Along for the Ride

by Mimi Grace

  “I promise not to touch you…unless you want me to,” Jolene said with a smirk. “But that might piss your girlfriend off.” She went to sit on the edge of the bed and almost missed. She hoisted one leg in the air to remove one shoe, then the other.

  He liked the idea of her touching him, but he dashed the image out of his mind as quickly as it had come. “I don’t have a girlfriend.”

  His comment didn’t seem to register to Jolene; she looked utterly exhausted. She’d fallen asleep for the last bit of the trip, and now her lids hung half-open and her body swayed a bit.

  “You can use the bathroom first,” he said.

  “No, no, you go first. I’m going to rest for a second.”

  She lay on her back with her arm slung across her eyes. He wondered how much of her fatigue had to do with their long day and how much resulted because she wasn’t a night owl. Since he’d spent years and years even before dental school doing all-nighters and running on fumes, it fascinated him to see someone so easily defeated before midnight.

  After fishing his toiletries from his backpack, Jason quickly brushed and flossed his teeth and took the quickest of showers. He entered the room and found Jolene completely knocked out above the covers. Deciding against waking her, he turned off the lights and slid onto the bed, not bothering to get under the covers either. The bed groaned under his weight, and he settled into a position as far away from Jolene’s body as possible, turning his back toward her. Jolene’s soft breathing was the last thing he consciously registered before he succumbed to sleep.

  Chapter 5

  Muted and unfamiliar noises woke Jolene. It took her a few moments to remember where she was. The discolored blinds on the window helped. Disoriented and slow, she tried to move, but her body was unnaturally heavy. She quickly concluded that limbs weighed her down. Jason’s forearm draped around her middle and his large hand cupped her breast. One massive leg was pinned between her legs, and her back pressed up against what could only be described as a mountain of chest.

  The memories of her talking way too much on their journey to Gregory Lake flooded back. And it was the memory of the discussion about her ex-husband that made her want to bury her face in the pillow. She was no longer ashamed she’d gotten divorced after only three months of marriage, but ever since she’d inelegantly revealed the information to her sister’s wedding guests, she’d tried to harp on it less. How was she to move forward if she always reminded other people of her past failures?

  By the time they’d arrived at their destination, she’d talked herself into exhaustion. She fell onto the bed without even assessing her surroundings. She could’ve entered the bed with the actual Devil himself, and she wouldn’t have cared. But this was no devil. Her body came alive with the awareness of Jason’s body, and she could feel a slow thrum of desire start in her lower stomach and end in her clit. She was certain this wasn’t the position they’d fallen asleep in.

  For a few minutes she contemplated the best way to disentangle herself from Jason’s embrace. She fought the desire to be lulled back to sleep by his shallow breathing, and she shifted to see if she could wiggle free without waking him up. Having them both aware of how they spent the night together would cause unnecessary awkwardness. But once she moved her body, she was met with an erection that pressed against her jean-clad butt. She stifled a moan and resisted the urge to rub against it.

  This is ridiculous.

  With a focus that came from sporadically attending yoga classes and agility that lingered years after she stopped sneaking out of her adolescent bedroom window, Jolene got out of the bed. She slowly removed the hand that cupped her breast and shifted off the bed like a slinky moving down the stairs. Unfortunately, the action, though aptly executed, happened too fast, and she couldn’t brace herself before she banged her head against the lampshade on the side table. The impact sent her reeling backwards onto the floor. Her palms stung as they made contact with the carpet. The commotion and the alarmed yelp she let out woke Jason. He stood, immediately on alert. He saw her slumped on the questionably clean motel carpet, and the next thing she knew he hauled her up and placed her on the edge of the bed as he knelt before her.

  “I’m fine,” she said as she gingerly touched the sore spot on her head.

  He studied her for a moment, running his intense eyes up her form. The walls closed in.

  “Did I push you off the bed?” he asked with a voice husky and deep from sleep. A faint crease formed between his brows as he frowned.

  The sound of his voice had her clenching the bedcovers on either side of her. “Do you usually push people you sleep with off the bed?”

  A small smile appeared. “No, but I don’t usually fall asleep with acquaintances in my bed.”

  She tilted her head. He had to have a lot of people propositioning him. He was good-looking.

  More than good-looking: sexy, rugged—

  Did that mean he didn’t do casual sex, or that he typically left immediately after casual hookups?

  “You should take your jeans off and soak them before they stain,” he said, pointing to where her rug-burned hands had transferred a trivial amount of blood onto her jeans.

  She snorted. “Does that work on your girlfriend?”

  “You keep bringing up this imaginary girlfriend of mine. I don’t know where you’re getting your information from.” He swept an errant curl from her face, lingering for a second on where she hit her head.

  Her brain short-circuited.

  Deep breaths.

  “Wait. When did I bring up your girlfriend?”

  “One, there’s no ‘girlfriend,’” he said, putting air quotes around the word. “And last night you told me you wouldn’t touch me and upset my girlfriend.”

  Of course her lethargic self would betray her like this. Her tired self might be a bit more poised than her drunken self but not by any noteworthy degree. “I actually don’t care about your relationship status.”

  His smile grew.

