Page 39 of When The Noise Stops

The sunshine came back.

"So we can go."

I nodded. Afraid I'd open my mouth and tell her everything. That I wanted her to go. I just needed time.

"This is going to be fun," Lila said, clapping her hands together.

"I promise. You won't even know we're there."

I doubted that.

I doubted it very much.

Chapter 15

Grizz

We hit the road a few hours later.

The bikes took the lead. The RV followed behind. I could see it in my rearview mirror the whole time, looking completely out of place among the Harleys.

I tried to lose myself in the ride. The wind. The road.

It didn't work.

Every time I looked back, there she was. I could see her clearly through the windshield. Every time we stopped for gas, she was there. Every time we took a break, she was there, handing out sandwiches and water.

I caught myself watching her. The way she laughed at something Ronny said. The way she talked with her hands. The way she sometimes wasn't smiling and sadness crept into her eyes for just a second.

I wanted to be close to her. I wanted to pull over, pull her aside, tell her that I was starting to feel things I had no business feeling. That she scared the hell out of me. That I hadn't let myself want anything in so long I wasn't sure I remembered how.

I didn't pull over. I didn't say anything.

I just rode. And watched. And tried to figure out how I was going to survive a week of this.

That night, we stopped at a campground in Tallahassee.

I set up my tent. The boys did the same. Lila and Ronny parked the RV and plugged it in.

Lights came on inside. Air-conditioning hummed. Through the windshield, I could see pillows on the couch and what looked like a fucking fruit bowl.

You could see it from half a mile away. They might as well have stayed in a five-star resort.

I looked at my tent.

Then their RV.

"So much for camping," I muttered.

Tiny walked over.

"You think they'll let me use their bathroom all week?"

"Don't you fucking dare. We're supposed to be toughing it. Piss in the woods."

Tiny threw his hands up and walked off.

I shook my head.