Page 19 of One Wild Night
Scott drove along until they hit the country roads. The cars ahead diverged off in the direction of more traffic, but Scott stayed on the country road, now driving without aplan.
“Call Margo, Abi. I think she’s going to be waiting for awhile.”
* * *
“Margo,I don’t know when I’ll get to you. I’m withScott.”
“You’re both coming?” despite the news of having to wait longer, Abi detected a note of excitement in her friend’s voice at the mention of her andScott.
“Yes. He’s driving. Are you okay? Are you safe?” She couldn’t help but ask after what happened to herearlier.
She was still shaken up by it, but the feeling of terror was beginning to fade. Abi looked over at Scott and saw how worried he appeared tobe.
“I’m okay, just eager,” Margoreplied.
“Can you find a decent place to wait at the bus station?” Abi had been concerned enough as it was that it was going to be late when they got to Margo. Now she knew it was going to be later than the time she originally worried about. She also noticed a few missed calls fromGale.
“I think so. I don’t have anything left to steal, so I guess I’m okay in that respect -- unless I fall asleep and wake up in Colombia, captured by some drug lords who want to use me as a mule!” Margo chuckled, but there was an edge of worry in thelaugh.
Abi couldn’t laugh -- that scenario wasn’t a total impossibility with the day they were having sofar.
“Let’s hope that doesn’t happen. I really don’t know how long we’ll be, but we hope to get to you as quickly as we can.” She could see from the map that they were heading towards Nevada. She hoped they could divert at Carson City and get on a quicker route down south to where they wanted to be, but she couldn’t be sure now. It didn’t sit well that they were the only ones on this road and the area was starting to look like a set from of those films where people disappeared into thewoods.
She loved trees and walking around in parks, but this was a little too much for her liking. They’d just hit the entrance to Eldorado National Forest, and, from what she saw, it was going to be a while before she’d stop seeingtrees.
“Are you okay? Is it weird being with Scott?” Margoasked
“It is, but I’m fine.” ‘Weird’ wasn’t the word she’d use, and, honestly, she didn’t know what she’d quite describe thisas.
Scott had shown more care and interest for her in the last three hours than he had during the majority of the time they’d spent as a couple. And not just that, she was starting tofeel…
Well, that was it. She was starting tofeel. And while that whole ‘Scott’s girl’ thing was super sweet, and she was completely grateful to him for saving her from that creep, Abi didn’t want to feel for him. It would break down the woman she’d worked so hard to create over the last few years. It had taken her a long time to rebuild and rebrand herself. Spending a few hours with Scott shouldn’t have any sort of impact on her, but how was she supposed to ignore a super gorgeous guy who compared her to anangel?
And then there was his openly sexual manner that he exuded so casually. And the way he looked at her. How had she forgotten about that? He was the kind of man who could just look at you, and you’d know exactly what he was thinking. Within minutes, he’d have you up against a wall, naked and wondering how the hell you got thatway.
“We’ll talk when I see you,” Margo said. There was a smile in her voice. “He’s changed a lot, Abi, so at least he won’t get on your nerves.” Abi couldn’t dispute that. She’d definitely seen that he’d changed. The bad boy was still there, but that selfish and uncaring attitude was not. That was the thing that had broken them up. That was what came with the fame he gained and what had changedthem
“Yeah, I sort of noticed. I’ll get him to call you in awhile.”
Abi hung up and looked over toScott.
“She alright?” heasked.
“She is. I think she sounded less panicked thanearlier.”
“Good. We’re going to be a while, Abi. I have no idea when we’ll reach Phoenix, and we’re heading into the wilderness, itseems.”
As soon as he spoke, the car bumped over something. It jerked them both. A loud explosive sound rippled through the air and then another, and the car jerked up and down somemore.
Abi shrieked as she saw smoke coming from the engine. There was a whistling sound. Scott pulled the car over to the side of the road and hit the steeringwheel.
“Fuck! What the hell is this now!” he flared, jumping out of the car to have alook.
Abi got out, too, and looked over the damage. The front wheels were completely flat and ripped up. Whatever had done this appeared to have gotten to the engine, too. She looked over to the road and saw the culprit -- or, rather, culprits:n
ail traps with thick steel blades. The lethal kind people reported and cautioned cyclists about. She was under the impression that you’d most likely find them on a path -- not on theroad.
It didn’t matter. There were a few of them scattered in the middle of the road. So, either someone put them there maliciously, which is exactly what Abi was thinking, or maybe they fell off the back of a truck. She’d never heard of anyone making these with any good intent, though, so she was going to lean towards her firstinstinct.
“Scott, look.” She pointed to theroad.
He frowned and sighed the minute he saw them. “Shit. I bet one of them flew up into theengine.”
Abi looked at him as he leaned against the car in frustration. Then she looked around and wondered what else could gowrong.
