I take Garret’s hands in mine. “Relax. Everything will be fine. Nothing bad will happen. Isn’t that what you always tell me when I worry about stuff?”
“Yes, but this is different. You sure you don’t want to stay here? We could watch movies at my house all week. Charles will make you whatever you want. You could hang out with Lilly.”
“Those are all good things but I need to spend time with Frank and Ryan.”
“Just make sure you call me, okay? And leave your phone on.”
“I will.”
He gets his wallet out and takes out four twenty dollar bills. “Here. Take this.”
“I’m not taking your money, Garret.”
“You’ll need it for the trip.”
“Carson said I didn’t owe him gas money. His dad’s paying for it.”
“You still need money for food and drinks and whatever you else want. Just take it.” He holds the bills out in front of me.
I take one of the bills. “I don’t need $80. Twenty is fine.”
“That’s not enough for two trips, there and back. You’ll be stopping at gas stations and they jack the price up on stuff. Trust me. You’ll want the $80.”
“Okay, but I’m giving you whatever’s left when I get back.”
He rolls his eyes. “You’re keeping it. I swear, Jade, you drive me crazy with this money thing.”
I take the remaining bills and put them in my empty wallet, then go back over to him. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
We kiss just as Carson starts knocking on my door. “Jade, it’s me.”
Garret sighs as I pull away. “It’s me? Seriously? Tell him you’re not on the ‘it’s me’ level.”
“Don’t start.” I kiss him quick, then go to answer the door.
“Hey, Carson. I’m ready to go. Are you parked out front?”
“Actually I parked by the side door so you wouldn’t have to walk so far on the crutches.”
“I’m trying not to use them anymore. My knee feels a lot better.”
Garret picks up my crutches. “You’re still bringing them, just in case.”
“Let me take your suitcase.” Carson steps inside my room to get it but Garret blocks his way.
“I’ll take it,” he says, glaring at Carson.
“Whatever, man.” He turns back to me. “Jade, after you.”
Carson waits for me to go, then follows me out as Garret walks behind us with my stuff. We load up the Jeep, then Carson holds the passenger door open for me.
Garret goes up to him. “I’d like to say goodbye to my girlfriend.”
Carson doesn’t even look at Garret as he shuts the door. “I’ll wait in the car, Jade.”
Garret and I move off to the side, away from the Jeep.
“It’s just a week,” I remind him. “A week is nothing.”
“A week seemed like a month last time.” He rubs my arm.
I sigh. “I know. This is really gonna suck, isn’t it?”
“It won’t suck for you. You’ll be out doing stuff with Ryan and Frank. It’ll suck for me being trapped at the house for a week.”
“Just do stuff with Lilly. She loves playing with her big brother.”
“I can’t play with a six-year-old for more than a couple hours. I’ll probably spend the week swimming. Lift some weights. Start getting in shape for next season.”
“You’re going to be the hottest guy on the beach this summer.” I smile at him as I get a final feel of his abs. “I won’t be able to let you out of my sight. Those California girls will be all over you.”
“Jade, we should get going,” Carson yells from the car.
“She’ll be there when we’re done,” Garret yells back. “God, I hate that guy.”
“Maybe when I get back we can finalize our place for the summer,” I say, trying to get his focus off Carson.
“Yeah, we need to do that soon. Go online when you’re home and check out those condos Harper suggested. I’ll do the same and we’ll compare notes.”
Carson starts the Jeep. Garret rolls his eyes.
“I better go before he bugs us again.” I hate goodbyes and I just want this one over with so we can skip ahead to the reunion. “See ya next Saturday.” I give Garret a quick kiss, then turn to walk away.
“Hey. Get back here. That’s not a goodbye kiss.” He pulls me into his arms and kisses me in a way that makes it nearly impossible to say goodbye. “I love you. Be safe. And make sure to call me.”
“I will. I love you.” I hug him once more.
I get into the Jeep just as Garret’s driver shows up.
“What’s with the fancy car and chauffeur?” Carson asks as he pulls out of the parking lot. “Garret can’t drive himself places anymore? He has to hire someone?”
I take a deep breath and let it out. “Okay, Carson. We’re going to be together in this car for a very long time and we need to set some ground rules. We are not going to talk about Garret. At all. Not one word about him. Got it?”
“I was just asking a question.” Carson drives down the small road that leads away from campus.
“For the last time, Garret and I are a couple. We are not breaking up no matter what you say.” I take my cell phone out of my purse and set it in the cup holder between us. “So it’s no use trying to convince me to stop dating him and start dating you.”
“Jade, I’m not trying to date you. Why do you keep saying that?” He stops at the end of the road, looking both ways several times before turning onto the main road. He definitely seems like a safe driver.
“Because you act like you are. You call me and text me all the time. You put down my boyfriend. You always invite me to go out with you.”
“Yeah, as a friend.”
“Guys aren’t friends with girls. They always want more.”
