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Andwowthe sparks.
Once again, I shoved aside the memories, and focused on the story instead. It wasn’t easy though. Half the flashbacks triggered more glimpses into my life before.
By the time we wrapped up, the urge to flee itched under my skin. I let the after-read chatter wash over me, gathered my things as quickly as I could while still looking calm, and walked from the room.
I didn’t run. I didn’t speed walk. I never let anyone see the panic. But I needed air. To get out of here and let a good drive push away these ghosts.
“Jaws, wait up.” Andrew caught up to me when I was almost to my car.
I paused, but my fist clenched without my permission. Not because of him, but because I was still here.
“You still feeling the vibe after Day One?” He asked. Excitement shone on his face.
“I am.” And I meant it. His was a great story, with a lot of potential. My toes tried to tap inside my shoes, and I curled them to keep them still. My fingers drummed against my leg in response.
Andrew frowned. “Am I keeping you from something?”
“No. I just… Sometimes being back on the set hits me harder than others.” I didn’t tell anyone the full story about my past, but Andrew knew enough that my reply would make sense.
He nodded. “I get it. Do this—Take I-80 west, out toward the lake. There’s zero Hollywood feel, and it’ll make you miss the ocean.”
“It’s a lake. Won’t it be just like any other beach?”
Andrew snort-laughed. “Sorry. No. I mean, they call it a beach, but… You’ll see.”
Whatever. As long as it got me some air. I pointed my rental in the direction he said, and drove. Within about fifteen minutes, I’d left most of the city behind, and about half an hour later, I was driving alongside the lake.
I saw what he meant. It wasn’t so much the kind of beach I was used to as a collection of scrub brush and flies. It was quiet, though, and pretty in its own desolate way.
This was where I should stop, maybe take a few pictures, then go back to my hotel. I wasn’t ready for that, so I kept driving. The freeway signs said Wendover was one-hundred-ten miles away. I’d been there once. It was a small Nevada town that didn’t know it was small.
Maybe I needed that right now.
The solitude helped calm my mind, and lulled me into a sort of driving-trance that let me keep my attention on the road, but didn’t require much else from me. I was maybe forty-five minutes into the drive, at least thirty miles from anything in either direction, when my car started to slow down.
“What are you…?” I glanced at the gauges and scowled. I was out of gas.
I managed to coast to the side of the road before the engine stalled completely.
Well, this sucked.
I dialed the rental car company and they promised to send someone out, but it would be at least an hour. Why hadn’t I checked the tank before I left? Did the past really have me that distracted? I’d promised myself a long time ago that memories of Austin wouldn’t get under my skin, and now…
A car pulled onto the shoulder ahead of me, the taillights turned white, and they backed up toward me. Cool. A random savior. I’d probably had enough solitude for the day.
I slipped on a smile, and approached the new car.
And then the driver climbed out.
My entire past tumbled in on me at once. Everything I’d been trying to escape since the table read. Those threads of heartache and betrayal I wished didn’t still have this hold on me.
The man approaching me had a lot more tattoos than when I’d known him. He was definitely older and held himself with more confidence. But the little boy I’d known still shone in his eyes.
His smile was the most disconcerting thing about him, though. It was broad and genuine. Like he was actually happy to see me. Like he hadn’t destroyed my entire career because I was stupid enough to fall in love with him when we were both teenagers. “Elijah?”
Austin.Did I conjure him from thin air with my haunted memories?
It didn’t matter. It was tempting to walk to Nevada rather than talk to him.
