AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I came to a stop in the middle of the road. I was not catching feelings for this guy, was I?
The honk of a horn made me jump as Lucky zeroed in on me. I held up the McDonald’s bag like a trophy and he whistled.
“Girl, you read my mind.” He stuffed the half gone stem of grapes back in the baggie and slid off the truck.
“McDonald’s and a road trip go together like peanut butter and jelly.” I tossed the bag at him.
“Only way better.” He dug in with a groan. “Perfect.” He nodded to the truck. “I’ve got disinfectant wipes in the glove box.”
“Obsessed with germs?”
He shrugged.
Then I remembered he’d been pretty much homeless for years and wanted to kick my own ass. I got in and we cleaned up then unwrapped our breakfast sandwiches.
I held mine out to him and he tapped it with his. “Cheers.”
“What do you have back there?” I asked between bites
He looked over his shoulder. “Camping stuff.”
“You know we’re going to a hotel, right?”
“I like to be prepared.”
“Boy Scout too?”
He waggled his brows. “Always prepared, babe.”
Once the sandwiches were gone, I twisted onto my knees to get to the cooler. I pulled off my sweater and threw it on my bag. I was a bit freakish about my water being cold. I’d filled up a few insulated tumblers for the ride and grabbed one. My elbow brushed his shoulder and he stilled as my hair draped over his arm.
“Sorry.” Quickly, I got back on my side of the truck. “How long do we have?”
“We’re just outside of Pittsfield, so we should make it there a little after noon.” He cleaned up our late breakfast then pulled out of the parking lot.
“I’m gonna blink out for a bit. I slept for shit.”
“Go ahead.”
I wasn’t actually tired, but the closer we got to Jimmy’s hometown, the less capable I was of making small talk. It had been years since I’d been out this way.
I’d tagged along with Cohen and Jimmy one summer—the summer we’d tangled.
Cohen had fallen in lust with a girl working in Mystic and had dragged us both with him in case the online hookup fizzled. It hadn’t, leaving Jimmy and I alone. I was high on my new designs for my first fabricator machine and getting some interest from a company to collaborate. I’d been feeling reckless and happy for the first time in a while.
Jimmy was charming and there had always been something between us. Neither of us had ever thought to step over the line until we’d been left to our own devices. One hot day in July, I’d made the biggest mistake of my life.
At the time, it hadn’t seemed that way. But when Jimmy asked me not to tell my brother about us, I should
have run far and fast. Secrets never led to happiness. But I’d been too stupid and blind. I’d believed that he wanted me. For half a second, I’d even believed I was in love with him.
I’d been so wrong.
I didn’t think I was going to fall asleep, but I supposed I wanted to escape even the memories. I woke to Lucky lightly shaking my shoulder.
“Ruby?”
Before I answered him, I pressed my forehead to the window. The sign outside proclaimed the memorial for James Devine. There were a fleet of cars parked in the lot, and a line snaked out the door.
