Whitney’s eyes went wide, and she looked like she was about to cry. “I love you,” she blubbered as she wiggled out of the booth and dashed to the bakery’s kitchen.
Miles settled into Whitney’s seat and started to arrange the salsas by color: green on the left and red on the right. “So, how’s your enemies-to-lovers romance going?”
I groaned. “Not you, too.”
His grin was blinding. “Good news travels fast. Jack and I have a little wager on whether you two will actually fall in love. He’s a little new to the wonderful world of romance and said no. But me? Believer in love all the way.”
“Then it’s official. Jack is my favorite,” I deadpanned.
Miles groaned and pressed his hands to his chest like he had been shot. “You wound me, Willow.”
I snickered under my breath as Whitney came skipping down the row of booths with a giant bowl of ice cream. “Best day ever,” she sang as she squeezed in beside Miles and started taking stock of the salsas. “All my favorite people. We just need to get Wander and Jack up here.”
“Good luck with that,” I said as I cracked my knuckles. “I think they’re enjoying their time in their little love nest.”
She snickered as she popped the top to one of the portion cups and gave it a sniff. “They’re so cute together.” Her nose wrinkled. “What is that?”
“Mango salsa,” Miles said.
Whitney quickly snapped the lid back on and shook her head. “The baby hates mangoes.” She opened a green container and sniffed once, then twice, then poured it all over her vanilla ice cream.
I grimaced. “Really? Tomatillo salsa? That’s the one you went with?”
She jabbed her spoon into the scoop of ice cream, making sure to get a healthy amount of salsa on top, then ate it.
I cupped my hand over my mouth and dry-heaved.
Whitney groaned in delight. “The garlic really complements the vanilla.”
Even Miles looked a little green. His complexion matched the ice cream concoction.
“You’re not doing bakery stuff while you’re pregnant, right?” I hedged. “You’re letting the bakers come up with all the pie flavors?”
Whitney nodded as she shoveled in another bite. “I don’t do much around here anymore. I just mooch off the Wi-Fi.”
Miles and I let out a relieved breath. “Thank God," I whispered.
As much as I wanted to stay and watch Whitney eat disgusting combinations of food, I needed to hit the road to get back to New York. The break had been just what I needed to get Ryan out of my head. The drive up here had me itching for long stretches on the road full of daydreaming and plotting.
I wanted to go somewhere far. I wanted to be on the road for days. I wanted the challenge of the trip. I wanted to go somewhere that felt like I was in another world.
I had gotten too comfortable in New York.
I said my goodbyes to Whitney and Miles, then grabbed a few slices of pie for the road.
My silver sedan was nothing fancy, but she got great gas mileage and had enough space for the few belongings I traveled with. She had gotten me across the country many times and never let me down.
That was, until I heard the ominousker-thunk.
The tire light on my dashboard immediately lit up as a grotesquewhump, whump, whumpechoed along the highway. I put on my flashers and eased onto the side of the road.
My phone lit up as soon as I put the car in park.
Ryan
Do you have plans tonight?
Me