  “And you can stop hovering. I won’t slip into a coma or anything,” she said.

  He let out a short laugh, then, and the deep, burly frequency turned her already humming body on fire. She then became aware of how gross she must look. She caught a whiff of cheap motel soap on his skin. He must’ve showered last night, and God that meant he’d rubbed up against her as she slept in day-old clothes and while she smelled like sweat and dirt. What if she had dried-up drool on her face or that gross crust stuff in the corner of her eyes?

  The urgency to get away from him intensified, and she heard the angels start to sing when Jason said, “Why don’t you use the washroom, and I’ll call the front desk about what we can do for breakfast. Then we can figure out this mess we’re in.”

  They sat in a restaurant a short walk away from their motel room. The Sunday morning patrons of the Hive Diner easily filled the large restaurant that had well-worn booths, pastel-colored walls, and a staff that smiled only when they thought someone was watching.

  “I hope the repairs don’t cost too much,” Jason said as they settled into their booth.

  “We’ll split the cost, and you’ll just have to remember to get the invoice so Ty and Nicky can pay you back.”

  He practically balked at her comment. “I’m not letting Ty and Nicole pay these extra expenses.”

  Jolene blinked.

  “They set us off in a perfectly good vehicle, and they already have to deal with other moving costs. Besides they’re my friends,” he said.

  “You’ve been paying for gas this entire time, and I let you because I assumed you were going to get your money back.”

  He shrugged.

  “No. I’ll have to pay you back for the money you’ve spent so far.”

  “It’s fine.”

  “You’re not obligated. We’re not friends.”

  He looked at her over the brim of his mug. His eyes appeared more like brown topaz the way the light from the window hit his face.

  No, brown
eyes. He has ordinary brown eyes.

  “Then just count it as something nice I’m doing for an acquaintance.”

  “If you’re so eager to throw your money away, be my guest.”

  “I didn’t grow up with much, barely anything actually. So, it’s not about wanting to part with the good money I now earn.”

  She had the sense to know that she’d been schooled or told off somehow, and it made her slightly uncomfortable, but she held his gaze. “In that case, thank you.”

  His eyebrows rose like he hadn’t expected sincerity from her.

  “We’ll split costs from here on out, though,” she said.

  He nodded his agreement.

  Just as her stomach grew tired of waiting, Rowena—their waitress—delivered their food. She had proven to be a sullen type, communicating with as few words as possible.

  “Enjoy,” Rowena said over her shoulder before disappearing to help other customers.

  Jolene took a couple bites of her waffles while eying the bacon that Jason had chosen as a side to his pancakes. Without much thought, Jolene reached over the table and grabbed a slice from his plate.

  She froze. “God, I’m sorry.” She’d only take such liberties with her sister, best friend, or her parents. Not with a virtual stranger. She blamed their sleeping arrangement for creating a false sense of intimacy. First, you feel a man’s erection, then the next thing you know, you feel entitled to his literal bacon.

  A faint smile appeared on his face. “Take it.”

  “Sorry, it’s a habit. One I clearly can’t turn off when I’m not in my usual company.”

  “We wouldn’t want you to be anything but yourself, now would we?”

  Embarrassment no longer goaded her.

  “Oh? What’s that supposed—”

  “How are the first few bites?” Rowena asked. Her reappearance ended the bickering before it had a chance to start.

  “Great.”

  “Awesome, thanks.”

  Rowena reached over their plates to refill their water glasses. “You folks up here for the writer’s retreat?” she asked without any real curiosity and as if she read from a script.

  “No, we’re just passing through,” Jason said.

  “Our trip, unfortunately, has taken a turn. Our moving van decided to die on us,” Jolene elaborated.

  Rowena straightened and met their eyes. “You’re getting it repaired in Gregory Lake?”

  Jolene nodded. “We’re getting it towed here from where it broke down an hour away. It’s probably already here.”

  Jolene looked to Jason for confirmation, but he met her with an annoyed look.

  Okay.

  “You need to ask for Joey—”

  The bell over the diner’s door rang, and Rowena excused herself, leaving behind her cloying floral perfume.

  “We shouldn’t be broadcasting our business to strangers,” Jason said in a hushed tone.

  Jolene rolled her eyes. “Relax. I’m just making small talk.”

  “You never know—”

  “As I was saying,” Rowena reappeared as suddenly as she had left, “ask for Joey. Don’t let Steve touch the truck, the man’s a klutz. He’ll screw up your truck more than it already is. Joey’s the best, and he’s married to my cousin so if you tell him I sent you, I’m sure he’ll give you a good deal.”

  “That’s fantastic, thank you,” Jolene said while she gave Jason a pointed look. Manners and a smile could get you a long way.

  “Yes, thank you.”

  “And,” Rowena continued, drawing out the word with enthusiasm that didn’t appear to come naturally to her, “I’ll tell you what, if you guys are still here during lunchtime, there’s free dessert with your names on it.”

  “Ah, Rowena, a woman after my own heart. Thank you,” Jolene said and gave Jason another smug look.

