that.
“Yeah we can probably do that,” I said to Aubrey’s hopeful face. “I’ll let you guys know tomorrow.”
I dropped the litter and led us out into the early November cool, ducked against the winds running through the multi-story offices lining the streets. The three of us headed for the parking lot together. We crossed the street and Faith let out a whistle.
“Man, check that guy out.”
I was texting my ETA to Vaughn, but next to me, Aubrey sighed happily. “Mama likey.”
I sent the text and tried to find Faith’s gaze, but then a phone trilled not far away. It was a very familiar message tone, and I realized who it was just as my eyes landed on my friend’s focus.
Vaughn stood erect over his bike just a ways down the street. He had parked under a large tree and dark leaves fell around him in the breeze. He wore mirror shades and his full biker outfit. It all looked every bit out of some action movie.
“Vaughn?” I headed up towards him
“Vaughn?!” Faith said, scampering up behind.
He grinned and patted the seat. “Thought I’d speed up the trip a bit.”
“How’d you find me?”
“Darlin’, you know I can read, right? You got your school name written all over your damn house.”
His gaze flickered to my friends. “Ladies,” he said. “Pardon me for stealing your girl here.”
“Oh, it’s fine,” Aubrey said, playing with her hair. “I completely understand.”
“You take care of her, alright?” Faith said.
“Yes, ma’am.” He ticked his head at me. “Come on now.”
I had so much to get. My bag held nothing but makeup, really. But…it was just one day. I didn’t expect my clothes to stay on for very long anyway. And my car would be fine in student parking.
“Oh, alright,” I said, jumping on and clasping around him.
The engine rumbled to life and my college friends waved us off as we rode away. I thought back to their slack-jawed looks and buried tighter into my man.
We rode without talking out the city and up out of the Loop. The skyscrapers died away quickly and then even the perfect little suburbs started fading out with only the occasional strip mall cropping up here and there in the middle of what looked to be a vast and endless forest.
We’d headed north out of Atlanta and it looked like we were still going that way - though with the highway winds pummeling my face I could have been wrong. I never knew the world could whiz by so fast. Darryl gave me rides on his bike once in a while, but he still made his little sister wear a helmet.
Still, even if I was a bit off, I couldn’t figure out where we were headed. Up north was just national forest until the next couple states, no towns that I knew of. I’d been outside of Atlanta only to see Savannah and Augusta. This was uncharted territory as far as I was concerned.
We took an exit at a brown sign that announced some national preserve and suddenly we actually were in a forest. Thick trunks darkened the path all along the side of the roads, the bare branches rising high overhead. Vaughn turned a couple times off even the paved roads and then we were going down some gravel path.
I had a flare of panic until we passed a parking lot half full of cars. Vaughn parked and I stood up, rattled.
“Where in God’s name did you take me?” I asked holding him to stay steady. “I thought we were going on vacation.”
“We’re on it now.” He spread his arms out. “This is our hotel.”
I took a look around at the mass of trees surrounding the lot. A couple paths led off through them and one side went off into a clearing. “Uh-uh,” I said. “I’m not loving this.”
“You’ll warm up to it.” He grabbed a couple satchels off the side of the bike. I’d noticed them before, but now I could plainly see they were sleeping bags and tents. Vaughn hugged one laden arm around me. “Come on. Don’t worry about the forest. I’ve got you.”
Well, if he wanted me dead, there were a lot easier ways. I
“Yeah we can probably do that,” I said to Aubrey’s hopeful face. “I’ll let you guys know tomorrow.”
I dropped the litter and led us out into the early November cool, ducked against the winds running through the multi-story offices lining the streets. The three of us headed for the parking lot together. We crossed the street and Faith let out a whistle.
“Man, check that guy out.”
I was texting my ETA to Vaughn, but next to me, Aubrey sighed happily. “Mama likey.”
I sent the text and tried to find Faith’s gaze, but then a phone trilled not far away. It was a very familiar message tone, and I realized who it was just as my eyes landed on my friend’s focus.
Vaughn stood erect over his bike just a ways down the street. He had parked under a large tree and dark leaves fell around him in the breeze. He wore mirror shades and his full biker outfit. It all looked every bit out of some action movie.
“Vaughn?” I headed up towards him
“Vaughn?!” Faith said, scampering up behind.
He grinned and patted the seat. “Thought I’d speed up the trip a bit.”
“How’d you find me?”
“Darlin’, you know I can read, right? You got your school name written all over your damn house.”
His gaze flickered to my friends. “Ladies,” he said. “Pardon me for stealing your girl here.”
“Oh, it’s fine,” Aubrey said, playing with her hair. “I completely understand.”
“You take care of her, alright?” Faith said.
“Yes, ma’am.” He ticked his head at me. “Come on now.”
I had so much to get. My bag held nothing but makeup, really. But…it was just one day. I didn’t expect my clothes to stay on for very long anyway. And my car would be fine in student parking.
“Oh, alright,” I said, jumping on and clasping around him.
The engine rumbled to life and my college friends waved us off as we rode away. I thought back to their slack-jawed looks and buried tighter into my man.
We rode without talking out the city and up out of the Loop. The skyscrapers died away quickly and then even the perfect little suburbs started fading out with only the occasional strip mall cropping up here and there in the middle of what looked to be a vast and endless forest.
We’d headed north out of Atlanta and it looked like we were still going that way - though with the highway winds pummeling my face I could have been wrong. I never knew the world could whiz by so fast. Darryl gave me rides on his bike once in a while, but he still made his little sister wear a helmet.
Still, even if I was a bit off, I couldn’t figure out where we were headed. Up north was just national forest until the next couple states, no towns that I knew of. I’d been outside of Atlanta only to see Savannah and Augusta. This was uncharted territory as far as I was concerned.
We took an exit at a brown sign that announced some national preserve and suddenly we actually were in a forest. Thick trunks darkened the path all along the side of the roads, the bare branches rising high overhead. Vaughn turned a couple times off even the paved roads and then we were going down some gravel path.
I had a flare of panic until we passed a parking lot half full of cars. Vaughn parked and I stood up, rattled.
“Where in God’s name did you take me?” I asked holding him to stay steady. “I thought we were going on vacation.”
“We’re on it now.” He spread his arms out. “This is our hotel.”
I took a look around at the mass of trees surrounding the lot. A couple paths led off through them and one side went off into a clearing. “Uh-uh,” I said. “I’m not loving this.”
“You’ll warm up to it.” He grabbed a couple satchels off the side of the bike. I’d noticed them before, but now I could plainly see they were sleeping bags and tents. Vaughn hugged one laden arm around me. “Come on. Don’t worry about the forest. I’ve got you.”
Well, if he wanted me dead, there were a lot easier ways. I
Similar Books
