Page 24 of Smoke

“Honestly, either direction. As long as there’s someplace inexpensive for me to stay nearby.” I looked down at my arms, crossed over my stomach. Purple bruises stood out against my pale skin.

Was I actually using what Bradley did to me to earn sympathy? I guessed it was as good a thing to use as any—otherwise, it was pain for the sake of pain.

They both cleared their throats. “You need some serious help?” the older trucker asked. His eyes narrowed dangerously.

“Is he around here someplace?” the younger one asked.

“No, no, it’s not like that. I’m alone. But I need to get further away.”

“Say no more, little lady.” The older man stood, wiping his hands on stained coveralls. “I have to drop off my load around ten miles down the road, but I would be happy to leave you off there or even further away. I’m heading west the whole way out.”

West. That would put me closer to Jasmine. And Smoke. “That sounds great. Thanks so much.” I grabbed a soda and my fries, which I hadn’t touched yet, before hurrying after him. I hoped he was as kind as he looked.

He had to help me into the cab of the truck—it was too high up for me to climb by myself. His hands stayed on my waist and didn’t stray. A good sign. I didn’t want to imagine what the third trucker would’ve done if he had the opportunity. His tongue had nearly dragged on the floor.

My savior climbed in behind the steering wheel. “I’m Hal, by the way.”

“Aurora,” I replied without thinking. My instincts wouldn’t let me give my real name.

“Nice to meet you, Aurora. I don’t like to see pretty young things like you getting’ taken advantage of. Got two daughters of my own, and three granddaughters.”

“That means a lot.” I was right about him. Relief flooded my veins and allowed my body to relax for the first time in days. I would be all right, after all.

“Where do you plan on goin’ when this is all said and done?” he asked as we pulled out onto the road. There was a long, wide trailer behind us. I wondered what we were delivering.

“I’m not sure yet,” I said. “I’ll get as far as I can, then settle down someplace. Get a job.”

“What do you do?”

“I’m a nurse.”

“Oh, well, you can get a job just about any place. That’s a plus.” He looked over at me with a smile. “A smart girl, able to get through nursing school. I never could understand how a smart girl could stick around with a scumbag who’d do something like that to them.”

“I would rather not talk about it.” I turned my face away.

Even though I was lying, it wasn’t entirely a lie. Bradley had hurt me worse than I thought it was possible to hurt. Even though Hal wasn’t talking about him specifically, I couldn’t help but remember every painful minute.

We made the rest of the ride in silence. I breathed a little easier with every passing mile. I would be all right. Once I made it to the mountains, I would be fine. They were closer with every turn of the wheels. I wished I knew exactly which one I could find Smoke in. I had the rest of my life to find out, I guessed.

“How old are you, honey?”

Honey. A flag went up in my head. “Twenty-six.” I looked twenty-six. That was my biological age. In reality, I was much older. Old enough to know his question wasn’t entirely innocent.

“You’re around my younger daughter’s age.”

“Is that so?”

“I was just thinkin’, as I was drivin’ along, that her room at the house is still the way she left it. Bed, posters on the walls, the whole thing.”

“That’s nice.”

“It’s just that I don’t like the idea of a pretty little girl hitchhiking. Men will wanna take advantage of you out there.”

“I appreciate the offer. I truly do.” His left hand was bare. No wedding band. Divorced? Never married? “What would your wife think about that?”

“No wife. Haven’t had one for a long time. She got tired of living with a trucker, never seein’ me.”

“I see.” I saw just fine.

It was a relief when we turned into the parking lot of a warehouse complex. I had to leave him behind. We were ten miles down the road, at least. It was a start.

He left me in the cab while he went inside to settle business.

The moment he was out of sight, I jumped down to the ground with the backpack pulled tight against my chest and dashed away into a wooded area behind the warehouse to wait for him to leave.

Time to come up with another plan.

---