Page 21 of S.O.S. Mizzay

Chuck might eventually question her decision, but after hours of contemplating while flying to rescue Cobble—and subsequently when they’d taken to the road—Andy had grown tired of second guessing, and made up her mind.

“I’m sure,” she told him pointedly. “And this time, I think it’s best you don’t have that information right away.” Andy held her breath. “Let’s give it a few months before you get read in, just in case you’re under intense surveillance after this last attempt on Cobble’s life.”

Chuck was quiet for a moment, then sighed loudly. “Fine. I’m not happy about it, but I get it. Call me when you get back to Boston.”

“Will do,” Andy assured him before hanging up.

“So, this place is all on you?” Cobble guessed after listening to her conversation.

“Yup.” But she wasn’t going to say any more. It would be kind of fun to see Cobble’s reaction when they arrived.

As unorthodox as it was, their destination was a place Cobble would be totally safe. Indeed, without even consciously making the decision, her wheels had been carrying her in an almost predetermined direction since the moment she’d picked him up.

****

After an hour of mostly small talk; nothing more than fluff, Cobble finally asked, “Okay. I’m done playing coy. Exactlywherearewe going?”

Andy took a ramp off the highway in the middle of nowhere.

She’d wondered if and when he’d become inquisitive.

“You are just now getting curious?” she teased.

“Well, no. I’ve been thinking about it for a few miles,” he chuckled. “And just to let you know, I’m comfortable letting you pick our motel, hotel, or campsite, because you’re good at what you do, butthisexit, it, uh, looks a little remote.” He raised a brow, quizzically. “I don’t see any lights that say ‘vacancy’, in half burned out letters.”

Andy flashed him a small, but nervous grin. “I, umm…actually thought of a different kind of place where you can hide,” she told him. “A place where Iknownobody will find you.”

“Out here?” Cobble called her on her declaration. “You seem pretty sure of yourself despite the lack of…anything that looks civilized. Were we headed this way all along?”

“Sort of,” Andy admitted. “It was almost…involuntary on my part. But don’t worry. I weighed it with a bunch of other options, and settled on this being the best course of action.”

Not that he looked worried. After all they’d been through together, Cobble knew that she would take care of him. She was one of the good guys.Hell, if she wasn’t, she’d had plenty of opportunity over the last few years to kill him.

Cobble nodded. “I trust you,” he confirmed her thoughts. “So once again, where is it you’re taking me?”

Andy’s smile grew slowly and threatened to take over her face. “How about I surprise you?” she giggled.

Yeah. Giggled.Andthatwas something she never did. It had to be nerves. Or maybe just Cobble. They’d dropped into the easy relationship they’d always had before, but now there was an added titillation to their togetherness. Even if he’d forgotten their last hug, she hadn’t. It had fueled her imagination for months and months.

Andy cleared her throat. “If you have any objections once we arrive, we can turn around and find someplace else. But for now, I believe this is our best bet.”

“Cryptic,” Cobble probed interestedly, obviously looking for more, but Andy could see right through him, and wasn’t going to give up anything. Yet.

She laughed instead. “Oh. More cryptic than you could know,” she confirmed. “You might even add…obscure.”

Andy suddenly felt extremely pleased with herself.

Cobble grunted amusedly. “Okay. Fine. Keep me in the dark. I can see it tickles you. But riddle me this. How long before we get to this place?”

Andy’s laughter died out slowly. “Just over an hour. Are you okay that Chuck won’t know where you are for a while?” She screwed up her mouth in question.

“I guess I am,” Cobble returned. “It’s comforting in an odd sort of way. If my fingers-in-every-pie cousin doesn’t know about this place, it’s got to be damned well hidden.”

“It is,” Andy stated vaguely.

Cobble, amazingly, let it be, tipping his head back and closing his eyes.

Andy was glad, at least for the moment, that he wasn’t asking more questions. That way, she wouldn’t have to give him any answers.

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