Page 21 of Hairpin Curves

Megan paused, thoughtful. “I just was thinking how long it’s been since I did anything with you for your birthday.”

Was she just full of weirdness today? “It’s been a while since we hung out, Meg.” Scarlett rooted around in the backseat and found the black zipped case. “Any CD in particular?” Scarlett unzipped the case, then immediately forgot her question. “Holy shit.”

Megan had filled the whole case with CDs, and they were all labeled in precise Sharpie writing with multicolored markers. “You named them?” Scarlett asked, flipping through, trying to figure out what the system was. The names didn’t give any indication of what specific songs were on them, but the moods were pretty clear. They were named things like “Kicking Ass and Taking Names,” “Funkalicious Funk Train,” and “Screaming into the Void,” and those were just some in the first set.

Megan’s smile looked impish. “Naming the CDs is my favorite part.”

“So what do you want to listen to? You want me to read them all off to you?”

“Nah. Why don’t you find something that seems chill and upbeat?”

This was an easier task in theory than practice. Frowning, Scarlett started flipping through the pages until she found one that seemed to fit the bill. “‘Hammock Summer Saturdays’?”

Megan’s smile broke out across her face like the sun coming out from behind clouds. “Perfect.”

As soon as the first song came on, Megan visibly relaxed, her whole body softening. Scarlett hadn’t thought about Megan as being particularly lovely. Smart, and sometimes goofy, and quirky, and overly too serious, but not lovely. Scarlett, though, was seeing her a bit differently now. Maybe it was lack of sleep. Today, when they finally got to Myrtle Beach, she was gonna crash so hard into whatever shitty motel bed they managed to find.

Megan hummed along with the song, tapping her hands lightly on the steering wheel, bopping. Scarlett had never seen Megan bop. “Hey,” Megan said. “Call and get us a hotel.”

“What’s your budget?” Scarlett pulled out her phone to search. Surely Myrtle Beach wouldn’t be booked. She’d assumed they would just find places to sleep along the way.

“No Hiltons. But like, a Holiday Inn, or even a Motel 6. That’s fine.” Megan started humming along with the music.

Scarlett started scanning through the websites to look at hotels and motels in Myrtle Beach. Lots of stuff was closed for the season. That made sense; it was February and who in the world wanted to go to Myrtle Beach in February? Megan. Of course Megan would want to go. Not just one beach, but two.

“I found one. It’s thirty-five dollars per night.”

“Thirty-five dollars?” Megan looked over at her in shock. “Are there actual beds? Or do we have to sleep on the floor?”

“There seem to be actual beds. There are other places in the same price range, so I don’t think it’s abnormal. I think it’s just the off-season pricing.” Scarlett clicked through the photos of the Pink Sands Inn. It looked decent enough. “So I take it this is in the budget?”

“Yeah, no problem. Go ahead and book it. Online or whatever.” Megan waved her hand. “My credit card’s in my wallet.” She dug it out of the center console and handed it over.

“You want me to just go poking around in here?” Scarlett opened the wallet.

“Why not? I’ve got nothing to hide.”

Scarlett would be far less nonchalant about letting someone go through her purse or wallet. But Megan didn’t care. So Scarlett pulled out Megan’s credit card—the only credit card, unlike Scarlett who had about five of them—and called the Pink Sands Inn. Of course the place wouldn’t have any kind of online check-in, so she had to interact with a human.

“Hello?” A bored male voice picked up on the other end.

She’d at least expected the name of the place. “Is this the Pink Sands Inn?”

“Oh, shit. Yeah. Sorry. I thought I was picking up my cell. What’s up?”

Scarlett took the phone away and looked at the screen, like that might give her any kind of answers, before putting it back to her ear. “I want to rent a room for tonight.”

“Okay. You can just show up.”

“You don’t need my credit card or anything?”

“Nah. You’re the only one here.” The guy yawned loudly. “What time will you be here? I’m probably gonna take a nap.”

Scarlett looked at the clock. “Early afternoon?”

“Sure. Sure.” He finished his yawn. “Okay. See ya.” And then he hung up.

Scarlett stared at the phone again. “What the fuck?”