Page 18 of No More Secrets

The last thing she needs is some guy creeping on her, exactly what she probably thought he was doing. Hard not to notice he scared her. She probably thought he’d turn her over to the cops for stealing.

He swerves his truck into the drive-through and orders a Big Mac, Coke, and extra-large fries, something to soak up the alcohol. He didn’t eat anything except the half-dozen cookies Ivy sent him home with.

He has no idea what Sunshine Girl would want, so he orders a variety of burgers, two fries, and the shake he mentioned. She seems like the strawberry type, so he gets that when the clerk asks the flavor. It was Lily’s favorite. He used to take her to McDonald’s after her swim practice. Their parents practically starved them. They were too busy to shop, so there was rarely food in the house. Lucas would swing by his mom’s office to get cash so he could buy himself dinner. He always shared what he had with Lily.

Lucas pays for the food, parks his truck, settles on the curb with his order in the parking lot, a dried-up bush behind him, and waits. He promised an hour. That’s what he’ll give her.

He finishes off his burger and drains his Coke. Twenty minutes in, and Sunshine Girl is a no-show. If she ran, she’d be here by now. If she’s walking—he glances at the time—it could take her another ten to fifteen minutes.

He crumples his trash and stuffs it in a bag, lets loose a long belch. Every few minutes a car pulls into the drive-through; otherwise the parking lot is deserted. He imagines what it’s like during the days, crowded with cars, weary travelers passing through. Bikes leaning against the building, kids lined up inside filling up on fries after baseball practice. Everyone going about their lives while he’s been contemplating whether he wants a life.

He thinks of the blade in the bathroom and why it’s still there. Why hasn’t he used it? It isn’t like he can go home. He doesn’t have a life to go back to.

He killed his father.

Olivia would never forgive him.

The police will be on him in a heartbeat if he returns. Honestly, he’s shocked someone hasn’t located him already.

Movement in his periphery brings his attention back to the parking lot. Sunshine Girl walks briskly toward the entrance.

Lucas blinks, even rubs his eyes, hardly believing she came.

She yanks on the entrance door, finding it locked, and he hears her cuss up a storm. She cups her hands around her face and peers inside. Then she looks at the door and reads the operation hours.

“Shit,” she cusses again. Back slumped, face drawn, she turns around. Her gaze finds him, and even from his distance, he can’t miss her relief.

“Got you a shake, Sunshine Girl.” He lifts the cup to show her. “It’s melted but drinkable.”

She hesitates, her gaze slinging all over the place before she decides to approach him. She reminds him of a stray pup eager for scraps, yet skittish of humans.

“It’s strawberry, my sister’s favorite.” He scowls, wondering why he told her that.

She snatches the cup from his hand, backing out of reach, and doesn’t bother with the straw. Removing the lid, she gulps down the shake. Faint-pink foam coats her upper lip when she’s done. She wipes it off with her sleeve.

“I like chocolate. This was okay, I guess.”

He huffs. He’ll take that as a thanks.

She stuffs the lid and straw into the empty cup and drops it on the ground.

He holds up a bag. “Got you burgers and fries, too.”

She snatches the bag and again moves away. She looks inside at the hamburger, cheeseburger, quarter pounder, and Big Mac. Two extra-large fries on top.

“I didn’t know what you liked, so I got one of each.”

Her tongue peeks out, her hunger making her eyes extra bright.

“Thanks,” she mutters. She closes the bag and turns to leave.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“What’s it to you?” She got her food, and she has no intention of sticking around, that much is obvious to him. Itching to go, she can’t stand still. Her feet shuffle as if the encampment has a line hooked into her. She starts walking away.

“You’re being rude.”

She turns around. “And you’re drunk.”

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