Page 25 of Sexting the Tattooed Outlaw
I get out of the car, speechless, and walk around the vintage Ford Bronco in the driveway. I’m inspecting the grill, silver and polished to a shine, when Sam’s voice sounds from behind me.
“What do you think?”
I whirl around.
“It’s…exactly like the old one,” I say.
Sam looks at me cautiously before taking a few steps, closing the distance between us. He reaches a hand out, cupping my cheek.
“Itisthe old one, Kay.”
My eyes widen. I turn, staring at the beast of a truck in front of me.
“That’s not possible,” I say. “It was totaled. Beyond repair. Dad had it hauled off to a junkyard and said it got compacted into a little cube.”
There’s pain in my voice as I recount this. Though Dad acted stoic about it all, I knew losing that truck, the one that had belonged to his father, crushed him. I’d never seen my dad so heartbroken before. From the loss of the truckandfrom the loss of Sam, the closest thing to a son he ever had.
“It was taken to the junkyard, that’s true. I had them set it aside and store it,” Sam says. “I wasn’t sure why at first, but it didn’t take long for me to realize. It’s because I needed to make this right. Along with everything else. I’ve been working on it for years.”
“All this time?”
“At first only a little. Whatever I could afford to do. I did most of the work myself but you know, some of this had to be welded, painted, handled by a professional. I wanted it to be absolutely perfect.”
“It is,” I murmur, walking around the side. “Almost too perfect. I don’t remember it looking so new.”
“It’ll age,” Sam says. “As the miles are put on it.”
I look at Sam.
“My dad’s too weak now. He can’t drive this,” I tell him sadly.
“I know,” he says, pulling a small key from his pocket. “But you can.”
I stare at the key he’s dangling between us. It feels like more than just a key to a truck. And when I accept it, taking it in my hand, I can tell Sam sees it that way too.
“Come on,” he says, nodding to the door. “Start it up. Let’s go somewhere.”
“Where?”
“Wishing Lake,” he replies.
I blush.
Wishing Lake is the hookup spot for high school students. It’s where I always wanted Sam to takeme,but he never did.
How does he know this was something I wanted?
I hesitate and Sam comes closer, pressing me against the door of the Bronco.
“I’ve stroked myself every night to the thought of you, Kay Beaumont. Do you really think I haven’t thought about taking you to Wishing Lake before?”
“You could have taken me there a million times if you’d wanted to,” I murmur. “Why now? Why not before?”
“You mean back in high school?” he frowns. “Because I wasn’t…”
He drifts off, shaking his head.
“You weren’t what?” I press.
