Inevitable Detour (Inevitability Book 1)(17)

“Ooh”—I point to a lush, green field dotted with cattle—“check out those cows. Those two by the big oak tree over there are totally doing it.”

Farren hunches down to squint through the windshield to the spot I’m indicating. “Yep,” he agrees, “they sure are.”

And then, we both burst out laughing at the inanity of it all.

“Get a room,” I yell out the window.

Yeah, it’s stupid and silly, but I’m having fun. So far, I like traveling with Farren. He’s surprisingly easy to be around. Or maybe that’s just how he is with me. We seem to just kind of click. We haven’t said a whole lot, but that’s fine. Farren’s been busy driving, and I’ve been enjoying the sunshine and fresh air coming in through the lowered windows. My arm has been out the passenger-side window more often than not. I now pull it back in and glance down at my black shorts and hot-pink tank top layered over a black bra. I hold my arms out in front of me, side-by-side. My right arm is clearly tanner than my left.

Just for the heck of it, and in the interest of an even tan, I ask Farren, “Do I get to drive at some point?”

Farren shrugs his wide shoulders. “I’ll think about it,” he replies.

His tone is light and teasing, so I mumble “smartass,” and then take a playful swat at his hand on the steering wheel. He’s way too fast, though, and I end up tapping the wheel and not him.

When he laughs, I playfully warn, “I’ll get you next time.”

He replies, “Good luck with that.”

I have a feeling he’s right. His reflexes are fast, far quicker than mine.

A few minutes later, we begin to pass a long line of trucks. The road noise becomes unbearable with the windows down so I hit the control to raise them. Without taking his eyes off the road, Farren turns on the air conditioning. I smile over at him, and when he feels my gaze on him he glances my way and smiles back. It’s too hot in the car when the windows are up, so we’ve devised this synchronized routine—alternating between fresh air and AC, me on window duty, and Farren in charge of interior climate control.

“We have a good system,” I remark, just to see what Farren will say.

He doesn’t look over at me again, but his lips curve up into a grin, and then he replies, “We do.”

A few minutes later, I pull my left knee up, place my foot flat on the seat, and rest my cheek against my knee cap. This position affords me a comfortable, resting view of all the farmland and countryside we’re passing.

“You sure are enjoying yourself, Essa,” Farren says.

I lift my head and turn to him. “I am enjoying myself.” I then explain why. “It’s because I’ve never been anywhere.”

“Not even to Ohio?”

“No, this is the first time I’ve ever left the state of Pennsylvania.”

“You’re kidding me.” Farren sounds surprised. And why wouldn’t he be? I’m a twenty-two-year-old woman, not a child. I’m sure he figured I’d traveled at least a little bit before today.

But I haven’t. This is a first.

I try to explain to Farren, “Yeah, my parents were never into traveling.”

“No family vacations?” he asks.

“Nope.” I sigh. “They were always too busy working, and when they had time off they preferred to stay home.”

“What about you?” Farren asks. “You could always travel with friends, or by yourself even.”

“I guess I’ve always been too afraid to go anywhere by myself,” I admit. “And none of my friends have ever invited me to go anywhere with them.” Except for when Haven asked me to come to New York City this summer, I think, but don’t add.

“Well, you’re traveling now,” Farren says quietly.

“True. And I can totally count this as traveling with a friend, right?” I pause, and hurriedly add, “I don’t mean to assume anything, Farren.”

He looks over at me. “Of course I’m your friend, Essa.”

I mark that point in time—this is the moment my friendship with Farren Shaw officially begins.

A little while later the subject of family arises when Farren asks, “Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

“No, it’s just me.”

I almost add that Haven is like a sister, but I’m hesitant to say something so presumptuous to her only sibling. I don’t want to intrude on their relationship. Farren and Haven are exceptionally close, thanks to their rough childhood. I can’t even imagine what it was like, having their father disappear forever. There one day and then gone the next. And then, a few years passed and they lost their mother in a car accident. How terrible. My parents are a pain, yes, but I do love them. Sure, they’re tough on me, but that’s just their way. I know they ultimately want the best for me. Unfortunately, they just don’t always know what that is. Not that I’m all that sure either, but I’m trying to figure it out.

Suddenly, something up ahead catches my attention—a really odd building that’s in the shape of a giant basket. And when I say giant, I mean huge. It dominates the flat surrounding countryside.

“Damn, I wish I had my phone,” I say longingly as we pass the basket building. “That would have been a great pic.”