“I don’t have a choice.” In Travis’s mind, trading the license plate from this car with his own was his only option.
His grandmother had bought him the car for his seventeenth birthday with the understanding that he would maintain honor-roll grades, which wasn’t a problem—he worked hard and he had earned top grades. The one stipulation his parents made was that Travis pay for his own car insurance, gas, and license fees.
Travis had readily agreed. He had a job as a busboy at a local restaurant and the manager liked him. He hoped that by summer he’d get promoted to a server and the tips would be great.
The problem came when he asked Bailey Thompson to the holiday dance. His mom had paid the rental fee for his tuxedo, but then there was the cost to attend the dance and the corsage and pictures and a bunch of other stuff he hadn’t counted on, and he’d gone through his savings in less than a week.
The choice was skip either taking Bailey to dinner before the dance or paying the renewal for his car registration. He chose to take Bailey to dinner, which left him driving around town with expired tabs. So far he’d been lucky, but eventually he’d get caught.
By chance Travis saw a news report about people stealing license plates off cars, which gave him the idea. This wasn’t exactly stealing, though. All he intended to do was switch plates. The license on the white car he’d spotted had a full nine months left on the tabs. When renewal time came next November…well, he hadn’t figured that part out yet.
Travis and Justin squatted down behind the car. Travis’s hand shook, but it was from nerves more than the cold.
A car horn blared in the distance.
“They’re coming,” Justin said, and leaping up, he raced around the corner of the store, slip-sliding in the snow in his rush to escape. They hadn’t been inside more than ten minutes. Twelve, tops.
Terrified he was about to get caught, Travis fell flat on his backside, cold, wet snow seeping through his jeans. He heard something, too. An inhuman noise. He had one screw left and he wasn’t about to run scared now. But he was on a mission, and no matter what, he was determined to finish the task.
Travis peeked around the side of the car and saw a vehicle in the row in front of them backing out of the space. Sighing with relief, Travis realized it wasn’t the car owner.
Travis stood and gave Justin the all-clear sign.
In an attempt to look cool, Travis left the security of his hiding spot. He looked both ways before he left the shelter of the building. As he approached the vehicle, the noise returned.
“I hear bells,” Justin said in a loud whisper.
“So do I.” Travis noticed a volunteer ringing the bell in front of the store, collecting money for charity.
“Don’t you care? We could get caught any minute.”
“Not really. I’m cool. What about you?”
Shrugging, Justin stuffed his hands in his pockets, belying his earlier behavior. “Yeah, me, too.”
“No, you’re not.” Travis was starting to enjoy this.
“I’m not afraid. Just saying, if we get caught, I’ll throw you under the bus so it’s your neck and not mine.”
“Thanks, dude.”
“I’m not going to prison for you because you’ve got the hots for Bailey Thompson.”
A whining noise caught his attention now. Travis frowned. “That sounds like a…dog?”
With his hands cupping each side of his face, Justin peered inside the car.
“What is it?” Travis asked.
“It is a dog…a puppy.”
Travis had the license plate off, so all he needed to do now was replace it with his expired plate. Really, this wasn’t nearly as hard as it was at first. Thankfully, they were hidden in the shadows.
Justin continued to peer inside the car. “The puppy’s got his paws up against the window. He must be hungry.”
“Are the doors locked?”
Justin jumped back, looking horrified. “I’m not getting my fingerprints on the car.”
“Wear gloves.” As a partner in crime, his best friend had failed big-time. Then again, not getting caught while committing a crime wasn’t a subject they learned in school.
“Oh yeah, gloves.” Justin pulled a pair out of his coat pocket and slipped them on his hands. Next he tried the door. “It’s locked.”
“I don’t think we have to worry. The dog won’t rat us out.”
“Good thing.”
“You don’t see the couple coming back, do you?”
“No,” he said, and then in a panicked voice added, “Wait. I think that’s them coming out of the store now.”
Travis froze. He didn’t dare take a chance to stand up and look.
“The woman had on a red coat, right? And knee-high brown boots?”
“Yeah. What about the guy?”
“Hey, she’s not bad-looking.”
“What about the guy?” Travis repeated.
“He’s all right, I guess.”
“I’m not asking about his looks.”
Justin glanced nervously toward Travis. “You done yet?”
“Almost.”
“Hurry.”
“I’m going as fast as I can.” Travis’s hands felt like they were frozen, and because he was close to panicking, he dropped the last screw.
“Distract them,” Travis pleaded.
“How?”
“I don’t know. Just do it.”
“Okay, but you owe me.”
Stuffing his hands into his pockets and whistling “Oh, Christmas Tree,” Justin sauntered toward the approaching couple.
Travis did everything he could to hurriedly find the screw in the snow and then twist it into place. He couldn’t make out his friend’s words, but he could hear Justin rattling away in an effort to slow the couple down.
Finished now, Travis stood and tucked the license plate he’d removed inside his winter coat. Casually, he strolled up to Justin.
“I’m sorry, folks, is my friend bothering you?”
“Not at all,” the woman said. “He was practicing his lines for a school play and he sounded pretty good.”
