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Jolene perked up as he said this, and she felt a smidge of hope swell up inside of her.
“Folly Beach? That’s where I was headed before my truck died!”
“Really?” Jasper asked, raising an intrigued brow.
Jolene nodded. “I need to find my sister. Folly Beach was where we heard from her last. What about you?”
The look of surprise on Jasper’s face grew as he leaned back in his chair.
“Pretty much the same. Except I’m looking for my brother,” he replied. Before Jolene could ask any more questions, the bell of the front door rang, and Cliff walked in wiping his hands on a red rag.
“Got Willie lookin’ at your truck, miss,” he announced, walking over to them. “Gotta tell ya, it don’t look good, though. Just from the few minutes I’ve spent looking at it, it’s got more things wrong than right. If wecanget it fixed, it’s gonna take a while.”
Jolene’s face crumpled in disappointment as she felt the beginning of a headache creep into her temples.
“Of course it is,” she said bitterly, running a hand through her long mane of messy dark brown and gray hair.
“Do you have a number for a cab company I can call? Folly Beach can’t be too far from here. An hour or two at best, right?”
Cliff nodded, looking guilty for being the bearer of bad news.
“Yes, ma’am, it is, but we don’t got any cab companies that come to these parts. There’s a motel just a few miles down the road, though that I could drive you to myself until your truck is fixed.”
Jolene was not a woman who cried often. In fact, she could count on one hand the number of times she’d dropped tears since she was five years old. But now, after the last few months she had, and all the troubles she’d encountered while trying to get to Clarissa, she felt the urge to put her head in her hands and weep.
“I appreciate that,” she rasped, her voice thick with held-back tears, feeling defeated. “That sounds fine.”
From across the table, Jasper cleared his throat.
“Or you could hitch a ride with me,” he suggested.
Jolene’s head shot up to look at him. There was no trace of pity on his features, only calm practicality.
“Really?” she asked, feeling hopeful.
Jasper nodded.
“As long as you don’t mind ridin’ along with a dumb cowboy. And eatin’ to go. No offense to this lovely place, but I want to keep movin’ on since we’re so close.”
Jolene nodded her head excitedly in agreement.
“No, no, that’s fine. I want to get there as quick as I can myself.” She turned back to Cliff.
“Would it be alright if I left you my number to call me when my truck’s done?” she asked. “I’ll even leave a deposit if you want.”
Cliff shook his head slowly as he pulled out a bottle and spit his tobacco juice in it.
“That’s alright. You just leave your number and we’ll settle up when it’s done.” His gaze moved from Jolene to Jasper and his eyes narrowed.
“You sure you’re comfortable takin’ a ride with him? He’s not forcin’ ya into anything, is he?”
Jolene smirked as she watched Jasper break into a smile and shake his head. She liked how he chose not to get offended about the comment, even though he probably had a right to, and she felt certain about her decision to go with him.
“No, sir, I believe he’s just being a gentleman,” she replied, looking back up at him. Cliff studied the two of them for a moment longer, then grunted.
“Well, alright then.” He turned his head toward the kitchen window.
“Mama!” he yelled. “Better make that chicken to go. These youngins got somewhere to be!”
