The plan was to stay at a hotel tomorrow night before the meeting Wednesday. The drive back to Elyria wasn’t long, but my meeting with the developer was at eight. With the regular morning traffic, it didn’t seem worth the rushed commute.
“We’ll be ready,” she said.
I breathed. “Good night.”
“Karson?” she whispered before I could hang up.
“Yeah?”
The other end of the line was silent other than her breathing.
“Clara?”
“Was it real?”
I closed my eyes. “It was real.”
“It’s been a long time, and I worried that maybe you were just a teenage boy and I was just a teenage girl and sex was . . . sex. Please don’t take offense at that. We were young and I wouldn’t blame you but—”
“It was real.”
She went quiet again.
“You still there?”
“Yeah. Sweet dreams, Karson.”
Then I’ll dream of you. “Good night, Clara.”
Chapter Twelve
Karson
“What made you change your mind?” I asked Clara. “About coming along.”
“Aria.” She glanced over from the passenger side as we rolled down the highway. “She asked me if I’d regret it in ten years. At first, I said no. But it nagged at me and I realized I need this closure.”
“I can relate.” I needed this closure too.
With Temecula. With the junkyard.
With Clara.
The top was up today to keep the wind and sun from August’s face. And the exhaust. The trip from Elyria to Temecula was about an hour but if we hit traffic, it could take considerably longer.
So far, the road hadn’t been too crowded, likely because it was midmorning on a weekday.
August was playing his Nintendo, something that must be a treat because his eyes had gone wide when Clara had handed it to him. I suspected that Gus had been given a lot more video game time on this trip simply so the adults could talk without interruption.
“I think a part of me wants to go back just to remind myself of how far I’ve come,” she said. “Or to remind myself that I won’t ever have to go back.”
“I felt the same when I moved to Temecula. It took me weeks to work up the nerve to drive to that side of town and when I did, it was at night. I parked outside the gate and just stared inside. Told myself I never had to survive those kinds of days again. So I get it.”
She looked over again and smiled. “I know. Aria told me that if there was any time to go, it would be with you. She didn’t want me going alone.”
“Truth? That’s why I’ve been avoiding this meeting. It was hard enough going back when Lou was there. Since he died, I only went once. And that was after his lawyer told me about his will. I drove up, left the car running, went to the gate and put a new padlock on the chain. Didn’t even go in.”
“So no one has been there in years?”
“No.” I sighed. “I pay the electric bill every month. That’s it.”
“You said you went into his shack. Did you ever go look through the yard?”
I squirmed in my seat, not wanting to admit this was a weakness. That a place full of rusted cars and metal parts had so far gotten the better of me. “Couldn’t do it.”
“Then we’ll go together.”
Was that why I’d never gone back? Because I’d been waiting for Clara to come with me?
She looked beautiful this morning. Her blond hair was pulled back into a braid that hung down her spine. The sheer cream blouse she wore was embroidered with lacey flowers. Beneath, a silky camisole clung to her frame. With a pair of jean shorts, she looked casual. Comfortable. Sexy.
I hated how the last word popped into my head with one glance at her toned legs. I hated how she’d walked out of the hotel lobby this morning and my heart had stopped. I hated that what I wanted most was to take her hand just to see if her fingers still fit between mine like they had when we were younger.
I hated myself for the thoughts running through my mind.
How fucked up was it that Holly had been the one to suggest this trip? While she was at work today, I’d been struggling to keep my mind off Clara.
Good thing was, the junkyard would be a distraction. Just setting foot in Temecula was sure to be strange for Clara again. Hell, it was still strange for me and I’d lived there as an adult.
Clara’s phone rang in the purse at her feet. She bent to pluck the phone out and smiled at the screen. Then she held it up for me to see.
Londyn.
“Want to say hi?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
Clara hit the screen, putting it on speaker, then held it up between us and let me answer.
“Hey, Lonny.”
“Oh my God.” She gasped at my voice. “Karson?”
My heart twisted. “It’s me.”
“It’s you. I can’t believe it.” Her voice trembled. “Clara? Are you there too?”
“I’m here.” She smiled, shifting sideways. “We’re in the Cadillac. Karson is driving us to Temecula.”
“Temecula? I thought you were going home today. I was calling to get the full scoop on Karson.”
“Little change of vacation plans,” Clara said. “First Temecula. Then we’ll go home. Want me to call you later?”
“No way. I can’t wait that long. It’s been torture for the past two days. Tell me everything about Karson.”
“Uh . . . I’m still here,” I said.
“Good,” Londyn said. “Fill in any blanks. And keep your eyes on the road. That car is nearly as precious as your passengers.”
I chuckled. “I see you still love bossing me around.”
“Hey, when you’re good at something, why quit?”
Clara giggled. “Okay, what do you want to know about Karson?”
“Is he still handsome?”
“Yes.” Clara’s eyes darted to the seat, but I caught the flush rising in her cheeks. “He looks like Karson, just all grown up. He’s got a short beard.”
“A beard.” Londyn groaned. “No. Not you too.”
“What do you mean, not me too?” I asked.
“Brooks grew one and I hate it. Which I made the mistake of saying, so now he won’t shave. He likes it because when he kisses Ellie it makes her giggle. But he has such a sexy jaw I hate that it’s covered up with all that hair.”
“In my defense, my beard usually only lasts a month, then I shave.” I chuckled. Hearing her talk about her husband and daughter made my heart swell. “Are you happy, Lonny?”
“So, so happy.” The smile in her voice filled the car. “Clara, what’s his house like?”
“It’s beautiful. It’s white with warm touches. It’s close to the beach. And clean, obviously. This is Karson we’re talking about.”
I barked a laugh. The girls always teased me for being the cleanest one in the junkyard. Not that they were messy, but I think they’d thought the token male would have left his things lying around. Except when you were living in dirt, the least you could do to take care of it was to put it away.