Page 28 of Love at First Ride
‘You want to use my car?’
He looks to the floor. There are holes in his T-shirt, at the hemline around his neck. ‘I thought about asking you that. But if I get pulled over, it’s not my car, and then when they find Noah, I’m in even deeper shit. I was gonna ask if maybe you could drive Noah, and I’ll follow on my motorcycle. Girl like you… cops wouldn’t look at you twice, let alone pull you over. You could put Noah in the trunk ’til you’re outside of Canyon.’
I blink at him. This conversation is borderline surreal. He hasn’t raised his head. ‘I… I don’t know,’ I murmur.
‘We’d go fast. Leave after dark. Stop on the road someplace, maybe a motel. Then hit the road early morning, get to Rita’s and drop him off, turn around, come right back.’
He raises his eyes to me. I instantly look down, because I can’t look my crush in the eye.
‘I could pay you,’ he adds. ‘Iwillpay you.’
I raise my chin. A little money would go a long way at the moment. ‘How much?’ I ask.
He shrugs. ‘Few hundred bucks?’
‘Deal.’
‘You sure?’ he asks, and for a second time, he looks me in the face. This time, I do my best to hold his gaze, and an explosion of butterflies goes off in my stomach.
He looks hopeful, if I can call it that. His expressions mostly involve glowering, yet he’s always had a touch of vulnerability. ‘I need to figure some stuff out first. We could leave in a day or so?’
I seem to have inadvertently roped myself into his plan. Mostly, I think, because I’m still fizzing from the fact that AJ Callahan is standing so close to me. He might be paying me, but I’m the one who started this. I can hardly abandon him and Noah now. ‘That would be good. He’ll be climbing the walls by then.’
I lower my voice further. ‘What will you tell Noah? Would he not want to go to Santa Fe?’
AJ puffs out his cheeks. ‘My aunt, she’s, uh… a little different. From my mom, that is. More of a disciplinarian. He’s not gonna love that. But he doesn’t have a choice. It’s that, or juvie, which is where he’ll end up if the cops track him down anytime soon.’
‘So, what will you tell him?’
‘I gotta figure that part out.’
‘I told Sunset Pines I couldn’t work today. I can stay with him. Do you need to work?’
‘Uh huh. Yeah. Is that all right? I brought him a change of clothes in the bag, and a few things from his room. I could come back later. Bring us some takeout.’
‘How should I call you? If I need to?’ I ask.
‘Call the number for Scotch & Smoke. Say it’s an emergency. Somebody can come get me.’
‘I didn’t know you worked in the bar as well.’
‘I don’t. Echo’s Auto Shop is right next door.’
‘Oh.’
‘So, I’ll see you tonight?’
He’s looking straight at me again and my cheeks warm. I give a little nod.
‘Don’t let Noah push you around.’
Chapter Eight
Hollie
By the afternoon, Noah is bored. He’s watched back-to-back movies on Netflix, while I’ve sat in an armchair and read a book.
‘Can I go home now?’ he asks me sombrely, after I’ve told him we’re out of food, because he ate it all.
