Page 68 of Longest Ride

“Sure. I’m Ray. Ray Robichau.” He grabbed the door handle and jumped out.

When the switch was made, Bobby said, “I’m Bobby Prescott.” He slumped down in the passenger seat, stretched his legs out and tried to get comfortable.

Ray waited for a quick verbal lesson to get him started and eased onto the highway slowly.

“Where we heading?”

“Northeast. See you have a guitar. You going to Nashville?”

Ray laughed. “Nowhere near ready for Nashville. Couple more years, maybe. Don’t matter where I go right now. I’m broke and looking for work.”

“Thanks for driving, Ray.”

“Hope I can do it.” He glanced across the console at Bobby. “How’d you get hurt so fuckin bad?”

“Got myself shot.”

“By the looks of you, a hospital might be what you need.”

“Yeah, I might check into one or go to a clinic if we happen to pass one.” Bobby glanced out the window and pointed. “I’m starving, Ray. Pull into that McDonald’s and we’ll get some food. I’ve got some cash in the glove box to pay for it.”

“Am I supposed to drive this big mother in this line? asked Ray.”

“Nope. You’re supposed to park at the back of the lot and walk in but try anyway.”

“Okay.” With a bit of difficulty, Ray maneuvered the big truck into the drive-thru line and pulled up to the window when it was their turn.

“I’ll have a large coffee with double cream,” said Bobby. “Big Mac and fries. And I’ll have an apple pie.”

“Sure,” said Ray. “I’ll have the same.”

Bobby fished a twenty out of the loose cash in the glove box and handed it to Ray. Ray handed it to the girl in the window.

At the next window, they got their order and Ray pulled into the parking lot and shut the engine down while they ate.

“I was wondering why you ain’t in a hospital now, with you being hurt so bad n’all.”

“My girlfriend kidnapped me out of the ICU in the Huntsville hospital. She shot two people while she was at it, and one of them was a Texas Ranger.”

“Holy fuck. That ain’t good. She nuts? Where is she now?”

“In the bayou south of here. She wanted to hide out like Bonnie and Clyde and live on the down-low. I said I wasn’t dying with her, and we parted ways.”

“Was she pretty?”

“Yep. Pretty and nice at first, and then she went a little crackers on me.”

Ray laughed as he ground a gear. “I’ve heard women do that sometimes.”

“You got a girlfriend, Ray?”

“Nope. Never did. I’m too busy writing songs and trying to sell the odd one. Got no time and no money to spend on women.”

“Good way to be. That’s the way I’m gonna be from here on in.”

Ray hit the I-10 by-pass, circled around the Big Easy and they headed northeast.

Calumet. Louisiana.

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