“Who told you that? He-who-must-not-be-talked-about? Because he’s wrong. I have several female friends and I’m not trying to have sex with any of them. Besides, I might be getting back with my ex-girlfriend. She’s on break from school at the same time as us and wants to get together while I’m home.”
“That girl you showed me a photo of?”
“Yeah. Madison. She wants to see if we can work out the long distance thing. So who knows? Maybe we’ll get back together.”
“Oh. Well, that’s good. I hope it works out.” I feel like a total idiot. Here I am accusing him of trying to date me and his mind is on his ex-girlfriend. His ex is really pretty. She has a face like a model and long, blond hair. He showed me her picture when we first met. She’s a senior at a small college in Chicago. She broke up with Carson when he moved to Connecticut because she didn’t want to do the long distance thing. But apparently she’s changed her mind.
He reaches over and puts his hand on my shoulder. “So will you relax now? We’re just two friends taking a road trip. That’s it.”
“Okay, but I still don’t want you to talk about Garret.”
“Fine by me.”
Maybe this trip won’t be so bad after all. I’m glad we got this out in the open and settled right away.
As Carson gets on the interstate, I position the pillow I brought with me up against the seat and rest my head on it. I’m so tired from my lack of sleep last night that I can’t stay awake.
“Jade.” I feel Carson tapping my arm. “I need to stop for gas. Do you have to use the restroom or anything?”
Stop for gas? What’s he talking about? We just got on the road.
“Why didn’t you fill up before we left?”
“I did, but the tank’s getting low and there’s a station just up ahead so I’m going to stop.”
“How long was I asleep?”
“About four hours.”
I sit up. “What? How is that possible?”
“I guess you were tired. Why? What’s wrong?”
“I told Garret I’d call him every hour. Shit! He probably thinks I’m dead in a ditch somewhere.” I reach down for my p
urse to get my phone.
“Why would he think that?”
“Where the hell is my phone?” I don’t have a very big purse and my searching has turned up nothing.
“It’s right here.” Carson points to the cup holder in the center console. “I didn’t want it to wake you up so I put it on vibrate.”
“You what? No! You can’t do that.” I grab the phone and see the long list of missed calls from Garret and a string of texts. I call him back.
He answers right away. “Jade, what the hell? It’s been four hours.”
“I know. I’m so sorry. The phone was on vibrate and I fell asleep.”
“Why was it on vibrate?”
“I don’t know. I must’ve hit it by accident.” I feel guilty lying to Garret but I don’t want him hating Carson even more.
“I was freaking out here, Jade. I thought something happened. I was about ready to have the state patrol start looking for you.”
“It won’t happen again. I promise. So how’s everything at home?”
“Boring. I miss you already. This totally sucks.”
“I know. I miss you, too.” I turn away so Carson can’t hear. “Did you have people waiting around your house when you got there?”
“Yes. It’s crazy. Girls are lined up on the street taking photos of the house and trying to climb the gate. Photographers are waiting by the entrance. My dad doesn’t want me leaving the house until school starts again, but I don’t know if I can make it that long.”
“Well, it’s only a week.“ Carson pulls into the gas station and parks at the pump. “We just stopped for gas and I really have to go to the bathroom so I’ll call you later, okay?”
“Yeah, but it better not be another four hours. And turn your ringer on.”
“I will. Bye.”
We hang up and I go in to use the restroom. Then I grab some energy drinks in the gas station so I won’t fall asleep again.
“Let me get those.” Carson walks up to me holding his own collection of caffeinated beverages. “You want anything else?”
“I have money. You don’t need to pay.”
“My dad gave me trip money. Might as well spend it.” He turns to the rack behind him and grabs three bags of potato chips.
“You must really like potato chips,” I say.
“These are for you. I know they’re your favorite.”
He does? How does he know that? Did I tell him that? I can’t remember, but the fact that he wants to buy me my favorite food seems a little more like something a boyfriend would do than a friend, doesn’t it? But he wants to get back with his ex-girlfriend. I’m so confused by this guy.
9
When we get to the register, Carson takes my energy drinks and sets them on the counter. As I’m getting my wallet out, he pays for all it before I can stop him. I just let it go and don’t say anything because I don’t want to argue about it here in the gas station.
We stop for dinner a few hours later and he tries to pay again but this time I pay for myself. Now I’m really glad Garret gave me that money. I don’t like Carson buying me stuff. And I definitely don’t want him buying me dinner, which would make it seem like we’re on a date.
I call Garret and check in once we’re back on the road. “Hey, it’s me again.”
“Hey, you. What’s up?”
“We just stopped for a late dinner and now we’re in the car again. I probably shouldn’t call you every hour for the rest of the night. You need to sleep.”
“I won’t sleep unless I know you’re okay. You have to call.”
“How about every couple hours? Then at least you’ll get a little sleep. Or I’ll text you instead of calling and you can check your phone whenever you wake up.”
“Fine. But I’ll be up until midnight so keep calling until then.”
We talk a few minutes more before hanging up.
