Ready To Go by Stephanie Mann Page B

to call someone else in.”
    “Yeah, you’re going to have to,” he replied. “Sorry. I’m just going through something a little crazy right now.”
    “Do you want me to take you off the schedule until you’re feeling better?” Rachel asked.
    “No, I’ll definitely be back Monday,” he said. “And if I’m not for whatever reason, I’ll let you know that before the museum closes today.”
    “Thank you,” his boss said appreciatively. “I hope everything goes all right for you, okay?”
    “Thanks,” he replied before hanging up the phone. He pulled the covers back over himself, wanting more sleep. But after a few minutes of turning back and forth restlessly, he sat up. He had to get going if he was going to make it home by tonight. That was if he even wanted to make it home.
    He’d had a pretty good time yesterday. He was away from his responsibilities for a while, and he was with a pretty girl who he liked talking to when she wasn’t all shy and quiet. He had the money to take a break—he did still have that savings account from his parents that he’d never tapped into, even though they kept adding to it. Why not use it now? He had a card in his wallet for the checking account linked to it. He could easily take a break from school and help this girl across the country. He’d always said his car could drive across the country and back, and he felt like this was the time to test it.
    He thought about this decision while he showered and dressed. He knew it was a crazy idea, but the more he thought about it, the more he thought it was a good idea. He had the money, and he could always make up the classes that he was inevitably going to fail. He had his laptop with him, maybe he could persuade his professors to let him finish online, or at least give him an extension. It was just going to be about a week, probably, so that dead grandmother excuse could probably stretch that far. And he did want to spend more time with Nicole.
    Daniel left his room, making sure to take all his stuff with him. He would be checking out soon anyway. He strolled over to the next room and knocked on the door.
    There was no answer. He had to laugh at himself. All his planning and he hadn’t bothered to think about if Nicole had gone on without him. Still, he could drive around a little bit and look for her before heading back. Maybe buy her breakfast.
    He went to the lobby to check out, handing back his key. The clerk, the same one from the night before, told him to come back soon and yawned.
    He got in his car and headed back towards the highway, or at least where he thought the highway might be. His stomach grumbled, but he didn’t feel like getting breakfast just yet. He either had to find that girl or get on his way home.
    Daniel found a sign on the side of the road pointing towards the highway. Standing beside it was Nicole, holding out her thumb to catch another ride.
    He pulled the car over by her and rolled down the window.
    “No,” she said, before he could speak. “You’re going back to Pittsburgh, I’m going west. This is the end of anything for us.”
    “Breakfast?” he offered. “I’ve got an idea you’ll want to hear.”
    “Fine,” she said with a sigh, opening the passenger side door. “Breakfast, then drop me back off here. I’m pretty sure your idea is crazy, though.”
    Daniel didn’t reply to this, but drove back into town to find a place that was open for breakfast. He soon spotted a sign for an IHOP and found his way there. The parking lot was half full and the place looked fairly busy. “It might be a bit of a wait.”
    “You can tell me your idea while we wait, then,” Nicole replied.
    He parked the car and got out. She followed, at first pulling her suitcase out with her, but then paused for a moment before setting it back inside. They went in the restaurant together, and Daniel gave his name for a table.
    “I want to keep driving you,” Daniel said after they’d managed to find a bench