Page 11 of Crush & Byte
The silence stretched for a few minutes as we rolled on.River watched the scenery passing with a pensive look on her face, but she didn’t seem upset.More like she was reflecting on what was happening and what her next move needed to be.
Finally, she broke the silence again.“I’d like to continue on.I can’t do it by myself because I can’t decipher her messages, so if you guys have better shit to do, that’s fine.I’d appreciate a ride home if you don’t want to do this, though.”
“Of course we’re doing this,” I said, turning in my seat to face her directly.“Maggie tries to pretend we don’t know what she’s up to, but she set this up for all of us, not just you.”
River’s face lit up with that unfiltered excitement again, and something warm unfurled in my chest.Dangerous territory.“So Seattle’s next,” she said, leaning forward between the seats.“Pike Place Market.I’ve never been there, but I’ve heard it’s amazing.”
“It’s a fuckin’ tourist trap,” Crush muttered, but I caught the hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth.
“A tourist trap with the best damn clam chowder you’ll ever taste,” I added, earning a grin from River.
As I glanced over at Crush to see the other man smirk at me, I realized how chatty I sounded.Like I actually enjoyed conversation or something.I found myself wanting to engage with River like I only ever wanted to engage with my brother.Obviously Crush noticed me acting out of character but said nothing.If anything, the look on his face said he liked the change.Maybe I’d become too reclusive.
The miles ticked by as we headed north, and I found myself stealing glances at River whenever I turned my head to the left to take in the landscape.Which was often.She looked out the window, chin propped on her hand, taking in everything with wide-eyed curiosity.
By the time we hit the outskirts of Seattle, the sun was setting, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink.I studied River’s face for a moment, trying to gauge her reaction.Joy radiated from her with every mile we put behind us.She took in the terrain, looking in wonder at the exotic sky.
“So beautiful…” The genuine wonder in her voice sent a punch to my heart.The weather was clear and the beauty of Mt.Rainier off in the distance seemed to overwhelm her.
“Sure is.”I hadn’t meant to respond out loud.Crush gave me a sidelong look, but I just shrugged.
“This is what I love about moving from place to place.I get to see new places all the time.”She sounded almost dreamy.She had a look of unadulterated awe on her face.To be fair, the sunset made a spectacular sky.Just not as lovely as River.
We made it into Seattle proper just as the last of the sunset was fading, the city lights blinking to life around us.The Bronco felt claustrophobic suddenly, the air electric with anticipation.I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt this way about anything that wasn’t related to hacking or some complex puzzle.This felt different.Probably because I knew the reward would be unlike anything I’d ever experienced.
“We should find a place to crash for the night,” Crush said, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled over us.“Hit Pike Place first thing in the morning when it opens.”
I nodded, already pulling up a map on my phone.“There’s a hotel about six blocks from the market.Nothing fancy, but it’ll do.”
“I can get my own room,” River piped up from the back seat.“I have the money Mrs.Walsh gave me.”
“Not happening,” Crush and I said in unison.
River’s eyes widened slightly.“I just meant --”
“We’re not letting you out of our sight, honey,” I explained, trying to sound less intense than I felt.The thought of her not being close to us didn’t sit well with me.Apparently, I wasn’t the only one.“Nothing personal.”I smiled, trying to take the sting out of our words.“It’s just how we operate.”
“Oh.”She settled back in her seat looking a little deflated, almost lost.“I’m not sure…” She swallowed before glancing at me, then down at her lap.“Do we have to share a room?”The vulnerability in her features was nearly my undoing.
“River, honey…” Crush looked in the rearview mirror again to meet and hold her gaze.“We’ll get adjoining rooms.We’re not going to pounce on you or anything.You’ll have your privacy.”
She looked so defenseless and innocent in that moment, I felt my heart twist a little.Not a sensation I was used to, but I was beginning to realize that River had a way of bringing out unfamiliar responses in me.
“We won’t push you into anything,” I said, meaning it more than I’d meant most things in my life.“This whole thing is supposed to be fun.An adventure.Not something that makes you uncomfortable.”
Crush pulled into the hotel parking lot, a decent-looking place with a neon sign that flickered slightly in the gathering darkness.He cut the engine and turned to face River directly.“My brother’s right,” he said, his voice gentler than I’d heard it in a long time.“We’re here to keep you safe and to follow Maggie’s breadcrumbs with you.Nothing more.”
The tension in River’s shoulders eased slightly.“Okay,” she said.“I’m sorry.This is all happening really fast, and this is definitely not the smartest thing I’ve ever done.”
“Welcome to life with Maggie Walsh,” I said with a wry smile.“She has a way of making you do things you’d ordinarily never do.”
“We’ve dealt with it our whole lives.”Crush grinned as he tapped on his phone with his thumbs in rapid fire.A couple seconds later he shut the truck off and climbed out.“OK.I got us adjoining rooms and activated our keys.You guys ready?”
“You can’t do that on a phone.”River looked like she thought we were crazy.
Crush grinned, meeting my gaze and shaking his head.“I’m not sure whether to be insulted or not.”
I shrugged, winking at River.“She hasn’t figured out yet we’re not mere mortals.”
