by Sandi Lynn
“What the hell is this?” I sighed.
“I see sirens up ahead. It looks like an accident.”
“Great.” I threw my hands up. “Just fucking great. At this rate, we’re never going to get to Sedona.”
After a while, traffic started to slowly move, and when we got up to where the accident was, Zoey rolled down the window and asked the police officer when it happened.
“Excuse me. When did this accident happen?”
“About an hour ago,” the officer responded.
“Thank you.” She rolled her window up.
“Why did you want to know when the accident happened?” I asked her.
“Remember that weird feeling you had, so we ended up going back into the hotel for breakfast?”
“Yeah?”
“Describe it for me, please.”
“What?” I frowned at her.
“Describe that feeling you had, because you were so adamant about getting on the road.”
“I don’t know.” I sighed. “I was hungry and I figured you were too. What exactly are you trying to say?”
“Nothing really.” She shrugged. “You had a weird feeling so we stayed back, and because we stayed back, we weren’t involved in the accident that probably happened at the precise time we were going to be on that road.”
“So you’re saying if we didn’t stay and eat breakfast, we would have been the ones in the accident?”
“Yes. That’s exactly what I’m saying. Fate intervened.”
I sighed as I tightly gripped the steering wheel.
“There you go again, talking all that nonsense. I don’t believe in fate and I don’t believe in intuition. I’m going to ask you one last time, Zoey, just stop with all the bullshit because it’s really getting on my nerves,” I shouted.
I glanced over at her as she stared at me with tears in her eyes. I shook my head and looked straight ahead as I drove on the highway. Damn it.
“Can you pull over, please?” she asked.
“Why?” I glanced over at her.
“Just pull over, Carter,” she snapped.
I sighed heavily as I pulled onto the shoulder of the highway. Zoey opened the door and climbed out.
“What the fuck are you doing?” I yelled before she slammed the door shut and began walking along the shoulder.
I waited for a couple cars to pass and then I climbed out and went after her.
“Zoey, stop right now. Turn around and get back in the car!” I shouted.
“Leave me alone, Carter. I just need some space for a few minutes.”
“What? We’re in the middle of the highway. You can’t have space for a few minutes! Get back in the car. You’re setting us more behind than we already are!”
She ignored me, and I grew angrier the further she walked away.
“Fine! You want space.” I threw my hands up in the air. “You got it, Zoey!”
I walked backed to the SUV and climbed inside. Laying my head back on the headrest, I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath. A few moments later, I heard the door open and Zoey climbed inside.
“Are you finished having your tantrum?” I asked.
She glared at me and pursed her lips.
“I think it’s best if neither one of us speaks to each other the rest of the trip,” she spoke.
“I agree, but that will be totally impossible.”
“Nothing is impossible.” She placed her earbuds in her ears.
I drove for the next three hours in silence before Zoey removed her earbuds and spoke, “I have to pee.”
“I’ll get off at the next exit. Are you hungry?” I asked.
“No,” she spoke with a slight attitude in her tone.
We pulled into the first restaurant we saw, got out of the car, and headed inside so we both could use the bathroom.
“Excuse me,” an older woman stopped me.
“Yes?”
“Are you a paying customer? Our bathrooms are for paying customers only.”
Was this woman serious?
I reached in my pocket and pulled out a hundred-dollar bill.
“Will this do?” I asked.
“That will do just fine.” She smiled as she ripped the bill from my hand.
After I was finished using the bathroom, I walked out and didn’t see Zoey anywhere.
“Did you see the woman I walked in with come out of the ladies’ room?” I asked the older woman.
“She went back outside. She’s a sweet girl. I gave her a bag of our homemade chocolate chip cookies.”
“Thank you.”
I climbed into the SUV and pulled out of the parking lot. Zoey opened the bag of cookies and took one out.
“Those were some really expensive cookies.” I smirked.
She glanced over at me and didn’t say a word.
“Are they good?” I asked.
“Yep,” she replied.
“May I have one?”
Chapter 25
Zoey
I tossed the bag onto his lap. He could get his own cookie if he wanted one. He had pushed me to my limits. I was a reasonable and forgiving person, but him—he was an asshole, plain and simple. Just when I thought I poked a tiny hole in the darkness that surrounded him, he found a way to close up that hole. So, I thought it was best that we didn’t interact for a while. Everything I said was wrong in his eyes. He was closed off to the point of no return and that was what I needed to accept. It was six p.m. when we arrived in Las Vegas.
“I think we should stop, grab some dinner, and walk around for a bit. My legs are starting to cramp up. It’s only a four-and-a-half-hour drive to Sedona from here. Sound good?” He glanced at me.
“Sure,” I quietly spoke.
He pulled up to the valet at the Bellagio Hotel.
“There’s a restaurant in here called Fix. They have amazing food,” he spoke.
We climbed out of the SUV and headed inside. The minute we walked into the lobby of the hotel, I stopped and looked around, taking in the beauty and the excitement that was all around me.