“Cool. Time to go. Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas,” the woman said, but the man didn’t look nearly as friendly or trusting. In fact, he regarded them suspiciously.
But then Travis was certain he must look guilty as sin. Perhaps because he was.
Redding, California, Ashley decided, was a rather nice town, nestled as it was in the thick natural forest of Northern California, with the Sacramento River running through the heart of the city.
Ashley knew Dash would have preferred to keep going, but with the snow, driving over Siskiyou Pass into Oregon it would have been treacherous, especially now that it was dark. He was only being cautious to suggest they spend the night in a hotel.
Depending on how early they started out in the morning, they should be able to safely make it to Seattle by mid-afternoon. It didn’t give Dash a lot of time to spare, but it was workable.
Dash hadn’t mentioned much about the job interview, but she knew it was important to him. She remembered how serious he’d been when talking to the reservation clerk at the Highland Airlines desk and later when they’d both wanted the same rental car. He’d insisted it was vital that he be in Seattle on the twenty-second.
No matter what, they had to get to Seattle in time for his interview. Ashley was determined to do everything within her power to make sure that happened.
“Any of these hotels look good to you?” Dash asked, pulling her out of her thoughts. The snow was thicker than ever now, and falling harder by the minute. If Dash had his phone they would have been able to check weather conditions for tomorrow. Unfortunately, her outdated flip phone was no help. A new phone was at the top of her Christmas list.
“Ashley?” he asked again.
“Oh, sorry. Any one will do. You decide.” She appreciated his thoughtfulness in asking.
“Okay.” He pulled into a wel
l-known reputable chain hotel and parked under the portico. They left Little Blade in the car while they went inside.
“I hope they don’t object to puppies,” Ashley whispered on their way through the lobby. She knew Little Blade wouldn’t be a problem. She’d make sure he spent the night in the carrier.
Dash approached the counter, the corner of which was decorated with a small pot-sized Christmas tree. A few Christmas cards were taped along both sides of the reception desk. The man behind it looked decidedly bored and was fingering a magazine when they approached.
“Happy holidays,” Ashley greeted, hoping her smile would convince him she would keep a good watch on the puppy.
“You, too,” he responded, and smiled back. He came to attention and reluctantly slid his gaze to Dash.
“Do you have two rooms available?” Dash asked.
“We do. Weather caused a bunch of cancellations, so you’re in luck.”
“Great.” Dash brought out his credit card.
“Is a puppy okay?” Ashley asked, gracing him with a big smile. She leaned closer and asked what he was reading and continued the conversation as if he was the most interesting man she’d ever encountered.
“About the puppy?” Dash ground out the question.
The clerk reluctantly turned his attention away from Ashley to Dash. “No problem, we’re animal-friendly. There’s a small fee attached.”
“Great.” Ashley felt as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Dash had been a good sport to this point, but she didn’t think his cooperative mood would hold if they were forced to drive from one hotel to another in search of one that would take them plus Little Blade.
Dash paid for his room with a credit card and Ashley paid with hers. Once they filled out the paperwork and collected their room keys, they returned to the car. Dash hadn’t looked overly pleased, and he should have been. Not only had they secured two rooms, but the hotel had a restaurant and lounge. They hadn’t eaten in hours and she was hungry.
“You hungry again?” she asked, as Dash brought out her suitcase from the trunk of the car. He hadn’t said a word to her since they entered the lobby.
He paused and looked at her. “I’m fine; what makes you ask?”
“You seemed a little annoyed back there.”
“Annoyed?”
“Yeah. You’ve been frowning at me and were short-tempered with the guy behind the desk. What gives?”
He held her look for a long moment. “I don’t get why you felt you had to flirt.”
Ashley was stunned. “You’re joking.”
“Okay, fine, forget it.”
Ashley loved it. Her face broke into a wide smile. “You’re jealous!”
He looked at her as if that was the most ludicrous thing she’d ever said. “Get over yourself.”
“This is so great,” she whispered, pleased as could be.
“What?” Dash demanded.
“I knew you were into me. Told you so.”
His dour look melted into a sexy grin. “I’ll admit it set me off.”
“I was softening him up, hoping he’d tell me Little Blade wouldn’t be a problem.” She knew it had been disingenuous of her.
Dash finished unloading the trunk while she set a sleepy Little Blade inside his carrier. They each had bottom-floor rooms with sliding glass doors that opened up to the pool area. “I’ll take Little Blade outside with his leash.”
“While you’re doing that, I’ll park the car,” Dash added.
“As soon as I get Little Blade settled in his carrier, I’ll meet you in the restaurant.”
Ashley dragged her suitcase and Little Blade to her room. As soon as she was inside, she released the puppy from the carrier and attached his collar. She opened the sliding glass door to take him outside. An inch or two of pristine snow marked the patio, with the outside lights glistening on the snow. Little Blade buried his nose in the cold slush and then shook his head before prancing around the area. When she saw a bright yellow mark, she knew it was time to bring him back inside.
As soon as she placed him inside the carrier, he curled into a ball and went to sleep. They’d been fortunate thus far. Other than that one escape attempt in the field, he’d been a well-behaved puppy.