  After breakfast, they got a taxi to the auto body repair shop where their traitorous moving van waited for them. They’d been lucky that despite it being a Sunday, the shop opened for several hours. The environment brought back memories for Jason—the smell of oil and fumes and the high-pitched sounds of drills and motors.

  Joey, the highly recommended mechanic, accommodated them and prattled on in a way his cousin-in-law did not. Joey used stories and metaphors to express how the moving van needed a new thermostat and a radiator flush. It sounded expensive, and Jason silently thanked Jolene for getting them a deal through her oversharing. He didn’t actually thank her, however, because then he’d know no peace.

  “Simon, here”—Joey gestured toward the man with floppy, blond hair who’d suddenly appeared—“will get you a drink, and you can take a seat in our waiting area.”

  The service time didn’t take long. Two lukewarm cups of water and dull conversation with other customers later, he and Jolene stood with their newly repaired moving van in an open area just outside the shop. They waited for the front desk clerk, Simon, to bring them their receipt and keys. Jolene fanned herself with a brochure she’d picked up and aimlessly walked around the truck.

  “I never thought I’d be wishing for West Coast rain,” she groaned. “I’m not built for this heat.”

  Jason would beg to differ. She wore this bright orange, cotton dress that looked great against her dark skin, and it hugged her breasts and waist before billowing out to a skirt that stopped just above her knees. She looked sweet and tantalizing, like an orange Creamsicle in the dead of summer.

  “I swear I haven’t stopped sweating since we started this trip,” she said, disappearing from view once again as she made her third turn around the truck.

  He busied himself looking through Google Maps for nearby gas stations. It would probably be best to fill up before they got back to the motel. That way they could just head out and finish this obviously damned trip. He got caught up in modifying their itinerary until the sound of Jolene’s scream yanked him to the present and sent his heartbeat into a frenzied rhythm.

  Chapter 6

  Jolene Baxter, at the age of twenty-seven, didn’t think about death often. Today, however, her mortality decided to introduce itself.

  She had noticed the heavy-duty latch that secured the back door on the moving van was disengaged. Confused, Jolene had tugged the sliding door and confirmed that it was indeed unlocked. She hoisted the door to peer inside the back of the van, but unfortunately for her, death waited in the form of a beady-eyed, fast-moving raccoon.

  The raccoon had been prepared for an invasion because once Jolene slid the door high enough, the beast propelled its body toward her face. To Jolene’s utter amazement and relief, she ducked out of the raccoon’s reach. And the animal made a choice not to continue to fight but rather parkour into the distance.

  “Jolene. What’s wrong?” Jason stood in front of her, grasping her upper arms painfully, his face a sheet of worry and dread.

  Her heart still pounded. “A fucking raccoon just jumped out of the back of the van,” she screeched.

  “What?” He still grasped her arms.

  “A gross-looking, mangy raccoon just tried to claw my eyes out.”

  “Are you hurt?” He scanned her face, neck, and body.

  “No, I’m fine. It didn’t touch me.”

  “How the hell did a raccoon get into the back of the van?” he asked as they both turned to look into said van.

  A moment of stunned silence ran between them.

  “Holy shit.”

  The truck wasn’t empty. No, it would have been too kind to immediately realize that they’d been robbed. Instead, Jolene stood there trying to decipher if she’d imagined more things in the truck. But key pieces she’d distinctly remembered seeing had disappeared, like the microwave and a pair of lamps.

  “They took the rug.” She laughed.

  They looked at each other, trying to silently confirm that they indeed saw what the other saw.

  “I—” Jason said.

  “What—”

  They stood there for several minutes, letti
ng the gravity of their situation settle into place in their minds.

  “You folks are good to go now,” Simon, the front desk clerk for the shop called out as he walked toward them. He rounded the corner of the van dangling its keys. “Is everything okay?”

  Jolene and Jason both turned to the man with matching dazed looks. Poor Simon shifted nervously under Jason and Jolene’s bewildered gazes before seemingly deciding whatever the problem, it wasn’t his fault and he’d fulfilled his job description. He placed the keys on the edge of the truck’s steps and gave a strained smile and backed away until he disappeared inside the building.

  “What are we going to do?” Jolene finally asked.

  The question went unanswered for a while. And it might have remained that way if Jason wasn’t Jason.

  He counted off each point with his fingers. “Okay. We’re going to contact the authorities, book another day in our room, and see Rowena about those free desserts.”

  The police station in Gregory Lake was surprisingly robust. A constable had asked questions, taken a statement, and promised to be in touch very soon. The process hadn’t provided any solutions other than waiting. And Jolene debated whether or not to fill in her sister on how the cute little Hallmark Christmas movie town they’d just stopped in to repair the moving van had become the backdrop of an investigation that would take an indiscernible amount of time. The only thing that had gone right was that they’d managed to rebook their flights for early Tuesday morning.

  Jolene could practically hear the wheels in Jason’s head spin as they, along with their free cinnamon buns from the Hive Diner, made their way from the motel’s front desk back to their room. They’d been forced to rebook their one-bed motel room.

  “We’ll have to call Ty and Nicole,” Jolene said almost to herself. Her sister would’ve already arrived.

  “We should see what the police find before unnecessarily stressing them out. I think being honest about—”