“Have you ever been to Vegas?” Carter asked.
“No. This place is really crowded. Are you sure we’ll be able to get a table?”
“We’ll get a table.” He smirked.
When we reached the restaurant, the hostess with the short black hair, low-cut, cleavage-revealing tight shirt, and short black skirt greeted us with a smile.
“Do you have a reservation?”
“Actually, I don’t, but the name is Carter Grayson.”
“Oh. Welcome, Mr. Grayson. Is it just the two of you?”
“Yes.” He smiled.
“Follow me.”
She grabbed two large leather-bound menus and led us to a booth in the corner. He obviously was well known here.
“Good evening, Mr. Grayson.” A tall man with salt and pepper hair smiled as he filled our water glasses. “It’s good to see you again.”
“Good evening, George. Good to see you as well.”
“Double scotch on the rocks?” he asked.
“Please.”
“And for you, Madame?”
“A glass of Pinot, please.”
He gave me a slight nod and walked away. I looked around the restaurant. Dark wood floors and a mixture of tables and booths to match filled the place. The ambience was cozy. A dark setting with subtle lighting and candles that flickered in the center of the tables. George, our waiter, brought our drinks, set them down in front of us, and proceeded to take our order. After Carter handed him our menus, he picked up his glass and kicked back more than half his scotch while he stared at me.
“Listen, Zoey. I’m sorry for what I said earlier. This cold shoulder bullshit needs to stop.”
I picked up my glass of wine and sipped it as I glared at him.
“You think I’m crazy and you’ve made it known several times. So, let me tell you what I think about you and then we can put it behind us and move on.”
“Fai
r enough,” he spoke.
“I think you are a mean, arrogant, and miserable man. You’re rude, condescending, and just an overall jerk. You’re very disrespectful and I don’t appreciate it.”
I could see the look of anger wash over his face as he held his drink in his hand.
“Okay. I think you’re crazy and you think I’m a total disrespectful asshole. Now that we understand each other, we can move forward,” he spoke as he finished his drink.
George walked over and placed our plates in front of us.
“Another drink, Mr. Grayson?”
“Yes, please.”
I picked up my fork and knife and cut into my filet.
“Are we good now?” Carter asked.
“Sure. We’re good,” I spoke without looking at him.
“What do you think of the place?” he asked.
“It seems you’re well known here.”
“I’m in Vegas a lot and this is where I stay. I also own a few properties here. One of which I’m in the process of buying.”
“You’ve really made a success for yourself,” I spoke. “I mean, you’re young and to have what you do at your age is incredible.”
“Thanks. My work is my life. It’s all I have and it’s all I ever will have.”
“There’s more to life than work, Carter,” I spoke without hesitation, even though I knew it would set him off.
“I actually believed that at one time, but not anymore.” He picked up his drink and threw it back down his throat.
We finished our dinner without saying too much to each other. After Carter paid the bill, we left the restaurant and headed to the lobby of the hotel to leave, when I noticed a large group of people standing around a man who was lying on the floor. One person was screaming to call 911. I made my way through the crowd and knelt down beside him.
“I’m a nurse. Everyone needs to stand back,” I shouted.
He wasn’t breathing, so I started CPR.
“Does anyone know what happened?” I asked.
“He was just standing there, grabbed his chest, and went down,” a man spoke.
“Come on. Come back to us,” I spoke as I continued the chest compressions.
“Oh my God, Henry!” A hysterical woman came running and grabbed his hand.
I continued the chest compressions and breathing into his mouth. Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder behind me. When I turned around, it was him.
“Thank you for trying to save me, sweetheart, but it’s my time to go. Tell my beautiful wife, Angie, that I love her with all my heart and that I’ll be watching over her. Also tell her that everything she’s going to need is locked in the wall safe in our bedroom and the combination is taped under the drawer of my nightstand.”
A sadness settled inside me as I stopped the compressions and looked at his wife. Suddenly, the paramedics came through with the stretcher and knelt down beside his body.
“He’s gone,” I spoke to them. “I did everything I could.”
“No!” Angie screamed.
I stood, walked over to her, placed my arm around her shoulder, and helped her up.
“He told me to tell you that he loves you with all his heart and that he’ll be watching over you.”
She looked at me with her tear-filled eyes. “What?”
“He thanked me for trying to save him, but he said it was his time. I’m so sorry. He also wanted you to know that everything you’re going to need is locked in the wall safe in your bedroom and the combination is taped under the drawer of his nightstand.”
She placed her hand on my cheek as the tears steadily flowed from her eyes.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“You’re welcome.” I gave her a tender small smile.
I looked across the crowd and saw Carter walking my way. I wiped my brow as he approached me.
“Are you okay?” He lightly touched my arm.
“Can we just go, please?”
“Sure.”
I turned around and walked out the door. Carter handed the valet his ticket and we stood there waiting for them to bring the car around.
“I’m sorry you couldn’t save him, Zoey,” he spoke in a low voice.
“Me too.”
