Or attractive.
Nope. She didn’t find him either of those things, actually.
Krish nodded at the teen, seemingly unaware of the boy’s unease. “Do you sell maps?”
“A... map?”
“Yes. A map.”
The clerk mimed opening a map. “Like, apapermap?”
“Yes.”
“Uh. Hang on. I think my dad has some around here somewhere.” He glanced around the store.
Sejal rolled her eyes and very gently placed her foot over Krish’s and gave it a little warning stomp. She flashed the boy a winning smile to cover Krish’s inhale. “Sorry for my husband. He’s really old.”
The boy’s expression turned placid. “It’s okay. My dad’s old, too. There might be some over there?” He pointed to a display almost completely hidden behind the candy.
“Thanks for your help. Come on, dear.”
He didn’t speak until they’d paid for the dusty maps and were outside. “For the record, I am two years younger than you, and phones have their limitations. It would be good for us to have hard-copy maps.”
“You can’t ask people memorable questions that make them think you’re a time traveler from 1995. It’s uncommon to need a map these days.”
She thought he might argue with her. He opened his mouth, then closed it. “You’re right.”
Perhaps he was too tired to argue. She could see the strain of the grueling pace around his mouth. In the hours they’d been driving, she was the one who insisted on bathroom and food breaks. She would have bet that, if it wasn’t for her, he wouldn’t have stopped at all.
One thing was for sure—there was no doubt as to the man’s determination when it came to his job. She wished she cared about anything like he cared about getting to her aunt. She cocked her head. “Uh-oh. You found it.”
“Found what?”
“My G-spot. It’s activated by men telling me I’m right.”
She couldn’t tell if he let out a cough or a laugh, but she’d take it, along with his eye roll. She shivered as the air hit her. It was colder here in the Midwest, and theohioT-shirt she’d bought at their first stop to layer with wasn’t really robust enough to beat the chill.
She paused in front of the elderly woman who was sitting on the stoop in front of the gas station with a cardboard sign. Sejal reached into her bag, then handed her a bag of chips.
“Thank you so much,” the older woman said, in a scratchy voice.
“That was kind of you,” Krish said, as they walked to the car.
Sejal shrugged it off. “It’s Uncle Sam’s money I spent, right?”
Krish got to the passenger door before her and opened it. “Right. Did you get dinner for us?”
She lifted her bag. “Yup.”
“Excellent. Did you get a receipt?”
“No. Sorry, does that mess up your reimbursements?” She handed him back his change.
He looked at the meager change she deposited in his palm. “You used all fifty?”
“You didn’t say not to.”
“I assumed you’d understand we’re trying to save money.” He pocketed the change.
