She shrugged. “Most of the sites I booked only allow one tent, and mine is big enough for both of us. So bring your own sleeping bag and cot or air mattress. Beyond that, whatever you want.”
“Sounds simple enough.”
She smiled. “It is.” She looked him up and down and then stuck her hand in the space between them. “I’ll see you tomorrow, travel partner.”
His large hand wrapped around her small one, and they shook. He probably held on a second too long, but he was still in shock that he was talking to Snow after all these years. She probably doesn’t have the best memories of him, hell they barely talked, but she sure made an impression on him. He’d wanted her from the moment she sat down in front of him in biology. As confident as he’d been with most girls, she’d terrified him. Those blue eyes and red lips still showed up in his dreams from time to time.
Snow pulled her hand away, hiding the blush on her cheeks behind it. “See ya.”
He watched her walk to the motel, feeling lighter than he had in a long time. In all honesty, one of the main reasons he offered to help Snow was so he could have a vacation that was already planned. He would drive the car and she would tell him where to go.
But as she slammed the hood on a Ford, he couldn’t help but feel a bit chivalrous. He was actually helping a beautiful lady in distress. He didn’t often get the opportunity to be the hero. Snow got to go on her vacation because of him.
Adam strolled back over to his buddies, Nona on his heels. Most of them were leaving in the morning, but they’d wanted a beach day before going home.
Blake, who looked like a bodybuilder, thumped him on the back. “Who’s the girl?” he asked.
Adam shrugged. “A classmate from high school. Nona spotted her crying.”
“Say no more, brother. Nona’s licked away her fair share of tears this weekend,” Blake said with a laugh.
“Good thing the kids have dogs. I think Garrett may have invented a few of those tears just to get her attention.”
“Probably.” Blake gave Nona a pat on the head. “It’s weird to think of Jamie as having a kid, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. Pretty soon we’re going to be the only bachelors left.”
“Yeah, right. You were engaged for a while. You’re ready.” Blake snorted.
Adam shook his head. “You’re one to talk. My dad pushed me into it, but you nearly popped the question.” Blake’s face fell and Adam immediately regretted it. “Sorry, man, I wasn’t thinking.” That damn Debbie broke Blake’s big heart.
“It’s not a big deal. You’d think I’d be over her by now. It’s been three years.“ The silence ballooned the guilt inside Adam for bringing Debbie up. He opened his mouth to break it when Blake said, “Let’s make a bet. Who’s going to be last to get hitched?”
Adam tapped his chin. “My money’s on David. He’s never dating anyone.”
“I think he’ll surprise us. I’m going with Seth.” Blake frowned.
“You’re going to lose that one. I heard he was dating Anna’s friend.”
“Dating and marriage are two very different things, my friend.”
Adam had to agree. Both he and Blake knew that all too well. “True. When are you going home?”
“Tomorrow, but I’ve got a few things to take care of tonight. I’m going to bail.”
“It was good seeing you. If you’re ever in Vegas, you know the drill.” Adam was closer to Blake than he was to any of his other frat brothers and appreciated a visit anytime Blake could swing it
“I might have to come check out that new casino you were talking about.” The presidential suite in the hotel his dad just built was by far the most opulent one he’d ever seen.
“You should.”
“I’m heading to Tokyo for a job in a couple of weeks, but maybe after that.” Good. He’d have Snow to keep him company until Blake came back from Tokyo and then he’d be busy with Blake. Maybe he’d get a couple of months before he’d have to face his father.
He embraced Blake and went to say goodbye to the rest of his buddies. Adam had always been kind of a loner among his friends. He liked them, but he never felt at ease. Every one of them had their own life, but his was dictated by his father. They couldn’t understand his dilemma. Their families were supportive of their goals.
Adam suspected none of his friends understood his true net worth. They were millionaires. A couple had achieved double digits. He was a billionaire. Though, without his daddy’s money, he wasn’t worth more than any of them. Which meant he’d have to drastically alter his lifestyle.