The car pulled up to the curb and Carter opened the door for me.
“Thanks.” I gave him a small smile as I climbed inside.
Chapter 26
Carter
Zoey was visibly upset and I really didn’t know what to say to her. I pulled out of the hotel parking lot and headed towards the highway.
“As long as this drive goes smooth and we don’t run into any problems, we should be in Sedona around twelve thirty a.m.”
She sat there, looking straight ahead, and didn’t say a word.
“You did everything you could for that man,” I spoke.
“I know.” She looked out the passenger window. “It was his time, and when it’s your time, there’s nothing anyone can do.”
“And you know that for a fact?” I cautiously asked, knowing she was going to spew out some type of bullshit.
“Yes. He told me.”
“What do you mean ‘he told’ you?” I glanced over at her.
“I’m not going to explain it, Carter, and you won’t understand. All you’ll do is call me crazy and start yelling and I’m in no mood for it. I’ll drive the rest of the way in a couple of hours.”
This feeling inside me emerged. There was a sadness in her voice when she said I’d called her crazy and it made me feel—
“I’m sorry for calling you crazy, Zoey. It’s just—”
“It’s just you, Carter, feeling sorry for yourself because of the tragedies you experienced. You became a victim of circumstance and you locked yourself up in your own little world that consists of nothing but pain and anger. You refuse to see any type of good in anyone or anything. So, if you don’t mind, I don’t want to talk about what I see all the time, every day, and every minute of my life,” she spoke in anger. “You aren’t the only person in the world who has lost the people you love. You aren’t the only one whose life was affected by tragedy. You just chose to deal with it in a really shitty way.”
I immediately swerved and pulled over on the side of the highway, clenching the steering wheel so tight that my knuckles were turning white.
“And who the fuck have you lost?” I screamed at her. “Because from what I can see, you have a perfect little life. You seem content being surrounded by death and sadness all the time. So yeah, you’re fucking crazy!”
By the light of the moon that framed her face in the passenger seat, I could see a stream of tears falling from her eyes. She didn’t speak a word, but only sat there, staring straight ahead at the darkness. Fuck. I reached over and wiped away the tears that fell down her cheek.
“Don’t,” she whispered. “Just don’t.”
“I’m sorry. I know you don’t believe me, but I am.”
I put the SUV in drive and pulled back onto the highway. The next three hours were nothing but silence. We were getting really good at that.
I pulled into the Enchantment Resort at approximately twelve forty-five a.m. Zoey had been asleep for about a half hour and I hated waking her.
“Zoey, we’re here,” I quietly spoke.
She opened her eyes, sat up straight, and looked around. I dropped her and our bags off at the front door while I parked the SUV since the valet was closed.
“Can I help you?” the older gentleman behind the desk asked.
“Reservation for Carter Grayson.”
“Ah yes, Mr. Grayson. We’re happy you’ve arrived.”
“Thank you. It’s been a long drive.” I spoke.
“Your two-bedroom suite is ready and I can call someone to help you with your bags.”
“No need. We can take them up ourselves.”
“Very well. You will be in suite 325.” He politely smiled.
Zoey and I stepped into the elevator, and as soon the doors closed,
I looked over at her.
“I’m exhausted. You must be too,” I spoke to try and lighten the tension between us.
But she wasn’t having any type of conversation with me. She stared straight at the closed doors, gripping the handle of her suitcase tight. I sighed as the doors opened.
“I believe we’re this way.” I pointed to the left.
We approached room 325 and as soon as I slid the keycard into the lock, I held open the door and motioned for her to step in first.
Chapter 27
Zoey
The moment I stepped into the large suite, the lights automatically turned on. I wheeled my suitcase behind me as I looked around. It was beautiful with beige painted walls, wood beam ceilings, and décor that was casual but sophisticated at the same time. The living area had a beehive fireplace that sat quaintly in the corner, a wall-mounted TV, an oversized couch and chair that were in a deep brown rich leather, and a beautiful wood coffee table to match. There was a kitchen area with a large oak table, oak cabinets, and black speckled granite counter tops. The best part of the room was the sliding glass door that led out to a large wooden deck, which housed a gas grill, a small round wood table, and matching chairs. The view that sat in front of me was breathtaking. Even though it was dark outside, the lights from all over the resort lit up the beautiful scenic box canyon.
“Wow, this is beautiful,” Carter spoke as he stood beside me.
I hadn’t forgotten what he said and I hadn’t forgiven him either. I was tired and speaking to him was the last thing I wanted to do. I walked away, grabbed my suitcase, and wheeled it into the bedroom that had two double beds.
“You can have the room with the king-size bed,” Carter spoke from the doorway.
“No. This is fine. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to bed.” I walked over and shut the door in his face.
After changing into my nightshirt and washing my face, I turned off the light in the bathroom. As I stepped into the bedroom, a cold sensation tore through me. I looked around but didn’t see anyone, which was strange.
“I don’t know what else to do,” I quietly spoke as I climbed into bed.
