“Listen, a bra is always optional with me. I don’t want you feeling like you have to wear one,” I teased.
She rolled her eyes but finally gave up once she realized that she wasn’t going to find one that wasn’t three sizes too big. The next section of the store had hanging clothes, but nothing you’d actually want to wear. All the men’s shirts had animals on them, like a deer, turkey, or fish. And everything for women was covered with “live, laugh, love.”
“I’ll just grab some sweats and a stupid t-shirt so I can, at least, change to sleep.”
“What? I thought you liked our sleeping arrangement last night?” I teased again, smirking.
She rolled her eyes, her cheeks bright pink. “No. I didn’t.”
She walked away, leaving me laughing behind her.
She kept walking through the store, grabbing a drawstring bag to put everything in, and who knows what else. I got bored and wandered to the front of the store, where I looked out the glass doors. I noticed a blacked-out SUV pull into the gas station across the street. It stopped at the pump before two guys, dressed in suits, got out. One started filling the tank with gas while the other looked around, as if searching for something. My heart leapt to my throat before galloping to a race. It wasn’t just anyone in that SUV. It was my boss’s henchmen.
I slowly backed away from the doors, not wanting to draw attention to myself. Once I was far enough away that I was sure they wouldn’t be able to see me, I turned and moved through the store to find Crash. I was sure Hail had caught wind of the stolen Aston Martin, found wrecked and abandoned, and he sent dumbass one and two looking for me. I figured they probably had orders to find me and bring me back, but I wouldn’t have putit past them to kill me and throw me in the nearest river. I’d seen them kill people before, just so they didn’t have to mess around with bringing someone in.
They were too close, and I needed to put as many miles between them and me as I could. The only problem was that I didn’t want her to know. I thought it was weird how easily she accepted the news of me being a car thief until breakfast, when she told me how she was brought up. She was used to being surrounded by illegal activity, but I could tell that she didn’t thrive on it as many did. She wanted out. Just like me. I wasn’t sure why, but I couldn’t turn my back on her. I couldn’t walk away. I knew if I were to leave, she’d only feel like she had to go back. I didn’t know much about her life before, but I knew she was too good for that. The moment she came crashing into my life, she became mine.
She just didn’t know it yet.
I found her sniffing fucking candles.
“Come on. Let’s get out of here.”
“What’s the rush?” she asked, putting the lid back on one and picking up another.
“I told you, we need to get a move on. Let’s fucking go.” I took the candle from her hand and set it back on the shelf.
“Alright, you don’t have to be mean about it.”
“I’m just eager to get out of here.” I nodded toward the checkout.
While she unloaded her basket for the cashier, I moved back to the door and glanced out as I pretended to try on sunglasses. I watched both guys walk out of the gas station with a drink and a slice of pizza. They climbed into the SUV and took off, going the same direction we’ve been heading, telling me we needed to head east rather than south.
“Alright, grouch. Where to now?” she asked as we walked out of the store together.
“We have to find a car and get back on the road.”
She nodded. “Alright, just let me open this stuff and put it in the bag I bought so I’m not toting around all this extra packaging.” She had stopped at the outside trash can by the door to open items and drop them into her drawstring bag. While I waited, I couldn’t ignore an older lady who was talking on her cellphone as she looked over the clearance items stacked up beside the door.
“…The doctor said he probably won’t get released for another week. The pneumonia was bad, but his body is responding well to the medication. I just have to go by his house every day to feed his cats, and I’m so allergic that I can barely breathe by the time I leave there.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Would you hurry up?” I asked, watching her open each item as if something precious was inside.
“No, you don’t have to do that,” the older lady said to whoever she was talking to.
“What’s got your panties in a wad?” Amelia asked.
“Really? You wouldn’t mind?” the old lady asked.
The longer I waited, the more anxious and overstimulated I became. I just wanted to hit the road and get the fuck away from it all. I began rubbing my temples as a headache formed. “I have a headache.”
“Oh, good. I bought Tylenol.” She shook a bottle at me, and I grabbed it.
“I really appreciate that, Jules. The cats all eat out of the same bowl, so you just have to pour in the remeasured pouch, morning and night. The address is 1276 East Herron Drive, and the key is hidden under the mat.”
My head popped up as an idea hit me.
