Page 3 of Road Trip With the Ghost Hunter

Her skin looked like she had brushed some sort of shimmer on it, which didn’t make any sense considering how she wasdressed. If I had to guess, she was just out running errands or something, but the glow of her cheeks made me think she had something big she was headed for. That had been why I was unable to stop staring at her while Bjorn was busting my ass about this road trip. He didn’t understand. No one did, no one could.

”Did you get your gummies?” Benny smiled as he held onto her arms.

What was with the gummies? Were these some sort of special gummies? Did they have something in them that I wasn’t aware of? Could they grant wishes like those magic beans Jack found?

”Yes.” She nodded. “I even got two bags.”

Benny chuckled. “Good girl.” He patted her arm before letting her go. “I think Ms. Fang would be alright with that given the occasion.”

”From your lips to God’s…” She cut herself off and swallowed again. She closed her eyes and shook her head. When she opened them again, the shutters that held back every emotion stirred something inside. I knew that look. I had worn that look.

I drew in a slow breath, and everything I thought about her changed in an instant.

”Anyway, that isn’t why I came in.” She tried for a smile, but this look was too broken to be anything jovial. “I filled up, but my car won’t start.”

Benny pulled his brows together. “I changed the oil and filters, checked the battery, and rotated your tires the last time you were in.” He scratched at the long sideburns he insisted on wearing. “The only other thing I mentioned you might want to get checked was the ignition switch, cause I didn’t have one in stock.”

She bit her lip, and both Benny and I knew what the problem was.

”Are you sure that you mentioned it?”

“I might have mentioned it a month or so ago,” Benny told her.

“Oh.” It looked as if the weight of his words rested on her shoulders. “That would explain it.” Another long pause and closed eyes. This time, I saw her hand brush at the side of her face. The emotion she had been holding back finally found release.

”Can you fix it?” She didn’t belabor whatever she was feeling. She simply moved on.

Benny shook his head. “I could if I had the part, but I still don’t. If you had mentioned you needed it, I could have put in an order, but I know for sure I can’t get it today. I may not even be able to get it before the end of next week.”

”No, Benny, you have to be able to do this.” She grabbed onto his hands. Her eyes went from tear-stained to borderline hysteria in seconds. “You don’t understand. If you don’t do this then I have no place to stay. Everything is gone.” Her voice broke.

“I have to get to Rustic Junction. I can’t stay here. I just can’t. It’s too hard, and if I don’t leave now I’m going to miss this opportunity.” She held tighter. “Please Benny, for lao lao, there has to be something you can do.”

Her words reached inside and broke a piece of me that I thought was already shattered. She didn’t have to say the words for me to know what she was going through. I should have caught on when she was crying over fucking gummies.

”Where’s Rustic Junction?” Benny asked. “I thought you were going to Colorado.”

”It’s in Colorado.” She explained. “It’s a small tourist town and I need to be there in four days or everything is going to fall apart.”

”Four days?” His eyes went from comforting her to questioning me.

I shook my head slowly. The question was written all over his face in big, bold letters. I didn’t have to move my lips for him to get my response. There was a reason I planned this trip alone.Well, mostly alone.I didn’t need some emotionally wounded tag-along who would probably be worse than my cousin.

Bjorn had offered to come with me, but I knew exactly what he would say. I didn’t need his skepticism. Especially if this had a chance of working. He would ruin everything.

”Lucas, my man.” Benny acted as if he didn’t know what I was going to say. “Aren’t you headed to Colorado?”

”Missouri.”

”But after Missouri?” he pushed. “Aren’t you continuing on into the mountains? I could have sworn you said you were going that way.”

Li, at least I assumed that was her name since Benny hadn’t bothered to introduce us, looked over at me.

Those smoky eyes had a touch of storm clouds and misery that canceled any argument I was about to make.

”I can give you a ride if you need one.” The reluctance was clear in each word.

She bit at her bottom lip and damned if I didn’t think of a totally different ride. I could see her on top of me. Her hands glued to my chest, her long hair brushing my thighs as she held her head back.Where the hell did that come from?

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