He’d never questioned the plan his father had for him until recently. He liked his life, but after Kelly, he didn’t want his father dictating his love life anymore.
Nona sat with Garrett and Hexa, and Adam knelt down next to him. “Garrett, I need to take Nona with me. We’re leaving.”
“Mr. Adam, can we come visit you? Dad says you live in a hotel. I wanna live in hotel.”
“You’re welcome anytime, little man.”
He jumped. “Cool. I’m going to go tell my dad.”
Adam made the rounds of goodbyes and jogged off the beach. He had camping gear to buy. For the first time in a long time he was excited about something, and he tried to tell himself it had nothing to do with Snow.
He doubted she knew he’d had a thing for her in high school. She was the one girl who seemed so far out of his league he didn’t even bother. The cheerleaders were easier.
Snow was so full of confidence that no guy dared to talk to her for fear she’d laugh in their face. Adam was certain that the only dates she got were the ones she asked for.
He was surprised she never went to college. Not only was she confident, but she was valedictorian. Smart as they came. Gorgeous to boot, but she never played it up. He supposed that was part of her appeal. Her jet-black hair was always up in a ponytail. Her wardrobe had been absurdly simple. Work boots, grease-stained blue jeans, simple t-shirts, and no makeup but her signature bright red lipstick.
He’d spent many nights as a teen dreaming of those lips. As far as he knew, no one ever scored so much as a kiss with her, which was why her nickname as Snow had stuck.
Now he was going on a month-long trip with her. This was definitely a pleasant and unexpected turn. He whistled for Nona, put REI into his GPS, and drove off to get outfitted.
As the water flew by on his left, and the small beachside buildings on his right, Adam reminded himself that while he might have become Snow’s knight-in-shining-armor, there was no reason to expect anything from those lips.
He entered REI with Nona on a leash. She sniffed at a kayak, and an employee approached him.
“I’m sorry sir, no dogs allowed.”
He pulled out a hundred and handed it to the employee. The kid looked at the bill and grimaced. “It’s not my decision.”
“Keep the hundred and call your manager.” He’d been through this so many times before. People who knew him never bothered to even argue. Those that didn’t were well paid. Nona went everywhere with him.
Once he had Nona sorted out, the REI kid was more than happy to help outfit him for a camping trip and sneak Nona bits of beef jerky.
Snow had said she had a tent, so he didn’t buy one, but he basically bought one of everything else in the camping section including a double sleeping bag because Nona would want to sleep with him, and the other sleeping bags were too small. His favorite find was the camping kitchen. He was certain Snow didn’t have one of those. He couldn’t believe how giddy he was over this trip.
Every time he picked up another gadget, he imagined what he could do with it. He bought three different Yeti coolers—one big and two small. He had to have the rainbow fire packets. He would’ve loved those as a kid. And he nearly bought the outdoor movie screen, but figured Snow wouldn’t let them watch movies.
After he checked out, he sized up his four shopping carts full of gear. It wouldn’t fit in his Porsche.
“Can you watc
h this stuff for me for a couple hours? I need to get a bigger car.”
He handed the guy another hundred, and the pimple faced kid’s face lit up. “Sure thing, mister.”
As he drove away, his mind drifted to the trip before him. He’d heard amazing things about the California coast. He’d spent time on the beaches in L.A. and San Francisco but never anywhere else.
The drive seemed like something he would enjoy, so he wasn’t sure why he never did. His little Porsche would hug those curvy roads nicely. Sadly, she would have to go into storage for the remainder of the trip.
Speaking of curves.
He didn’t remember Snow having quite so many. She’d been beautiful as a teenager, and now as a woman, she was absolutely breathtaking. He wasn’t sure what he was more excited about—camping or spending time with her. Either way, the next few weeks were sure to be incredible.
He’d be away from his father, his life, and his job--everything that made him unhappy. He wasn’t sure when he’d realized he wasn’t happy. Maybe it was Kelly, and maybe it was before that. He’d been feeling unsettled for a while.
