Page 33 of Protecting Gina

Gina couldn’t believe she was leaving for California today. A month ago, this wasn’t even close to being on her radar. Of course, a lot had happened since Pete had decided that the woman outside the body shop had passed her a thumb drive.

Gina didn’t even know the woman’s name, much less have anything that belonged to the woman. But that hadn’t mattered to Pete. He’d sent his bullies after her, then tried to kidnap her, leaving her no room to stay in this town. Now she was packed and ready to go. Her furniture and her car were already on the way, and they were about to leave.

She sighed as she sipped her coffee and thought about Wave. He was the type of guy she dreamed of being with, but she honestly didn’t think she would ever meet anyone like him. He was compassionate, kind, sweet, and gentle. But he was also strong and focused.

He was the type of guy who made and kept commitments. On one hand, it surprised her that he was willing to move his sister across the country, but that was the kind of guy he was. It said a lot about him.

Cass was eighteen. He could have just ignored the fact that she needed a place to live and needed someone to help her navigate life. But he welcomed her into his house to help her get through the first few years of college life.

Maybe Cass could have made it on her own, but now she had the support of her brother. That support would help her find her footing. Gina had seen too many people unable to keep up when their support systems failed. It wasn’t fair, but then again, life wasn’t fair. If it were, Gina could have told Pete she didn’t have the thumb drive, and she would have been believed.

But she hadn’t been believed, and now she was leaving the area so she didn’t have to worry about the jerk finding her again. It pissed her off that she had to leave, but she was also looking forward to the new adventure.

“You ready?” Wave asked as he stepped into the kitchen.

“Yes. I’m absolutely ready to go.”

“Awesome. Let’s get on the road.”

Wave had talked about renting a truck, but they ended up renting a van. The vehicle had enough space for their bags and the boxes they wanted to bring with them.

Cass sat in the front next to Wave, nearly bouncing with excitement. “This is going to be fun.”

Wave laughed. “It’s going to be a long drive. At least we don’t have to cross big mountains. We also don’t have to go through White Sands. Though it’s not too hot at this time of year.”

“Yeah, how hot does it get in California?” Cass asked.

“It’s mild. Around eighty in the summer at the highest, but there will always be one rogue day that is unbearable. During the winter, the lows can be in the fifties. Windy days will be cold, but the weather is usually nice.”

“That sounds like heaven,” Gina said.

He nodded as he put the vehicle into gear. “It can be. It’s a nice area.”

They were planning on making it almost to Texas today. Then, a little past El Paso the next day, before heading into San Diego on the third day. It was a good plan for driving, though it would take a while.

She leaned back in the seat and sighed. Long days in a vehicle could be very tiring, but this was a great time to figure out what kind of person Wave really was and get to know him. Frustrations built on long road trips, and if he displayed any red flags, it would be easier to see them since they were trapped together for the next few days.

By some gift of the fates or miracle of some sort, traffic was amazingly clear all the way to Dallas, Texas. They were able to get through Dallas and past downtown Fort Worth before they decided to stop for the night. It was much farther than they thought they would get.

Though it was December, the weather wasn’t bad, and it actually felt good outside. There was a restaurant across the street that was still open when they arrived, so they decided to eat there. The food was closer to comfort food than haute cuisine, which was just what he needed. To save money, they were all sleeping in the same room. He wished Gina could be in his bed, but with Cass in the room, he didn’t want to put Gina in that position.

Sleep came easy, and he woke at six the next morning feeling refreshed. He snuck out to grab coffee and donuts at the shop down the block. By the time he got back, Gina was in the bathroom taking her shower.

When she came out, she flashed him a huge smile. “Oh, coffee, thank you.”

Cass sat up and rubbed her eyes. “I’m excited, but tired. Did you get me coffee?”

“Yes, and donuts.”

“Blessings upon you. I’m going to brush my teeth, and then I’ll take the coffee. Do you want to shower before me?” Cass asked.

“Sure. I’ll take a quick one.”

They were ready to go before the hour was up. The drive was easier than the day before. There were fewer big cities, and the interstate was mostly clear.

Gina took a shift driving, and he took a short nap. They talked a lot, and he got to know his sister better. He was glad to hear that his sister hadn’t dated much in high school. She thought her studies were more important than some boy in school.

“That’s impressive,” Gina said.