Next Ashley opened her suitcase and brought out her pajamas and a change of clothes. This outfit was one of her nicest; she wanted to impress Dash, especially since he’d basically admitted he’d been jealous of the guy at the front desk.
By the time she joined him, Dash had a booth in the restaurant. He studied her change of outfits appreciatively but didn’t comment. She didn’t need him to tell her she looked nice—the way his steady gaze moved over her said as much.
Ashley was beyond hungry and slipped into the seat and reached for the menu. “I could eat everything on the first page,” she murmured, reading over the selections.
When the waiter came for their order she couldn’t make up her mind and opted for two appetizers instead: French onion soup and a hamburger slider. Dash ordered the day’s special, spaghetti and meatballs. The restaurant had only a handful of customers. The lounge looked busier, but it was past the normal dinner time.
Apparently, it was karaoke night, because a disc jockey was whipping up the energy in the room, offering prizes and incentives to the crowd. It wasn’t long before Ashley was tapping her foot to the music, listening and appreciating the talent, most of whom appeared to be locals.
“If you start singing I’m outta here,” Dash teased.
“Do you sing?” she asked eagerly.
Dash shrugged. “I was in choir in junior high school, but I haven’t sung in years.”
He was full of surprises. “Me, too, both junior high and high school. Have you done karaoke?”
“No.” Just the way he snapped out the word suggested he wasn’t interested.
“Come on, Dash. It’ll be fun.”
He didn’t hesitate. “No way.”
“You’re dying to do it,” she said, refusing to believe him. “What you need is some incentive.”
“You sign me up and you can walk the rest of the way to Seattle.”
“You don’t mean that.”
“Don’t test me, Ash. I’m serious.”
She loved it when he called her Ash, but she could see this was an argument she was destined to lose. “Okay, fine.”
“I don’t want to get within six feet of that lounge, understood?”
“Okay, okay, message received.”
“Don’t let me stop you, though.”
She nodded. Disappointment settled over her. She would like nothing better than the two of them getting on stage and singing together, but clearly that wasn’t going to happen. This wasn’t going to be a scene from High School Musical.
Their food arrived. Ashley ate her way through both appetizers, shocked that she could stuff down that much food in one sitting. She noticed Dash was equally successful in eating everything off his plate.
They chatted amicably through dinner while her foot tapped to the beat. For the most part, the singers were good. It looked like great fun, and after being cooped up in the car all day, Ashley was ready to relax and enjoy the evening, with or without Dash, but she hoped it would be with him.
“Let’s get a drink in the lounge,” she suggested hopefully, eyeing the other room. She’d enjoyed listening to the singers. Some showed real talent, while others made her grit her teeth.
“You’re looking for an excuse to drag me up onstage, aren’t you?” Dash accused her.
“I promise I won’t force you,” she said, batting her eyelashes at him, hoping he’d have a change of heart. She loved karaoke, but it’d been weeks—no, months—since she’d last been onstage. And she wasn’t half bad, or so she’d been told.
Dash looked toward the ceiling. “I can’t believe I’m agreeing to even sit and listen.”
Ashley smiled, the joy of the season nearly overwhelming her. “Other than this morning, I’ve had a perfectly
wonderful day.”
Dash reached for her hand. “I wish I could say the same.”
“Dash!”
“Okay, okay, you aren’t so bad.”
Ashley shook her head. “Be careful or your compliments are likely to overwhelm me.”
Dash chuckled. “Okay, Taylor Swift, let’s check out the lounge.”
The bar was hopping and they were fortunate to find a high top, joining another couple who were willing to share. Ashley wasn’t much of a drinker, but it generally took at least one alcoholic beverage for her to loosen up enough to sing in front of a crowd.
The waiter came by and Dash ordered a beer, so she asked for a Fuzzy Navel, her favorite. It wasn’t an over-the-top drink and the alcohol was easily disguised by the orange juice.
Within minutes the songbook made it in their direction. It didn’t take Ashley long to make her selection. But it would be a while before her number came up and she wanted to check on Little Blade.
“I’ll be right back,” she said, after taking the first sip of her Fuzzy Navel.
Dash nodded, paying close attention to the woman on the stage belting out a Sam Smith song as if giving a Grammy performance. Ashley didn’t appreciate his rapt attention on the other woman.
Leaning close, she told him, “I can show signs of jealousy, too, you know.”
He grinned as if he found her comment amusing. Ashley wasn’t trying to be funny; she was serious. She had no right to feel anything toward Dash. Hours earlier they’d been complete strangers. They hadn’t even kissed, but she would have gladly done so if the opportunity arose…and she hoped it would.
“I thought you were leaving,” he said, looking back at her as though surprised she was still there.
“I was, but I wanted to be sure some hottie didn’t steal you away.”
With his eyes holding hers he raised his hand and brushed a finger down the side of her face. Ashley held her breath as a wealth of sensation left her nerves tingling. It felt as if his finger had been on fire and spread heat throughout her body. Although his finger only skimmed her face, she felt his touch everywhere.
Dashing Through the Snow Page 8
