Page 13 of Austin
“You’re askingmefor a ride?” She had to be borderline desperate.
“To Salt Lake City.”
“Then what? Hitchhike?”
“I have enough money to take the Montana Vista Tour bus from Salt Lake to Marietta.”
Enough money for a bus? “Fuck, Kristen. Are things that bad?”
“They aren’t good.” She closed her mouth as a couple of security guards walked by.
He took her by the arm and led her behind a wide concrete column. “Maybe you can give me a little more information.”
Kristen glanced down at the floor for a brief moment, then met his gaze dead on. “I lost my job over two months ago. I didn’t tell the family because I thought I’d get another fast. I told Whitney this morning. Now I need to tell my mom. I want to do it face to face.”
“You weren’t moonlighting as a cocktail waitress.”
“No.” She held his gaze, her expression bordering on defiant as she said, “That was my job—the only one I could get that paid enough to allow me to live and not default on loans. I sold my car, but it was old and I barely got anything for it. Enough for a month’s rent and some groceries.”
It took him a moment to process all that she’d just confessed.
“I’m asking you for help.” Which he’d offered her in a moment of weakness. “And I understand if you don’t want to give it.”
He leaned his shoulder against the concrete pillar. In a few hours, his name would be called and he’d walk through smoke and fire to his appointed spot and the crowd would cheer, because he did something that most people couldn’t do. He faced a ton of raging bovine week after week and came out alive. Surely he could get through this.
“Yeah. I’ll take you to Salt Lake. But it won’t be a direct trip.”
“Meaning?”
“I have a stop along the way.” He glanced past her to the center arena where the crews were setting up. “I have to get taped up. We can discuss details later. Are you staying for the performance?”
“I can’t afford it. I had to sidestep security to get in to talk to you.”
“You…”Sidestepped security?“Never mind.” He reached into his shirt pocket, pulled out one of the two passes he had for special guests. “Meet me at the north exit door after the event is over.”
She gave a short nod. “I will.” She cleared her throat. “Thank you. And…I want to apologize for the things I said to you…that day…in high school.”
“Did you mean them?”
She pressed her lips together briefly. “I was…wrong.”
“Well, I guess life has a way of sorting out the real winners and losers.”
He smiled a not very friendly smile, then turned and headed down the concrete steps to the change room.