Adam tried talking to his dad about it, but he didn’t get it. He just pointed to the Vegas skyline and said, “Son, we have everything we could possibly want. What is there to be unhappy about?”
Maybe his dad was right. Maybe he wasn’t. Either way, Adam felt free for the first time in his life.
Chapter 3
Liz stood next to her dead Taurus with her gear piled up: her tent, sleeping bag, and a small suitcase with three outfits, a couple of bathing suits, and two hoodies. In addition, she had a Rubbermaid tub filled with camping stuff like fire starters, paper plates, and rope. Her dad would be here within a few hours and told her to get going on her trip.
A brand-new Range Rover pulled up next to her. She rolled her eyes as Adam stepped out, all smiles.
“Hey, you ready?” He took off his sunglasses.
“Nice ride,” she said, avoiding those eyes. They did weird things to the butterflies in her stomach and she didn’t want to encourage them.
“Thanks. My other car was too small, so I bought this one.” He ran his hand through his hair. “I didn’t realize how much gear you needed for camping.” He laughed. “Luckily the sales guy at REI was really helpful, so I should be good to go.”
That REI sales guy probably walked away with enough commission for a year. If they even made commission there. She circled the car and ran a hand over the brand-new paint, practically salivating at the idea that she was touching something so beautiful. This was no ordinary Range Rover. It was an SUV with a long wheelbase. He’d gone with the 22-inch wheels over the 21, and the signature grill gleamed in the early morning sun.
“This is insane,” she said in awe. “This is a $200,000 dollar car.”
”Well, we needed the space with everything—”
“So, you went and bought it so we could go camping?” She creased her eyebrows. She didn’t understand.
“Yeah. Like I said, the stuff wouldn’t fit in my other car.”
She raised an eyebrow. “What did you buy?”
He dropped his eyes. “Basically, the entire camping section at REI. I didn’t know what we would need.” He popped open the hatch, and Liz gaped at the stuff in the back. She didn’t know what half of it was for.
Adam set her suitcase, tent, and tub on top of what looked like a camp kitchen.
She opened her mouth and closed it again. She didn’t want to explain to him they weren’t going to be spending much time at the campsites. The point of the trip was the journey, so they’d spend most of it in the car.
Though she had to admit, if she was going to be stuck in a car, this one was going to be incredible. She slid into the front seat and inhaled the new car scent. She closed her eyes and enjoyed it. She didn’t get it often. She ran her hand along the semi-aniline leather and then over the polished wood in the center console. The door opened, and Adam got into the car.
“Like it?” he asked.
“Yes. I love new car smell.”
“I’d bet as a car girl, that’s one of your favorites.”
She pulled on her seat belt. “One of them, yeah. But I like old car smell even better.” She scrunched her nose, remembering the body odor smell of the last car she worked on. “Well, most old car smells, anyway.”
He raised his eyebrows at her. “And what does that smell like?”
“A mixture of tobacco and diesel fuel. I love old cars.”
“Oh yeah? What’s your favorite?”
“I’ve always wanted to drive a 1960s Jaguar E type, but they are pretty rare. Little convertible. I bet it would be incredible on this road.”
She’d searched for ages to see if she could find a convertible to drive on this trip, but nothing had come up. There was an older Miata she almost bought, but it would’ve dug too far into her savings. Though, maybe it would still be running. Damn Taurus.
“So, you're the navigator. Where are we heading?”
Liz stopped petting the new car and pulled her hands into her lap. “Jump on Highway One. We’ll stay on the other side of Los Angeles.”
“Do you want to go into the city?”
“No. I’ve been there plenty of times before.” Nothing wrong with Los Angeles, but that’s not what this trip was about.
“Me neither.”
And then they were off. From the back seat, Nona rested her head on Liz’s shoulder, and Liz grinned. She loved dogs. Hers had died a couple years ago, and she couldn’t bring herself to get a new one yet. Maybe she would after this trip.
