Page 20 of Trucker Daddy

The entire building is painted neon green, a flashing ‘Take me to your leader!’ sign hanging in the window. Inflatable aliens are scattered in front of the store, a crashed flying saucer balancing on the roof. It’s horrifying.

Sienna’s face lights up like a firework the moment she sees it.

“Can we stop? Please?” she asked earlier. “My parents neverlet me go to anything like this. It wasn’t good for our family appearances.” She spoke the last bit with contempt. There was no way in hell I could deny her.

Now she’s darting out of the truck, the gravel crunching under her sneakers as she makes a beeline for the store. I trail behind, slower, watching her bounce with energy I didn’t know she had. She’s been carrying a lot of weight on her shoulders, but right now, she looks like she could run a marathon…as long as there was a crappy alien store at the finish line.

Inside, the place smells like cheap plastic and incense. The shelves are lined with tin foil hats, bobblehead alien figures, and snowglobes with spaceships inside. Hanging on the wall is an assortment of t-shirts with stupid slogans.

“This is ridiculous,” I mutter, but a grin tugs at my mouth despite myself.

“Where’s your sense of fun?” she teases, clutching a bright green mug that says,‘I got probed at Big Bob’s Alien Emporium.’

I have to cough into my shoulder to hide my laugh. “I’ll get you anything you want, princess, except that damned mug.”

“But it’s my favorite!”

I cross my arms. “Fine, but we’re going to make that slogan a reality if you want it that much.”

It takes her a second, and she blushes scarlet when she realizes what I’m insinuating. “You’ve got a filthy mind, Garrett Hayes.”

“Only for you, Sienna.”

After about twenty minutes, she finally checks out with her haul of kitschy alien nonsense, her cheeks flushed and eyes bright as we head back outside.

I lean against the side of the truck, watching her pack her new trinkets into a tote bag she insisted on getting. She looks so happy, and I can’t help but think about everything she’s still got ahead of her. Everything she deserves that I’m going to give her.

But first, there’s something we have to talk about. Something I’ve been dreading.

“Sienna,” I say, pulling her attention away from the bag.

“Hmm?” She looks up, squinting at me against the sun.

“I’m heading home now. To Flagstaff.”

Her smile falters, but she quickly recovers. "Flagstaff, right?"

"That’s right. Question is, do you still want to come with me?"

“Of course I do!” Her answer is swift and firm. "You’ve changed my life, Garrett. You make me feel things I never thought possible. I’m not ready to let that go."

It hits me then—how much she’s changed in just a few days. Hell, how much we’ve both changed.

I dig into the pocket of my jeans and pull out the wad of cash I’ve been keeping hidden. The bills are thick and folded tight, bound with a rubber band. Her eyes widen immediately.

“What in the world is that?”

I hold it out to her. “This is for you.”

Her mouth drops open. “What? Garrett, no, I can’t?—”

“Yes, you can,” I interrupt. “It’s yours. I’m a selfish bastard, and I want to take you home with me more than I’ve ever wanted anything, but you deserve a chance to make your own choice. There is more than enough here to get you started in a new life, if that’s what you want.”

“But...I don’t understand. Where did this even come from?”

I scratch the back of my neck, feeling a little awkward now that we’re here. “I picked up your engagement ring.”

Her jaw drops, and she unconsciously rubs the spot on her ring finger where the offending bauble had been.

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