“Sure. No problem.” Except leaving Gale alone was the one thing I couldn’t seem to do.
Not in the mood to fight with Olivia, I pushed back from the desk. “I’m going to grab food before things get chaotic.”
Olivia faced the screens and didn’t respond.
The diner had a selection of Southern comfort foods that appealed to me in a way I couldn’t explain. Maybe Olivia didn’t care about Gale’s continued absence, but it got under my skin, and I needed an excuse to check on him.
Food was a feasible excuse. It had been hours since we arrived, and he must be getting hungry, right?
I ordered two servings of fried chicken with mac and cheese, alongside two sweet teas and two helpings of apple crumble, figuring I couldn’t go wrong unless Gale was a vegetarian.
Vern, Maggie, and Lex occupied a booth. Hugh and Arty lingered nearby, cameras ever rolling.
I sat beside Lex as I waited for my order, offering Maggie a polite smile. It was odd that she had chosen to hang out with my people and not her own, but she seemed like a nice girl.
“Elliott’s not coming until morning.” Lex turned his phone so I could read the recent text he’d received.
“Shit.” That wouldn’t go over well when Charles found out. “Why didn’t he text me?”
Vern and Lex both gave me matching deadpan expressions. Frowning, I dug my phone from a pocket and was met with over a dozen unanswered texts. Most were from Stella, but two were from Elliott.
“In my defense, I’ve trained myself to ignore my phone.” I spun it to show them the recent damage. “For reasons.”
Vern chuckled. “I fucking love your mom.”
“You can have her. She’s relentless.” Opening the string of texts from my mother, I skimmed, finding familiar content. She knew I was out of town, but it didn’t alter her level of concern or diminish the sheer number of questions. If anything, her anxiety was elevated. My lack of response didn’t help.
Before she called the Tulsa police, I textedI’m not dead in a ditch. Sorry that I forgot to tell you when I arrived. We made it to Tulsa in one piece. Getting dinner now.Then, to pad the blow, I addedI love you.
“How are we organizing passengers later?” Vern asked as I slipped my phone away.
“I’m driving Black Bug.” Lex munched fries, clearly pleased with his designated role.
“I don’t know what to suggest. It’s going to be war.”
“We should draw straws or something,” Maggie suggested.
“I like that idea,” Vern said.
It was probably the only way to make it work without a battle, and I said as much.
“Order up,” a guy called from behind the counter.
“That’s me.”
Lex raised a brow. “You’re taking it to go?”
“Yeah.” I didn’t mention how I’d bought enough for two, nor that I planned to lure the elusive Gale out of hiding if possible. Let them think I was taking it back to eat at the command post with Olivia. It was easier, and maybe Hugh and Arty wouldn’t follow.
I left my friends, grabbed the takeout, and headed across the street to the motel.
Instead of knocking, I slipped into my room—Noah was out cold—and poked my head through the door that joined with Gale’s.
He was alone, sitting on his bed, leaning against the headboard, and with his nose in a book.
“Hey,” I whispered, not wanting to wake Noah. “Can I come in?”
Jolting, Gale flashed his attention away from the pages, only to relax when he saw it was me.
