Page 92 of Side Trip

“Who is he?” Mark shouts.

“Someone I met on the way.”

It sounds like she picked up a hitchhiker. In a way, Dylan had been. He was a stranger who needed a ride and she gave him one.

“You slept with him.” A statement, not a question. His face hardens, and his skin turns blotchy and red. “We were engaged!” he explodes. “I’ve been such a fool. He’s why you didn’t want me to go with you.”

“No!”

He gives her a look. He doesn’t believe her. “Everything makes perfect sense now, all those times you forgot to text me, or didn’t pick up my calls. He’s the reason you wanted to break off our engagement.”

“No!”

He waves the photo. “You were different when you arrived, now I know why. I thought you were homesick, but no. You were missing him.” He throws the photo at her. It arcs in the air, then spirals to the floor, landing at her feet. She doesn’t dare pick it up.

“Are you still seeing him?”

“No. And I haven’t talked to him either, not since I got to New York,” she volunteers, her voice rough with emotion.

His hand dives into the box and comes out with Judy’s Route 66 Bucket List. Joy’s stomach rolls. She swallows repeatedly, silently willing him not to read it. But he does, and his face pales. “Doesheknow what happened to Judy? Did you tellhim?”

Her lower lip trembles. “Mark ...”

“Fuck. You crossed outfall in love.” He shifts the box in his arms. “You fucking love him.”

“Don’t ...” She looks at the photo on the floor, shakes her head.

“Why did you marry me?”

“I loved you.”

“Loved. Nice slipup, Evers.” He stares harshly at her before looking away. When he looks back at her, his eyes sheen with unshed tears. “Were you everinlove with me?”

She nods.

“Until you met him.” He points at the photo on the floor. “Is he the reason you pushed back our wedding? Is he why you don’t want kids with me? Were you hoping—?” He stops abruptly and she has no idea what he was about to say. She doesn’t want to know.

“I’m sorry I hurt you,” she said, more sincere than she’s ever been with him.

“Us, Joy. You hurt us.” Mark sets down Judy’s box and walks out the front door.

CHAPTER 27

BEFORE

Dylan

Litchfield, Illinois

Dylan woke the following morning with his arms around Joy, her backside against his stomach, and a vibration under his head. It tickled his ear.

He eased his arm from under Joy, careful not to wake her, and searched for her phone under the pillow. They’d fallen asleep in the gray hours before dawn whisper-singing along to eighties music videos on YouTube.

He didn’t remember drifting off. All he could comprehend right now was that he’d spent the most epic twenty-four hours with Joy, and that she was still in his arms. His entire body ached. Not complaining there. But it was a feat to move just an arm, and he was fighting to keep his eyes open.

Finding the phone, Dylan held the device above them. Mark’s mug glared down at him as the phone vibrated. Not the face he wanted to wake up to.

Joy moved languidly in his arms, and a vision filled him. He stands on the balcony of his new Malibu home, overlooking the ocean. Joy walks through the door, naked as she is now, and comes up behind him. Her arms wrap his waist. He can feel her breasts against his back. “Good morning,” she says, and presses a kiss to his spine. He feels it to his heels. He turns, taking her into his arms. “Morning, love,” he tells her before his mouth covers hers.

---