“Okay, I promise.”
I lie. Picking a fight right now would be stupid. He’s already steered us into a ditch, I’m not testing what comes after that.
“We need to walk. You think you can do that?"
He nods weakly. "Yeah… think so."
I jump out of the car and push through the tangled shrubs to the passenger side.
Thorns tear at my skin, blood dripping over my ankles and soaking into my socks.
Yosh is already halfway out, his legs not exactly cooperating.
He stumbles. I catch him just before he hits the ground.
“Hold on to me.” I slide an arm under his shoulders and push us through the tall grass.
Jesus. I forgot how heavy he is. Or maybe I’m just not built for this. Probably both.
The moment we hit asphalt, my knees give out and I drop down, dragging air into my lungs. Every muscle screams that this is wildly outside my skill set.
I’m a musician playing chordophones, not a goddamn rescue worker.
Ironically, it’s Yosh who extends a shaky hand to pull me up from the ground.
“Let’s… walk,” I grunt, forcing myself upright.
I hitch his arm tighter around my shoulders and haul us forward, step by step, toward the lights.
A glance back. The Gremlin’s a write-off, glowing like a smashed neon beetle in the dark. A crooked smile tugs at my mouth.
He’s going to lose his mind when he’s lucid enough to understand what he’s done. That car was his baby.
I almost feel bad for him.
Almost.
“We’ll take the entrance at the beach,” Yosh says suddenly.
His suggestion surprises me, but it’s a compromise, and right now I’ll take whatever I can.
“Alright, gorgeous. Let’s do it your way.”
We take the path to Playa Arcadia. Sand drags at my trainers, each step heavier than the last. My legs are starting to protest.
The dive bar’s closed. The stairs up to the resort are just ahead. With any luck, we’ll sneak into his studio unseen.
“I’ll check if the coast is clear,” I call over my shoulder. “No pun intended.”
One look at the stairs and my heart sinks. The gate’s locked.
Shit.
I pop my phone out of my pocket. Beach access closes at eleven sharp, and we’re ten minutes late. If this isn’t Sod’s law, I don’t know what is.
“Looks like we’re staying here,” Yosh says behind me.
I spin around. He’s slumped against the limestone wall.
