We got on the road first thing in the morning, and four hours into our drive, just as we were about to get through Lynchburg, Virginia, the carsort of tapped out. It still moves, but it won’t go any faster than twenty-five miles per hour, which might be fine on back country roads, but not the highway we’re currently on.
Dani grits her teeth as I’m finally able to get to the shoulder. “In my defense, it could definitely be worse. At least it still runs.”
“Yeah, at this speed we could probably get there by tomorrow morning.”
She huffs at my response. “Well, now what?”
A sly grin stretches across my face. “Now, princess, we pop the hood.” I get out and wait for her at the hood of the car, peeking around it when she doesn’t join me.
She sticks her head out the window, her brows knitted in confusion. “I’m sorry, you actually wanted me to join you?”
“Why do you think I said ‘we’?”
“You’ve taken up French in Duolingo? I don’t know!”
The first night we met, we played the assumption game. We wanted to know everything about each other, and that seemed like the quickest way. One of her assumptions about me was that I spoke Arabic, which I don’t. I don’t even remember why she thought that, but I remember how adorable she looked when she was explaining her thought process. So, first Arabic, now French. She thinks I’m a damn polyglot.
My lack of response works though, and she joins me.
With her lips in a full pout, she asks, “Need me to hold a flashlight?”
“Nope. Just wanted your company.” I practically wheeze at the way her jaw drops.
It takes me a few minutes to realize one of the hose clamps broke in the engine. It’s an easy fix, I just need a new one. The problem is getting one.
I explain the issue to Dani, and she pulls out her phone. “There’s a general store five miles out,” she says softly.
“Okay, why are you saying it like that?” I ask, looking down at her foot tapping on the ground.
“I just don’t love being stuck in a city with the wordlynchin it.” She rubs her hand up and down the front of her neck with her lips turned in a frown.
I throw my head back and laugh. “How about this? I can put the hose back in, but it’s just gonna fall back out until we get the part. We can ride with our hazards on until we get to the next acceptably named city.”
She claps and jumps in place. “Yes, please.”
“Oh, fuck off!” Dani shouts to the car beside us. Since we’ve been crawling down the road, cars have been speeding around us, some going about their day and some, like the one on Dani’s side, have taken to honking and flipping us off.
“Idiot,” she whispers to herself as the car finally moves on.
“I didn’t take you for a road-rage person.”
She balks at me. “Please. If you think that was road rage, you’ve never been in a car with Evie. I’ve seen her throw soda cans at cars that pissed her off.”
I chuckle as I make a mental note not to get in a car with Evie behind the wheel. “Fair point. Pass me a peach, please.”
She holds a peach ring up to my mouth and I make a show of biting it.
She shakes her hand as if I bit her too. “Animal.” She turns to look out the window and I catch sight of her weary reflection. “God, it’s been so long since I’ve been on a road trip.”
“Why’s that?” I ask, eager to learn any part of Dani’s story.
She turns to me slowly. “No time. I usually have to get in and get out.”
I run my hand along my beard. Curiosity nicks me like a sharp blade. For someone who sells experiences to the masses, it doesn’t seem like she’s had many experiences that were strictly her own.
“When was your last road trip?”
Her responding smile is laced with memories. “When I was seventeen. Me and my parents drove to Michigan to see the Wolverines play.”
