AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Blaise
This idea of hers was a terrible one. A vacation lasting for a couple of weeks while being stuck in her small car. The thought alone left my guts twisting in knots.
I shouldn’t have agreed to it.
Though, I knew telling her no wouldn’t have stopped her from leaving. If Ana left, anything could have happened to her, and it would have been my fault for letting her go without any sort of protection.
No way could I let that happen. I wasn’t going to have any part of that. I cared too much about the woman to let anything happen to her.
Ana was a mess. Knowing her, she’d blow a tire and let some random driver give her a ride someplace I wouldn’t be able to find her. I couldn’t let her get kidnapped because of her poor decisions.
After shoving my luggage in the trunk of her car, I squeezed myself into her passenger seat. Despite my discomfort, I could hardly take notice of myself while seeing her thriving with excitement.
I didn’t understand why Ana wanted to leave so badly. I had done plenty of traveling in my days, I felt fine staying in the same spot for the rest of my life. The thought of moving around made me want to toss up the breakfast I ate not long ago.
The sun hadn’t even broken past the horizon and Ana was vibrating with eagerness. Adrenaline was truly a blessing. How in the hell was I supposed to keep up with her? Not even a cloudy sky could ruin her sunny attitude.
Even after Ana got inside and started up the car, I struggled to keep up. Flashing a knowing smile, she pushed a list into my hands. I stared down at the handwriting with a lowered brow.
Apparently, she had stayed up all night working out spots to stop to check out. Places all across the country. Here I was having to trust her to drive us without anything going wrong. I was starting to believe I had made a bad decision agreeing to her insane plan.
Was there still time for me to get out?
Before I could think about changing my mind, we were already pulling away from her home and onto the road. Ana had fiddled with the radio, turning on some lighthearted tunes as our trip began. Insuring me that her attention was on the road as well, I wondered how long I’d survive. I feared very few things, but I was beginning to think that Ana might be one of them.
After taking the time to stare at her handwriting, I looked her way.
“You really think you can hit up all of these areas, do some sightseeing, and get sleep all within a short vacation?” I asked blankly. No way could she be that serious.
Ana looked at me, a smile stretched across her lips. With far too much confidence, she nodded. “Of course.”
Sighing, I shook my head. Much to her dismay, I crumpled her list before tossing it in the back seat. What she needed was a reality check. If not now, she’d have her hopes crushed down the road.
“Something like this would take months. You know that, right? You’re better off driving in a straight line before turning around and going back,” I told her, ignoring the way her smile had transformed into a frown.
At this point, I should have gotten used to her being upset with me. Rarely did I ever let things go her way.
Whenever she’d suggest something crazy like this, it would feel simply too risky. I always denied the ideas, and normally, she’d pout and throw a small fit before giving up. She seemed pretty insistent on the trip.
Ana definitely deserved the vacation. That didn’t stop me from hating the thought of being separated from her. I had to protect her from all the dangers in the world. After the sorts of things I’d witnessed over the years, I knew I couldn’t let her go out alone. Couldn’t let her get hurt.
I lost one person I cared about, I wouldn’t let the same thing happen twice. Ana wouldn’t be allowed out of my sight.
“If you think that way, of course we wouldn’t have made it within the time limit,” she huffed out. I upset her without a doubt. If it weren’t for both of her hands being on the wheel, I would’ve thought she’d reach back and try to grab the crumpled ball in defiance.
“Knowing you well enough, I’m sure you’ll find plenty of things to do outside of your list,” I reassured her, “if we’re lucky, time will fly right on by.”
“Well, we’re still going to our first stop. I already got hotel rooms for us. With the way my luck is running today, they wouldn’t refund me for canceling if I tried,” she grumbled under her breath. Guess she was more upset than I realized.
Glancing her way, I watched her silently as we turned onto a decently empty highway. Even with the lighthearted music playing, the air felt heavier. Maybe I was a bit harsh. If I didn’t want this entire trip to be miserable, maybe I shouldn’t act like a complete ass.
Reaching behind me, I fumbled around until my hand brushed against the crumpled ball. Grabbing it, I brought it back out. Flatting it against my thigh, I stared at each place written down. Perfect curves with each letter, I appreciated her cursive handwriting.
“What’s caught your attention in Tennessee?”
At first, she didn’t answer my question. Was she trying to ignore me? When her tight hold on the steering wheel loosened, I felt relief. “Giant Rubix cube.”
That made me snort. “Oregon?”
