Page 55 of My Hotshot

“Where is she?” Duane asked quietly.

“Where are you now?” I asked. “Why didn’t you just drive home?”

“The car ran out of gas,” she whispered. “I started walking. I walked for hours. I found a gas station and borrowed their phone.”

“Do you know which gas station?”

There was a long pause and then Lottie spoke. “I’m at an Amoco. Off Highway Thirty. The cashier said mile marker 79.”

“I know where she is,” Duane said immediately.

“Mom?” Lottie whimpered. “Who is that? Did you call the police?”

“No, baby. I didn’t. But we’re coming to get you. Don’t move. Stay right there.” I wasn’t going to explain Duane to her right now. I just wanted to see her with my own eyes and make sure that she was okay.

“Okay. I’m sorry, Mom. Please don’t be mad.”

Oh, I was mad.

She knew better.

But more than that, I wasrelieved.

“I love you, Lottie. Stay put. Don’t talk to anyone. We’re on the way.” I ended the call, and the fury came flooding back in.

“Let’s go,” Duane said.

I shook my head. “No. You guys aren’t coming.”

Yarder stepped forward. “Weare. This may not be Boone and Gibbs right now—but it could be.”

I stared at him. “I don’t want protection. I want mydaughter.”

I moved to shove past Duane, but he gently caught me. “Lainey, listen to me. I should’ve told you everything sooner. But we’re here now, and we’re going to do this therightway now.”

I looked into his eyes, heart pounding.

There were so many questions. So many things I didn’t understand. But right now, all I cared about was getting to Lottie.

“Fine,” I said, my voice tight. “Let’s go.”

But as we headed out, I knew one thing for sure:

I had planned to ease Lottie into knowing about Duane.

Now I was going to drop it on her like a bomb.

Chapter Nineteen

Dice

This was not how I wanted to meet Lottie for the first time.

Hours ago, I thought I had time. I thought I’d take things slow. Ease into it. Meet her over pizza and a movie. Be that guy who stuck around and proved he wasn’t just a shadow from her mom’s past.

But I’d been wrong.

Yarder, Aero, Compass, and Cue Ball led the way on their bikes, roaring ahead of Lainey’s SUV like an armored escort. Yarder had turned the other two around from the house and redirected us all to the gas station. He wasn’t about to let me go off alone anymore, and after tonight, I wasn’t about to argue with him.

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