Page 43 of Taken for Granite
The drive proved uneventful. He rode in the front and offered to drive but Juniper declined, as the last time he drove was 1939 and on the wrong side of the road.
“I have flown starships,” he said.
“Would that be the starship that crashed?”
Tas grumbled a noncommittal reply.
Every mile brought her closer to Chloe. They agreed to the plan, a simple exchange. Tas would shift back to his natural form and disguise himself to look starved and ill.
She didn’t like the idea of Tas willingly walking back to his captors but couldn’t think of a good solution. They had no weapons and Tas was the only one who could fight. All she could do was wait and worry, which sucked. It sucked so hard.
These were her last hours with Tas and she just didn’t want to let him go. She liked him. She liked his grumpiness and the way the radio entranced him. She liked how he looked in that ridiculous shirt and she liked how he looked with no clothes.
But it didn’t matter what she liked. She couldn’t have him and Chloe at the same time. It was one or the other, and Chloe won. Her little sister won every time.
After all this was over, she and Chloe would drive west, find a decent-sized city, and vanish. Tas would… She didn’t know what Tas would do, but she’d never see him again. Whenever he freed himself from the Rose Syndicate, Juniper and Chloe would be long gone.
She shouldn’t miss him. They made no promises beyond the moment. She wasn’t going to miss her gargoyle.She wasn’t.
She was such a liar. She had only known Tas for five days, but he brought such a fierce presence to her life. He challenged her, and damn it if she didn’t get all fluttery inside when he gave her a rare smile. She admired the way he set down with a device and gave it all his focused attention, determined to understand it. She loved the way he crooned along with the radio. He was eye candy and the sex was an amazing benefit, but she could live without that. Celibacy didn’t frighten her, not after six years of it. What frightened her was picturing him back in a cage for who knows how long.
Selfishly, she didn’t want to go back to a life segmented in work shifts, where day-to-day existence was a struggle. She wanted Tas to come with her and Chloe—and then what?
Her mind fought to answer the question. Life happily ever after in a little house with a white picket fence? Not likely. The best she could hope for was a ratty apartment in, hopefully, not the worst part of town. Tas painted a target on their backs, and she and Chloe would always be running from those Rose people.
It was simpler to go follow the plan and go their separate ways. Her heart ached knowing that was for the best, as much as it sucked.
When the sun set, Juniper pulled over at a roadside diner. Tas was always hungry and she needed coffee and a massive plate of fries, and maybe pie. She wasn’t burying her emotions with food. Don’t be silly.
As they sat down, the waitress arrived, ready for their drink orders. Probably still in high school, the girl snapped her gum and stared at Tas. Oblivious to her scrutiny, he studied the plastic laminate menu.
“Coffee and water for me,” Juniper said. She nudged him with her foot. “You?”
“The same,” he grunted.
The waitress’ eyes went big at his voice, but she hurried away without comment.
“She likes you,” Juniper said.
“Who? Why would she like me?” He looked up, confused.
“The waitress.” She hooked a thumb over her shoulder in the general direction of the kitchen.
“I do not concern myself with the affections of other females.” He took off the cap and scratched at the base of a horn. With his longer hair, they were nearly covered.
The waitress returned before he put the cap back in place. She slung down Juniper’s coffee but carefully place a mug in front of Tas, along with sugar and cream. She licked her lips as she studied him, clearly liking what she saw. Juniper didn’t blame her; Tas was a choice morsel, but he was also clearly with someone. For all the waitress knew, they were a couple.
“Is that a Halloween costume?” The waitress snapped her gum, waiting for an answer.
Tas gave Juniper a beseeching look. He had no idea what was happening.
“Yeah, we’re taking it out for a test drive. I know Halloween isn’t for another week, but I need the practice,” Juniper said. “Do you like it?”
“The horns look so real,” the waitress said.
“It’s all cornstarch and spirit gum,” Juniper said with a wink.
“Really?”
