“The place I rented is four hundred and eighty square feet. I won’t have a sofa.”
A laugh bubbled up my throat. I hugged her tighter before I stepped back.
“I want you to be careful, but have fun. Find a hot cowboy somewhere in Wyoming. Ride him until you forget about those other assholes.” Sadie nudged me. “Do not pick up your phone for Ethan; he doesn’t deserve shit from you. You’ll be seeing the other douche at the wedding, right?”
I cringed. “I hope not.” Both guys had worked hard at worming into my heart, and then when they did, they stomped, spit on, and burned it.
Jason, my high school crush, was the typical rich, popular, handsome jock you were warned about. I fought his attention for a long time before he broke me down into thinking he was actually a good guy. Basically, he won me over to take my virginity, dump me, and brag about his conquest the last few months of school to everyone. I wanted to get as far from him, the embarrassment, and town as I could, which landed me across the country in San Diego University.
It took me a long time to trust again, but Ethan was diligent in breaking me down, making me believe all guys weren’t like Jason. After five months, he finally convinced me. Two months ago, I found him having sex with a girl from our study group.
He had been calling and texting ever since, wanting me back, saying he was sorry, and it had “just happened.” Screw him. I was swearing off men. I had Goat, and he was the best companion a girl could ask for.
This road trip was about me. Figuring out my life, and men were the last thing on my list or my mind.
Chapter 2
Kinsley
Warm wind threaded through my hair as I sang loudly to my road trip mix, a huge smile on my face as I belted out, “Born to be Wild.” Goat had his head stuck out the window, looking like he was grinning from ear to ear as well.
More than an hour into the trip and the excitement still thrummed through my veins. The moment I left the San Diego county line, I felt a weight slide off my shoulders, a terror and thrill I hadn’t felt in a long time bubbling in my stomach.
Adventure.
It terrified me. My biggest journey so far had been moving across the country to go to San Diego University. That was where my venture began and ended, burying my head in schoolwork, books. I studied hard, trying to make my parents proud, but also because it was where I felt safe. Comfortable. I avoided parties and dating, preferring quiet nights with a book or being tugged out by Sadie a few times to a low-key bar.
All my relentless studying did nothing more than prove I was the black sheep in the Maxwell house. I had no clue what I wanted to do, graduating with a degree in finance because my father thought it would be a good base. Kasey had started up and owned her own flower shop, which was expanding next year and was already voted as one of the best small businesses on the East Coast, while Kyle was on the road to be a CEO of some huge tech company.
Our family dog even graduated from dog school with honors.
Then there was me.
“This is going to be awesome, Goat. I feel it… .” I rubbed his head, his sweet brown eyes peering over at me with utter adoration. “This is going to be exactly what we need, right, boy? You, me, and the open road.”
It was as if a force in the atmosphere heard me…
Riiinnnggg.
My cell, like a harbinger of strife, buzzed from its holder on the dash, my gaze catching the name flashing across.
“Of course,” I groaned, wanting to ignore it, but I knew she would call until I picked up. She was persistent like that. I swear she could sense my relaxed mood and had to intercede.
My finger hit the green button. “Hey, Sis.”
“Kins!” Her animated voice broke through the speakers. “Have you left yet?”
My sister always had ambition, like an Energizer Bunny. She kept going… and going, to the point you wanted to find the off switch. I adored her, but my introverted nature found her type A personality exhausting.
“Yeah, I just turned off on Highway 60; gonna stop in Joshua Tree for lunch.” It was early June and already too hot to hike in the desert, especially for Goat, but it was a place I still wanted to check off my list. As much as this trip was wild and crazy for me, I had every stop researched and reserved. The van life had become a huge movement and a lot of places booked quickly. Plus, my parents liked knowing I was safely in an RV park every night.
“No, you’re not! Stop right now.” Her tone crossed with excitement and a cold demand. “Seriously, Kins… wherever you are. Pull over.”
“What the hell are you talking about? Why do I need to pull over?” My brows furrowed as I peered around at a long stretch of highway, just passing through the town of Moreno, with nothing much around except gas stations, a strip mall, Walmart, and dry fields.
“Pull over!”
“Why? You are freakin’ me out, Kasey.”
“Just do it,” she exclaimed. “Now!”
“Okay… Damn!” I yanked the wheel, almost missing the turn off, the van bouncing as it swerved down the off-ramp, lurching into the Walmart parking lot as I slammed on the brakes. Goat’s harness kept him in place, but his paws tried to keep him steady, his eyes wide, looking at me like I lost my mind.
When it came to my sister, he was probably not far off.
“Sorry,” I whispered to Goat, scrubbing his ear. “Okay, Kase, I pulled over. Now tell my what the hell is going on?”
“Soooo, I got a call from Amie.”
“If you seriously made me pull over about wedding—”
“Kins, let me finish,” she scolded, clearing her throat. “Amie called me because Kyle was on the phone with someone else. She thought I’d want to know.” She giggled. My sister never giggled. She was happy, full of energy, and could be sweet, but she usually channeled it into controlling everything, especially her need to be the best at everything. She always was, even being gorgeous with a perfect body. Guys loved her, girls wanted to be her, and she always got whatever she set her mind on. So, she was not someone who giggled like a schoolgirl. This made a strange knot twist in my gut. “I still can’t believe Kyle kept in contact with him and didn’t tell me.” She puffed out a stream of air. “I hear his name and I become…” I could almost imagine her fanning herself. “I mean, he was the only guy who could do this to me… who still can do this to me it seems.”
The knot coiled tighter.
Just one person made her act like this. Even years later. The one she was never able to get pining and drooling after her, no matter how much she pursued him. Kasey told everyone they were boyfriend and girlfriend, and they even went to prom together. But from what I recalled, he looked tortured the entire time and never called her his girlfriend, leaving immediately after graduation.
“Kasey…” I swallowed, sweat trickled down my spine as my skin was covered with goosebumps, sensing doom heading my way.
“I guess Kyle invited him to the wedding, and he was going to come, but his bike broke down right outside of Pasadena. Do you know where that is?” She barely paused before she went on. “Anyway, I told Amie you were driving right by there.”
“Not exactly by there,” I muttered. Technically it wasn’t far, but in traffic? It could be well over an hour from where I was.