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I cringed. “An hour? Isn’t there someone closer than that?”
“No, ma’am.” The operator was losing her patience with me. “He’ll be there as soon as he can.”
Before I could ask anything else, she hung up.
My entire life was in the back of this truck. The bedroom set I bought when Mary Ellen and I moved into our first apartment. Boxes of books that I couldn’t seem to part with and their bookcase. Suitcases of clothes.
I flipped on the radio. Who does this? Who packs up her entire life and drives halfway across the country by herself?
I did.
Because I felt as if I needed to prove something. I don’t know if I was trying to prove to my brother or to myself, that my life with Cole was something I could handle. I wanted it. Needed it. I could do this.
Despite the age difference. Despite his two-year old son. I was completely committed to us.
Moving to Texas proved that to everyone.
I thought about calling Cole to tell him about the flat tire, but if I told him where I was, he would get in his truck and start driving. No matter how many times I tried to convince him I had help on the way, he would drive straight to me. That’s what Cole does. That’s why I fell in love with him.
I jumped when I heard my phone ring.
I picked it up. “Hey, Sasha.”
“When are you getting here?”
I laughed. She might be as excited as Cole and I were, possibly more. “I’m getting there.”
“I still don’t know why you didn’t let Cole drive with you. He was dying to make the trip with you.”
“I know. I know. But we couldn’t put Grayson in a car seat for four days. This made more sense.” I wasn’t going to feel guilty about it. “It’s just something I needed to do. I’ll be there tonight.” Although, at the rate this roadside assistance was going, I’d be lucky if the guy showed up by nightfall.
“I can’t wait for you to get here. I still can’t believe you are actually moving.”
I shook my head. “Me either.” I looked at the trailer behind me. “There’s no turning back now. The truck is loaded and I’m in Louisiana. I’m almost there.”
My shoulders were starting to cramp from the driving and my left foot kept falling asleep. Cole was my grand prize at the end of this journey, but it would be so amazing if he came along with a hot shower.
“Call when you get to the bridge, ok?”
“I will.”
I’d give just about anything to be there now. I had at least nine hours of driving ahead of me. I might never make it to Cole.
“Thanks for calling. I’ll check in with you later.” I smiled as I saw the yellow caution lights flash in my mirror. I had to get this show on the road.
I hung up the phone, tucked it into my back pocket, and hopped out of the truck.
“You run into trouble?” A lanky man with grease-stained jeans and a wad of tobacco in his jaw strolled toward the tire.
“I did. Do you think you can get the tire changed for me?”
He lifted a ball cap from his head and scratched what little bit of hair he had. “Nobody told me nothin’ about a tire. I got a call you needed a tow.”
“That’s not possible. I specifically told the woman on the phone the trailer tire was flat.” I wanted to call her back and lay into her, but I had bigger problems. This was the help they sent, and now that he was standing four feet away, I wasn’t sure he would be able to do much of anything.
He spat from the side of his mouth, sending brown bits of tobacco into the grass and gravel. I tried not to stare, but this couldn’t be happening. I had to get to South Padre. I had to start my life with Cole. This man was one more thing standing in my way.
“Don’t know what to tell ya. I don’t got a tire. I’ll roll back up to town, pick you up one, and I’ll be back.” He looked at his watch. “Gimme an hour.”
