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“We should . . . get back on the road.” He didn’t let go right away, until she started to pull back.
“Uh, yeah. You’re right. Come on, I’ll grab some snacks for us,” she said with a smile as she jogged back to her side of the truck.
Jake couldn’t help but recognize what an odd and surreal moment they were living in. Besides the snow coming down in droves, it wasn’t lost on him how Coralee’s presence ignited a little spark in him he hadn’t realized had become so dim. Her small smiles, her light laughter, and the familiarity of her presence all came together and made him crave more. He knew they needed to address their past. She had broken his teenage heart. And while sure, they were teens at the time, what they had was real—at least for him it was—and she’d not given him any explanation other than he needed to just move on, they couldn’t be together anymore.
He wished he’d had the investigation skills he’d acquired on the job back then. There was more to the story, and he didn’t pursue the truth the way he probably could have now that he was looking back on things. He slowly made his way to the driver’s side of the truck and climbed back in, relief from the cold taking over immediately.
“Let’s listen to the radio and see if there’s any good signal. We could use an update on this weather, and my phone has absolute shit service right now, what about yours?” he suggested.
Handing him a bag of Red Vines, she nodded. “Yeah, mine isn’t refreshing. We’re too far away from the city. Well, any major city.”
Jake took the candy from her and smiled.She remembered.The lifelong debate of Red Vines versus Twizzlers had always been a joke between them. Jake preferred the Red Vines, which were oddly harder to get, and Coralee liked Twizzlers better. But she’d remembered. When she was grabbing snacks for their little road trip, she’d thought back as well.
I wonder what else she remembers.
As he glanced up at the sky one more time, he shook his head. An ominous feeling settled over him. Something was going to happen. Was it just the weather? Or was it the possibility of a change in his relationship with Coralee? She’d been his best friend, his lover, and the more he thought about it, the more he missed what they had.
Stealing a quick glance in her direction, he smiled. Genuinely.
She tilted her head and grinned at him, still wearing the hat he’d picked up for her, and looking a bit like a little snow bunny. “What?” she asked. Rubbing her nose she continued, “Do I have something on my face?”
Jake laughed. “No. Nothing on your face. Just thinking about how little you’ve changed. I’m glad I ran into you. This little adventure is better with you.”
Coralee opened her mouth, then snapped it shut. Then opened it again. She sucked in a bit of air, and then replied, “Well, I do pick out the best snacks. So obviously, I’m the best road trip buddy.”
“Yes, you are,” he replied quietly, pulling back out onto the highway.
“And I’m glad I’m here with you too,” she added quietly. Jake wasn’t sure if he was even meant to hear it.
But he did.
ChapterSix
Coralee
Even though it was absolutely freezing outside, it felt nice to be in Jake’s arms. Just for a minute though. Anything more than that would shake loose too many memories, too much history she’d put behind her. Not the least of which was her heartbreak. While they hadn’t ever discussed it, Coralee was starting to think that Jake had a different memory of how things happened, and although part of her wanted to clear the air—after all, they were older, wiser, and past it now—the other part of her didn’t want to open old wounds.
But the Jake of today wasn’t the ambitious boy of her past. Jake seemed settled and confident. And . . . she could admit he was rugged andhot. He’d always been good looking, all the Corriente brothers were, but now he was something more. He was a man. Just as protective as he had always been, but . . . more. The little wall around her heart was forming a crack, and Coralee was quite certain it was simply fragile from being frozen. It couldn’t possibly have anything to do with the sudden proximity to the one who got away. Or at least, that’s how she remembered it, and was going to remind herself.
They’d settled into what could be considered comfortable silence as they snacked on their candy and continued the painstaking drive toward the desert. The radio signal had been relatively consistent and didn't bring great news. A steady stream of reports about accidents, slick roadways, snow accumulation, and the advice to stay off the roads were the theme of the day. About six hours or so into their trip, the wind picked up, and the heavy truck started to swerve.
Coralee gripped the handle above her head and her heart pounded in her chest. She watched Jake grip the steering wheel with what seemed like white knuckles, and he put his blinker on, carefully veering toward the exit they were approaching.
“We need to stop, Coralee.” He said the words without a glance in her direction, his attention focused on the road.
“Isn’t it better to stay on the highway where the roads are probably more clear?” she asked, knowing it probably wasn’t any safer. About an hour prior, she had wondered if they would make it home when the snow showed zero signs of slowing down.
“Honey, I think you and I both know, this is getting too dangerous. We have enough fuel to stay out here, but it’s not safe. And the guy on the radio just said I10 is backed up for miles at the next exit. We need to regroup.”
“Shit,” she replied. “Where are we going to stop?” She hadn’t been paying attention to the town signs and wasn’t sure where they were.
“Sonora.”
“Sonora? There’s nothing there.” She groaned.
“Well, it’s the closest place. There’s a gas station just off the exit, and if they’re open, we’ll see if there’s somewhere we can hunker down til this passes.”
“You want to stay? In Sonora?” She dropped her face in her hands.
