Page 26 of Wildfire
"I'm sorry. Can you please excuse me? I think this is important." I answer the call in a hushed tone as I head outside.
"Hey babe, sorry I missed your texts. What's going on?"
"Just your whole family blowing up my phone because you're avoiding them."
"Shit, I'm sorry."
"You haven't talked to them yet?"
"They'll just try to guilt me into coming back."
"Well, aren't you almost to L.A. by now?"
"Um…actually, I broke down. I'm waiting for my car to get fixed."
"Fuuuuuck. Where are you?"
"You'll never believe it."
"What? Where are you?"
"Owl Creek."
Zoe laughs on the other line in a way only she can laugh at me without hurting my feelings. Like she's laughing with the future me, who will look back on this and talk about it as if it were a joke.
"You're still in the sticks? I figured you're seeing sunny skies and surfers by now. How long till you hit the road again?"
"Like, another week or more."
"Well, I just got some unexpected time off from work, so do you want some company?"
"What happened?"
"I'll tell you when I see you. What sleaze bag motel are you at?"
"Funny you should ask. I'm staying with the local Fire Chief in the apartment above his garage."
"There's a story here." I can almost hear the wheels turning in her mind.
"Listen, I've got to return to my dinner; it's getting cold. I'll see if Cole is alright with you staying, and then I'll text you the address."
"Ooh. Cole. Sounds like a sexy firefighter name. Or… Wait a minute. Cole? As in the stuff that burns? Isn't that a little on the nose?"
"Zoe, I'll text you later. Love you forever."
"Love you always."
I rejoin Callie, and we eat our food without any more mention of Cole. I am grateful for her taking me under her wing and love spending time with her, but I don't want to give her any hope that anything is going on between him and me. My destinyis in Los Angeles, and meeting the band and singing next week is proof of that.
She drops me off at home, and as I walk up the stairs to my apartment, I notice the porch light go on at Cole's house. It feels like an invitation, and honestly, I am excited to tell him I've been invited to sing with the band.
I put my guitar inside and hurry over to his place. Before I can knock on the door, he opens it with a big, fat grin.
"Hey."
"Hey."
"I was just coming over to see if you wanted a quick drink or…um, some dessert? I made a flourless chocolate torte."
