Page 64 of Side Trip

Joy dumped her stuff in the trunk and the keys in his hands. “Mind driving? I want to search for a hotel for tonight.”

“Don’t.” His voice croaked.

She frowned. “Don’t what?”

“Look for a hotel. I have an idea.” She’d helped him. He wanted to do something in return.

Her gaze narrowed. “About?”

“Where we’re sleeping tonight.”

“We?” She choked on the word. “Dylan ...”

He held up his hands. “Not together, but sort of. Trust me?”

She chewed on her lower lip. “I shouldn’t, but all right.”

Warmth expanded inside him under the sunrays of his tattoo, and not because she agreed to play along. Her trust meant a lot to him, which also meant he wanted to keep this good vibe going between them. “Watch me sing tonight?”

She beamed. “I’d love to,” she said.

“Excellent.” He grinned and tried to give back her keys.

“Uh-uh.” She avoided his offer, opening the passenger door. “I can’t wait to watch tonight, but you’re still driving. I’m sun-fried.”

“You got it.”

He sank into the driver’s seat, adjusted the chair and mirrors, then drove to Oklahoma City and directly to the bar where he had his gig. Joy placed two orders of buffalo wings and fries for them and he cleaned off his plate. Done with dinner, he used the bar’s pay phone to call Rick, because Rick was a dick.

“I’m here. Starting in a few.”

He then slammed down the phone and invited Joy to sit at a table right in front of the stage. He needed her there. He needed to focus on her until he could get a grip on his nerves. Luckily, the turnout was small. It was a Sunday night. The gig was over and done in a heartbeat, and surprisingly, he enjoyed performing.

He needed more nights like that.

After he played, and after he checked in again with Rick, they drove an hour or so northeast, looking for the perfect turnoff. A nervous energy moved through him like a pending storm. He hoped she’d be down with this. If not, he’d find them a hotel and charge her room to his card. It was the least he could do. It was past midnight. She looked wiped. He could tell she wanted to crash.

A dirt side road through a field of overgrown crops crept up. Perfect, exactly what he’d been looking for.

Dylan slowed and turned off the highway. He drove for another several hundred yards, then stopped. He lowered the top, turned off the engine, and cut the lights.

“Dylan, what’s going on?” Joy asked nervously.

“We’re sleeping under the stars.”

CHAPTER 19

BEFORE

Joy

Somewhere one hour northeast of Oklahoma City

Joy’s parents had two hard rules when it came to inviting boys over: the bedroom door remained open and no touching. In her dad’s words, “The bed is too much of a temptation if you’ve got your hands all over each other. I want grandkids, but not until you show me your degree, get a steady job, and can afford your own health insurance.”

Judy typically met their dad’s rules with an eye roll, but she obeyed them. If she’d known how often Joy and Taryn eavesdropped on her and her boyfriends, she would have broken their dad’s rules long before Todd came along, and kept her door shut.

Two days before Kent Dulcott’s graduation party, Judy had invited Todd over after her last final exam. She wanted to change into her bathing suit before they met up with friends at Layla’s swim party. Joy’s dad was at work, her mom had just left to grocery shop, and Judy was in her room with Todd, fending off his hands, giggling. Joy and Taryn crouched outside Judy’s doorway, holding in their own giggles.

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