Tristan…? Are you guys gettingalong?”

“Everything’s fiiiine,” Samantha said, drawing out the vowels to make the question sound needless. “Why doyouask?”

“I don’t know. I talked to him earlier. He was weird. I thought maybe it had something to dowithyou.”

Samantha pulled in a deep breath and picked at her fingernail. She wished she knew what he’d said, but asking that sort of question would only make her sound guilty. So she shook her head, stuffing down the frustration for Renee’s benefit. She wouldn’t add to her best friend’s stress by complaining about Tristan. She didn’t have to share what a cocky bastard he was. Not now, anyway. She would save that forlater.

“Things are fine, Renee. Better than fine. We’re making good time, and I’m mostly listening to audiobooks.” Which was true. It was all the times in between that feltlikehell.

“Areyousure?”

“Yes,I’msure.”

Renee took a deep breath, as though some huge weight was lifted from her chest. “Okay, good. Where are you guys? How much longer until yougethere?”

Samantha’s eyes fluttered with exhaustion, but a curve pulled at her lips as she glanced around the room. “Motel 6. I have no idea where though. I fellasleep.”

“Ahh… Well, go to sleep, Sam. It sounds like youneedit.”

Samantha nodded, agreeing completely. “When I get to NY, let’s have a spa day. Just me and you: massages, facials, theworks.”

Renee sighed. “Sounds likeheaven.”

“It will be.” Samantha let go of the phone, anchoring it in place between her face and the mattress, feeling herself start to doze again. “We should get off the phone and get some sleep. I’ll call youtomorrow?”

“Soundsgood.”

“NightRen.”

“NightSam.”

11

ChapterEleven

Presentday

Bright,blinding light streamed into Samantha’s motel room as she sat on the edge of the bed. It was just past nine in the morning, yet a chill lingered in the room, reminding her they were no longer in California. She wrapped her hoodie around her shoulders and zipped it shut. She was in abadmood.

Not because of the cold, but because she’d been awake for hours, and they were no closer to their destination. Which left her listening, waiting for any indication he was awake. A floorboard creaking, the sound of running water to indicate a shower had started, but there was nothing. All morning, which left her patienceincrediblythin.

She inched to the edge of the bed, trying to ease the stiffness in her neck that had gathered there during sleep. She was anxious to be on the road already, to get this trip over with, and be with Renee, but nothing at all seemed to behelping.

The last two months had been especially hard without her best friend. Yes, there were the daily phone calls, even FaceTime every now and then, but it wasn’t the same. She longed for the days they stayed on the couch all day, buried in blankets and sharing a box of tissues as they watched the saddest movies they could find onNetflix.

But the moment Renee had gotten engaged, Samantha’s life had changed forever. Because never again would she live under the same roof as Renee, or fight over the last scoop of ice cream in the freezer. It had all changed with one phone call, and she wasn’t even given time toprepare.

Air. Sheneededair.

Having been dressed for over an hour she slipped on her comfortable brown sandals and pushed herself from the bed. Maybe she’d even check out the complimentary breakfast while she wasatit.

She flung open the motel door, finding Tristan’s Mustang right away, parked just below their joined rooms. Knowing the sight would only make her angry, she ignored it, and gazed out to the bright blue sky and the town she didn’t recognize. In her twenty-three years, she’d only traveled out of California a handful of times. She’d always wanted to, but with family close, travel wasn’t one of her parent’s toppriorities.

It was a shame—because there were so many places she wanted to go. So many sights she wanted to see, and now she wasn’t sure she’d get thechance.

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