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“You fed her?”
I nodded. “And packed the majority of her things. Sans travel litter box, carrier, and a few toys, of course.”
Sam stretched her arms over her head and patted my chest as she walked past me. “You’re a good dad, Beau.”
She was teasing. I knew that. What explanation, then, was there for the warmth that flooded me? If I had to name it, I would call it contentment. I’d be the first to acknowledge I made Samantha crazy more often than not, but she, on the other hand, had a way of soothing me like no one else ever had.
“Areyou sure it’s okay if I sleep?” she asked when we left the hotel and were on the highway.
“Absolutely. We’ll take turns.”
“You’ll actually let me drive your new car?”
It wasn’t mine, but for now, I’d let her believe it was. “As often as you’d like.”
“What about the Porsche?”
I cocked my head. “Now, you’re pushing it.” I was teasing. It was difficult for me to deny Sam anything, particularly since she asked for little to nothing.
“This is nice,” she said, pulling the blanket I’d retrieved from the rear passenger seat for her.
“It came with the vehicle.”
She snuggled into the pillow I’d also gotten for her and was soon fast asleep. I peered in the mirror and saw Wanda was sleeping just as soundly. “You’re a good dad, Beau,” replayed in my head as the warm feeling settled over me again.
“Where are we?”she asked, stretching her arms over her head like she had earlier.
“Somewhere in Utah. Where exactly, I’m uncertain.”
“Is that right?” she asked, looking at the time display. “Did I really sleep five hours?”
I shook my head. “We’re in a different time zone, so only four.”
“Sheesh,” she muttered, then glanced at her cat before turning back toward me. “Do you want me to drive now?”
I shrugged. “You can if you want to. I don’t mind continuing, though.”
“If I don’t drive, I might fall asleep again.”
I laughed. “Better that you don’t drive, then.”
Her cheeks flushed. “You’re probably right. It’s really beautiful here,” she added, looking at the red-clay landscape of the Utah desert.
“Have you ever been?”
Sam rolled her eyes. “I’ve never been anywhere.”
“You’ve been to Vegas.”
“Now, I have.”
“That was your first visit?” I asked, stunned.
“When I said I haven’t beenanywhere, I wasn’t exaggerating.”
“What about Los Angeles?”
She shook her head.
