Page 66 of 12 Months of Mayhem

Moose and I roamed.

Nomads.

We picked up work wherever we landed. Stayed until the job was done or until the itch set in to leave. Nine times out of ten, the restlessness came first.

“We’ll find some work,” I said, not really worried. Since I was seventeen, I’d been wandering. I went where I wanted and made things work however I had to.

Moose just nodded. “I’ll get us a room.”

He strode into the office, and I reached into my pocket to pull out my pack of cigarettes. I placed one between my lips. I lit up and took a slow drag. The taste of tobacco filled my lungs as I tipped my head back and exhaled a stream of smoke toward the sky.

The stars were scattered across the darkness, and the moon hung overhead.

My thoughts drifted back to Maddie.

She had been cute, with that hood pulled up over her head, framing her face so that all I could really see were her bright eyes and that pretty smile. I liked that. Liked the way she looked up at me. I’d have to swing by that gas station again.

The sound of the motel office door creaking open pulled me back to the present. Moose stepped out with a key dangling from his fingers.

“Got it for a week before we need to pay,” he called with a smirk playing at his lips. “Sweet-talked the chick behind the counter.”

I let out a chuckle and shook my head. “Nice.”

I swung my leg off my bike, unhooked the duffle bag strapped to my seat, and slung it over my shoulder. Moose grabbed his own bag and led the way toward our room.

“Lucky number seven,” I drawled as he slid the key into the lock and pushed the door open.

The room was nothing fancy, but hell, we’d stayed in worse. Two queen beds sat on either side of the space, a small table with two chairs tucked up against the wall near the door. Faded wallpaper curled at the edges, an old-as-hell TV perched on a rickety stand, and the bathroom door barely clung to its hinges. But it was clean. That was more than we could say for some of the places we’d crashed.

Moose tossed his bag on the table and headed straight for the bathroom.

I kicked off my boots, letting them thud against the floor, then dropped my duffle by the bed closest to the door. I rummaged through it, pulled out my phone charger, plugged it in, and yanked my shirt over my head, tossing it on top of my bag.

I pulled back the covers and collapsed onto the bed with a sigh. There were things I should be worried about and figure out, but that could all wait till morning. We had a place to sleep right now, and that was enough for me.

Chapter Three

Maddie

“It’s fine.”

Diamond coughed violently on the other end of the phone pressed to my ear. She sounded like she was dying. “No, no,” she croaked. “Just let me take some cough medicine, and I’ll be there.”

Another coughing fit wracked her body.

Yeah, Diamond was going to need a whole hell of a lot more than some cough medicine. “Just take some NyQuil and rest, Diamond. I can handle the gas station by myself for a couple of nights.”

“But you shouldn’t have to,” she whined. “I don’t know where this sickness came from. I was fine when I fell asleep after work, but I woke up feeling like I’ve been hit by a truck.”

That did not sound like a good time. “Stay home, Diamond. I don’t need you coming in to contaminate everything.” I was already worried I’d end up with whatever she had since we had spent all of last night together. “I’ll call you in the morning to see how you’re doing, okay?”

“You’re sure?” she asked weakly.

“I am more than sure. Just rest.”

“Okay, thank you, Maddie,” she whispered.

I ended the call and shoved my phone into my pocket.

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