“Does he really make you call him every hour?” Carson asks.
“We aren’t talking about him, remember?”
“I’m just saying it seems a little controlling, doesn’t it? You can’t go more than an hour without checking in?”
“We’re only doing the hour thing during the road trip. When I get home we’ll only talk once or twice a day.”
“He doesn’t trust my driving, or what?”
“You’re driving all night without a break, so yeah, he’s worried about it.”
“I’m a safe driver, Jade. I’ve never had an accident. I rarely speed. Never had a ticket.”
“He still worries. Let’s just leave it at that.”
I find a radio station and turn it way up so we can avoid talking for a while. Around midnight I turn it off and talk to Carson to keep him awake. I ask him about his hometown, his family, his friends, what sports he played in school, and other random questions. By the end of this trip I’ll probably know more about Carson than I know about Garret.
By five in the morning I’m really tired, so I know Carson’s even more tired than me since he’s had to pay attention to the road the whole time.
“You want another energy drink?” I ask him.
“No, I’m okay. You know, this lack of sleep is good practice for our residencies after med school. My dad had to do 35-hour shifts when he was a resident, but he said they changed the rules and now they only make you do 16-hour shifts.”
“I haven’t decided for sure if I want to be a doctor.”
“Really? Why? You’re getting A’s in chem and physics. It’s not like you can’t handle the classwork.”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I should be a doctor.”
“You’d be good at it. You’d have a good bedside manner. You have a lot of empathy for people. You’re a good listener. You’re easy to talk to.”
This conversation is getting way too personal so I try to change the subject. “The weather seems a lot colder here than in Connecticut, don’t you think?”
He ignores the question. “So why are you changing your mind about med school?”
“I’m not changing my mind. I was never set on going in the first place. It was just an idea. I’m good at math and science so it seemed like I should at least consider it. But it would mean a lot more school and I don’t have the money.”
“You can get scholarships and financial aid.”
“Yeah, I still need to think about it.”
He arches his back to stretch. “I could use a break. Do you mind if we stop and get some coffee?”
“No, not at all. Honestly I don’t know how you’re holding up so well. I’m exhausted.”
He smiles and puts his hand on my arm, gently squeezing it. “It helps to have a good travel companion.”
I’m not great at figuring out when someone is flirting but Carson’s gesture just now seemed very flirtatious. I can’t even describe exactly how or why. It was more of a feeling. Maybe I’m reading too much into it.
After our short break, we’re back on the road with two giants cups of coffee wedged in the cup holders. It’s 6 but the sun still isn’t up.
My phone rings just as I’m sipping my coffee. It’s Garret.
“You’re up early,” I say when I answer.
“I barely slept. I told you I can’t sleep unless you’re next to me.”
“Well, that’s a problem since we have to live in separate rooms until we get our own place.”
“We don’t have to sleep in separate rooms.”
“I don’t think Jasmine will allow that. She doesn’t mind if you stay over a few times a week, but every night might get us in trouble.”
“She doesn’t care. So you must be almost there, huh?”
“Just a couple more hours. Ryan called me last night and said he’d pick me up around 11.” I notice another call coming in. “That’s him now. He’s probably getting ready to leave. I should talk to him quick and make sure his plans haven’t changed. I’ll call you later.”
I switch over to Ryan’s call. “Hey, Jade. I just got up but I’ll head
out at 7 and should be there by 11 like we planned. You guys still doing okay? No car problems?”
“Nope, everything’s good. See ya soon.”
I put the phone down and sip my coffee again.
“I didn’t mean to listen in, but it sounded like you might be moving out of the dorms,” Carson says.
“Yeah, Garret and I are getting a place together next fall. Oops, I didn’t mean to say his name. Let’s change the subject.”
“You sure you want to commit to something like that so soon?”
“Soon? By next fall, it’ll be a year since we started dating. That’s not soon.”
“I mean soon as in young. You’re only 19. Do you really want to move in with a guy at 19?”
“I’ll be 20 in the fall and yes, I do want to move in with him. Age doesn’t matter.”
“It does matter. You’re still figuring out your life at 19. Or 20. Like you said, you’re not even sure what you want to do after college.”
“Yes, but I’m sure about Garret and me. When you know it’s right, why wait? Waiting’s not going to change how I feel about him.”
“It might. A lot happens in college. You change. You make big decisions that affect the rest of your life. And you don’t want to make a decision based on what someone else wants instead of what you want. When you do that, you end up making sacrifices and then you resent the person.”
“It’s normal to make sacrifices in a relationship.”
“Yeah, when you’re older and have the big stuff figured out.”
“And what makes you an expert on this?”
“Madison broke up with me because she didn’t want me sacrificing my future to be with her. She didn’t want me staying in Illinois, going to a college I didn’t want to go to, just so we could still date. And she was right. I’m way happier going to Moorhurst, living in Connecticut.”
“But you said she wants to get back together with you.”
Promising You (The Jade Series #4) Page 9