She watched the waves crash on the beach over Adam’s shoulder. Except in a few places on the drive, her eyes wouldn’t leave that water until she got to Seattle.
Adam glanced her way and then did a double take, probably mistaking her watching the ocean, for her watching him. He cleared his throat. “What made you want to take this trip?”
“I’ve always wanted to drive Highway One. It’s been a bucket list thing for me. Since I’m getting married and opening my own shop when I get back, there will probably be no traveling for a while.”
She didn’t want to tell him about her mom or that she’d never been on a trip before. Her dad had taken her camping in Utah a couple times, but aside from that, traveling meant they stayed in a nice hotel on the strip and only during the off-season. Her dad wasn’t able to afford the in-season rates. She and Jenny did weekends in L.A. occasionally. Those trips were usually spent in the car snooping on celebrities.
Adam took his eyes off the road again and studied her fingers. “I don’t see a ring.”
She held her head high. She felt like he was being critical. “We’re eloping.”
“This is the guy in Honduras?”
“Yeah.” Her heart twisted. She missed him. Also, it felt so weird talking to Adam Winslow about this. If only she could go back to those AP classes and tell her high school self, “Guess who you’ll be taking a roadtrip with in ten years?” She wouldn’t have believed it.
“Why didn’t he ditch the project in Honduras and come with you? Seems like it would’ve made a fun honeymoon.”
She let out a breath. She’d be spending the next four weeks with this guy. By the time the trip was over, they would probably know nearly everything about each other. She wouldn’t lie to him, but she wouldn’t tell him everything.
“The people there need him more than I do.”
“Well, his loss. What does he do?”
“He builds houses.” That seemed obvious to her.
“So is he a builder or a contractor?”
She let out a chuckle, understanding his question now. “No. Tanner is a perpetual volunteer. His sole mission in life is to better the lives of those around him. I’m not sure he’s ever had a real job.” She clenched her fists. This was a source of contention in their relationship. She appreciated his care for others, but sometimes it felt like he was leaching onto others to fund his lifestyle, even if that lif
estyle was admirable.
“Does he have a trust fund or something?”
“He has a YouTube channel actually, and when he finds a cause, people send him money to help.” Most of those projects were local, but he traveled more than she did.
“And he keeps some for living expenses.”
She nodded. “But he has a blog where he accounts for every penny. His fans are very supportive. One month he didn’t have enough to pay his own rent, and he threw up a five-minute video pleading for help. Within hours he had enough for six months.”
She left the part out about the fight it caused between her and Tanner. She was a firm believer in earning your money. She didn’t mind that people donated money to help others, but for him to use it for himself, that never sat right with her.
“Sounds like he’s enterprising. You said he’s building houses down there?”
“Yeah.”
“Why didn’t you go with him?”
“It’s not my thing. He said he’d be back before our trip.” Truthfully, she’d love to travel to Honduras, but she couldn’t afford to take that much time away from her shop. This trip was the first one she’d ever taken and she wasn’t about to switch it out for a place that meant nothing to her.
“But something came up?”
Liz ran her hands up and down her arms. Adam leaned over and fixed the car to a warmer temperature. After showing him a small smile, she answered, “Yeah. When he gets back we’ll get married.”
With his muscular bicep resting comfortably on the window ledge, Adam steered their car onto Highway One. “So you’re going to be the one working so he can keep up with his projects?”
“Probably. But that’s okay. He’s helping people.” She was tired of talking about herself. “So your ex-fiancée… she was that model, Kelly Metz, right? Doesn’t her father own most of downtown?” Probably wasn’t the best topic to bring up, but Adam was asking Liz about her love life.
He gave her a tight smile. “He does.”
“You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, but what happened between you two?” She didn’t know much about what happened. She didn’t really follow the gossip magazines, but her best friend Jenny did and she often talked about what was going on. Liz was pretty sure Jenny retweeted an article about them last week.
Roadtrips and Romance (Omega Mu Alpha Brothers Book 5) Page 2
