Considering the things his father had done to Will to ensure Wilson got into the Senate, he doubted Will wanted anything to do with that side of his life, and he couldn't blame him. Will had been denied the life he should have had, all because Wilson's father wanted his son to be in politics. Yet another reason Wilson was considering stepping down once his term in office was over. It just didn't seem worth it anymore.
Wilson turned in his rental car once he reached the airport then made his way to the ticket counter to get the ticket Lex had purchased for him. Thankfully, he didn't have long to wait until his flight took off. The longer he sat in the waiting area, the more chance he had that someone would recognize him.
Despite the fact that he was taking a commercial flight, Wilson was glad that Lex had booked him a first class ticket. At six feet three inches tall, being able to stretch his legs out was kind of a must. It didn't hurt that there were fewer people in the first class section. Wilson wasn't really in a conversation kind of mood. He had way too much on his mind at the moment.
He was still reeling from the knowledge that he had a son. Jillian, his ex-wife, had never wanted children. Granted, they had tried, but she had never been able to conceive. At the time, Wilson had been heartbroken. Now, he was just grateful he had no ties to the bitch.
"Can I get you something to drink, sir?"
Wilson glanced up at the flight attendant then smiled. "A bottle of water if you have it."
He didn't think having alcohol right now was in his best interest, no matter how much he wanted a stiff drink.
"Of course, sir."
She was back a moment later with a bottle of water. Wilson sent her another smile as he took the water. "Thank you."
"Are you a movie star?" she asked. "I feel like I've seen you on TV before."
She probably had.
Wilson chuckled even as he tightened his grip on the bottle of water. "I actually get that a lot, but no, I'm not a movie star." He winked at the woman. "I'd be flying in my own jet if I were."
She laughed, which had been his intent, but he didn't blow out a relieved breath until she walked away. If put on the spot, he'd admit to being a senator, but he'd prefer being unrecognized if possible. This trip was a personal one, not political. He wanted to keep it that way.
Once the plane landed, Wilson quickly disembarked then made his way to the car rental counter. Once again, Lex proved his worth. A rental car, complete with GPS, was waiting for him. Thirty minutes after landing, Wilson was on the road, headed for the small town of Cade Creek.
* * * *
"So, this is Cade Creek," Wilson mused as he reached the outskirts of the small town and started looking around. It was a quaint-looking place out in the middle of nowhere. This was the kind of place politicians talked about when they mentioned the American dream.
He wasn't supposed to meet with his son until tomorrow morning. That gave him the rest of the day to get to know Cade Creek. After checking in at the motel where Lex had booked him a room, he'd start with food. He was starving.
The motel was not what he expected. It looked nothing like a Motel 8 but more like an old three-story brick hotel in the heart of one of the older sections of Washington, D.C. Wilson checked in then made his way up to his room.
He set his briefcase and suitcase down on the suitcase stand then looked around the surprisingly spacious room. It still carried that old-world feel while having all the modern amenities. Antiques were mixed in with Internet and TV, although the television set was hidden in a beautiful wooden armoire.
The wrought-iron bed was covered by a plush white comforter. Wilson could tell just from the feel that the comforter and sheets were top quality. The bathroom was a thing of beauty all on its own. Walk-in shower, claw-foot bathtub, and marble countertops.
Wilson could honestly say he was impressed.
He unpacked then changed into something more casual than his suit. It felt good to get back into a pair of jeans. He didn't get to wear them often. He was usually trying too hard to be what everyone expected him to be.
Years of being paranoid had him locking his briefcase up in the room safe before he left. He would be the first to admit he trusted very few people, and those that he did only had some of his trust. Washington, D.C. was a hotbed of intrigue and backstabbing. Trust did not exist there.
As he rode the elevator down to the lobby, Wilson pulled out his cell phone and looked at the map Lex had loaded up for him. There were a couple of different places where he could eat in Cade Creek. The local diner was the closest, but a place called The Rusty Nail Bar and Grill sounded better. Luckily, the map Lex had placed on his phone was GPS equipped.
Wilson was horrible with directions.
It took him a little longer than he would have liked to reach the roadhouse but only because he was checking out the sights as he went along. It really was beautiful countryside, rolling fields that met up with snow-tipped mountains covered in thick forests.
He was actually kind of glad this place was set in a valley high up in the mountains and so far from the nearest city. Beyond the people who lived here, it would hold no great interest to others. It might actually have a chance at staying this beautiful.
The sun was just beginning to set by the time Wilson pulled up in front of the Rusty Nail. He parked then stared at the two-story wooden building for a moment. It was surprisingly clean and well-kept for a country bar and grill. He had kind of expected something out of Deliverance.
Wilson chuckled to himself as he climbed out of his car and headed inside. It was just a roadside bar in the backwater of nowhere.
Seriously, how bad could it be?
