Page 41 of Love at First Ride
‘You might wanna…’ I say to Hollie, then hesitate.
‘What?’ she asks with a frown.
Maybe this was a bad idea. ‘I was just thinking that… we would get there a little faster if you… you know. Put your foot on the gas just a little.’
Her brow lifts. ‘I’m doing the best I can,’ she clips.
I choke down a laugh. That doesn’t seem to go down well either. ‘I mean, I know it’s a shitty car, but…’
She yanks open the driver’s side door. ‘Fine,’ she says, though it’s clearly not.
‘I’m not tryna be rude, or anything…’ I add, and now she’s looking at me like she wants to wipe the smirk off my face.
She holds up one hand in my direction. ‘Message received,’ she huffs out.
We both fill up on gas. I tell her I’ll pay for hers, and she lets me, though she refuses my offer of help at the pump. Seems like she’s ultra mad at me now.
Back out on the highway, I pick up speed on my Honda Rebel 500, mainly to coax Hollie to do the same.
I love this bike. She’s a beauty. It’s got a classic look that makes me feel like James Dean. When she drives past me, my brain does this thing where it wonders if Hollie Palmer is the kind of girl who digs a guy who rides motorcycles. ’Cause there are plenty of chicks out there who get off on that stuff, though it doesn’t seem like Hollie Palmer’s one of ’em. Then, the fact I’mwantingher to be one of them girls has got me questioning why my brain is even going there in the first place, because it never bothered me before. With any chick.
When they pass me, it pisses me off that Noah’s now sat up front and has got his feet up on the dash, and he’s laughing at something she’s said.
By the time we cross the state line into New Mexico, my tailbone and ass cheeks are killing me. We make it as far as Roswell before we stop again for more gas, and I’ll admit, when I see her face, Hollie looks beat.
‘We gained one hour,’ I tell her when she gets out the car to stretch her legs. ‘We crossed into Mountain Time, so it’s only noon.’
‘How long left?’ she asks, wiping her palms down her face.
‘About three hours,’ I tell her.
‘I feel like I’ve been driving forever,’ she groans. ‘And then we have to drive all the way back.’
‘Noah not driving you insane?’
We both look back at him, the passenger side door open. He’s laying down in the back again, one knee propped up. ‘He’s been fine. He’s been telling me about Rapture. God, I have backache.’
I rub my hands over my hips. ‘Jesus, me too.’
She looks to the ground and kicks something on the concrete.
‘Will anybody have noticed you’re gone yet?’ I ask.
She shakes her head. ‘I messaged Sunset Pines. Told them I wasn’t feeling well. They never want us to come to work if we’re sick.’
‘Thanks for doing that,’ I say, then add, ‘For Noah, I mean,’ in case there was any doubt.
She looks up at me. I gotta admire anyone with that much patience, who cares so much for people they have no blood ties to, and for no money neither.
I’m staring. ‘So. Rita,’ I say and clear my throat. ‘She lives on a dairy farm in Tano Road. Northwest of Santa Fe. She’s an artist. Does portraits. Sells ’em on the local art scene. She’s pretty talented.’
‘Her farm sounds amazing,’ Hollie says. ‘Noah told me all about her.’
‘Oh,’ I say. ‘Right.’
We fill up with more gas, stock up on food and each take another bathroom break.
This ride is boring. There’s nothing to look at on this highway, so my mind wanders. I’m starting to get anxious. I told Echo that I had to get out of town for a couple days. He didn’t ask questions, but he wasn’t exactly impressed that I was leaving a bunch of work for him to deal with. The only customers who bring their cars and motorcycles out to Rapture anymore are the loyal ones. The ones who don’t wanna pay some fancy company in Canyon big bucks to fix up their vehicle, or members of the Venom club. Lately, business has started to tail off, because people don’t wanna make the journey, or believe the rumors that Rapture is not a safe place anymore. That, or they get lured by special offers and discount deals, neither of which Echo’s shop can offer. I promised him overtime, but I need to get back already.
