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He turned, and our eyes met. "I'll get us some dinner."
My heart skipped several beats as I took him in.
"How about I order while you get dressed?" I turned my lips up in a smile.
* * *
I ordereddinner from a sushi place down the road from us. Then Rush made a phone call to the real estate agent on the lease. He told us the document was legitimate and had been purchased by a third party on behalf of the garage.
"This is crazy!" Rush glanced over at me and then studied the document as though it would answer all his questions. "How can you sell something to someone without identification to verify whether they are spending money that's theirs or not?"
I wasn't sure what the person on the other end of the line said, but Rush's face was thunderous with anger.
The call ended, and I waited for a beat before interrupting his thoughts. "Helpful?" I asked.
"I don't understand this,' he replied. "The guy was as helpful as a blunt saw."
I smiled at his analogy.
"What are you going to do?" I was thinking along the lines of going straight to confronting Clint and demanding to know exactly what had been going on. Rush must have read my thoughts.
"I want to know all the facts first." He rubbed the back of his neck.
Slightly less gun-ho than my plan.
"I think I'll take a ride down to Key West and check out the property."
My stomach dropped like a cannonball. He was going away?
Rush met my gaze, and his fingers brushed my cheekbone and around my ear. "I know things are still new between us, but would you like to come? We could stop along the way. Get a hotel one night and make a trip of it."
My heart sputtered with excitement at the idea of going on a trip with him. "Who will watch the garage?" I asked, verifying he wasn't kidding about me going.
"I am allowed to take a vacation, and I want to get to the bottom of this." He moved in closer, like a tiger eager for its prey. "Plus, I want to be with you."
His gaze lit me on fire, sending heat directly between my legs. My throat became dry.
"I'd like that." I swallowed hard, working to calm the excited butterflies doing the disco in my belly. "I'd like that a lot."
* * *
Mom wasn't excitedabout the idea, and I could understand. I'd made a lot of changes in my life over the last few weeks, and this was beyond what she was prepared for.
"Where exactly are you going to stay?" I shrugged as I rolled a tee into a tight sausage shape and put it at the bottom of my backpack. Rush had told me to only pack what I could fit in a small bag. Pinterest had shown me how to maximize packing space and still take enough clothes for a week.
I hadn't slept. My mind raced with happiness at spending an extended amount of time away from my mom and with Rush. No matter what, I wouldn't let her ruin it.
"I don't know, Mom. It's a road trip, but we'll figure it out."
"Lux, I think you have forgotten about your prognosis. This isn't a good idea. You'll regret it." She glared as though that would change my mind.
"How can I forget when you refuse to let me." I paused and then said what was on my mind. "All this time, you've kept me trapped like a rabbit in a cage, and I could have been having a normal life."
Mom staggered back. "Is that what you think? That I've been keeping you a prisoner? You know, Lux, my life has been on hold too. You had cancer, but I was the one who helped you through it."
I knew this was true, but I couldn't meet her stare or acknowledge that she was right.
"I knew you getting that job and spending time with that boy was a mistake." She crossed her arms like what she'd said was final.
