Side Trip(54)

But if she tried to slip past Judy’s room, her sister would see her and know that Joy had been spying.

“Hey.”

Startled, Joy looked up. Todd grinned down at her. He pressed a single finger against his lips. He slowly, quietly, shut and locked Judy’s door.

Joy had completely forgotten that eavesdropped conversation until last night in her hotel room when she’d decided which Route 66 Bucket List item to complete the following day. She’d gone with do something daring.

As she’d done with each activity up to that point, Joy asked herself: What would Judy have done? Skinny-dip. But the risqué act had only earned Joy catcalls from two drunk idiots and a disgusted glare from Dylan. He probably thought she was flirting with him. Maybe she was. Dylan had been on her mind when she’d planned today’s side trip and those thoughts likely influenced her decision.

In the end, Joy had knocked another item off Judy’s list, an accomplishment to be pleased about in its own right. Who knows, maybe her sister would have been daring and skinny-dipped. But Joy felt like a fool.

“Is this okay with you?” Dylan asked of their location, a dark field in the middle of nowhere lit by moonlight.

Joy looked around, taking in what she could see as her eyes adjusted, which wasn’t much beyond her and Dylan, alone in the dark.

“Would you rather sleep indoors? I can find a hotel.”

She shook her head. “This is fine.” She wanted to check off another item. She did like the sense of accomplishment it provided, and she did feel a shred less remorseful as she worked her way through the bucket list. Focusing on something new would also help her feel less weird about her stunt earlier today.

“I have blankets in the trunk,” she told Dylan. She’d known beforehand that she’d spend at least one night sleeping outside. She’d come prepared, packing only the essentials: a couple of blankets, a roller bag of clothes, a toiletries and cosmetics case, and a small lockbox for her birth certificate and passport. What if she misplaced her license? Her dad insisted she keep them with her.

“What about bug spray?” He smacked his arm. “I think we’re going to need it.”

“In the small green case. Give me a sec.” She got out of the car and paced a short distance away. She needed to call Mark. His texts had grown incessant throughout the evening and she’d sent his calls directly to voice mail. She’d ignored them because, shamefully, she didn’t want to miss Dylan’s performance.

She also wasn’t ready to face the music streaming through her head. Thoughts about Mark and her future with him in New York played like dissonant chords, leaving her conflicted. The ring on her finger was too big. Their May wedding was coming up too fast. And his proposal, the day after her graduation, had been too soon. She was even having second thoughts about moving to Manhattan.

Then there was Dylan. For an instant today, as she’d watched the couple on the shore, she’d desired to be that woman. Easygoing and, by all appearances, without worry. Untainted by a past that couldn’t be undone. But it wasn’t Mark she imagined beside her. It was Dylan. In a few short days, he’d become the tide pulling her in his direction. He was sunlight drenching her skin, warming her. She wanted to ride that wave and bask in his glow. But where did that leave Mark? And who was she to think Dylan wanted anything more than their interim friendship? How presumptuous of her.

She pinched the bridge of her nose. She knew that she had to talk to Mark about their engagement, but not yet. She had to sort through her thoughts and determine exactly what she was feeling. With every mile, New York drew closer and her feet colder. She could simply be nervous about the big changes in her life. For now, though, she wanted to hear Mark’s voice and ease his worry. Hers, too.

The full moon dangled high in the sky. It cast enough gray light for her to see the dirt road once her eyes adjusted. She launched her phone and the screen glowed bright, attracting every bug within five feet. They hit her arms, buzzed in front of her face, zipped by her ears. She shivered. Nasty.

She brought up Mark’s number, tapped the phone icon, and waited. Gravel crunched and Dylan came up beside her. Joy looked at the screen, wondering why the call wasn’t going through. “Shoot.”

“Everything okay?”

She shook her head. “No signal.”

“Trying to reach Mark?”

She nodded. Damn. She should have called before they’d left the bar. Now she’d have to come up with another excuse as to why she hadn’t answered. Yet another lie.

“We can still find a hotel for the night. You can call from there.”

She shook her head. As terrible as she felt about avoiding Mark, she had no desire to get back on the highway and drive another hour or so. She’d been awake for over eighteen hours and hadn’t slept soundly last night. She was exhausted.

“Find the bug spray?” She slid her phone into her back pocket.

Dylan showed her the can. “Put your arms out.”

She did. He sprayed her arms, legs, and entire front side.

“Turn around,” he murmured. His voice skittered across her skin. She shivered and turned around, grateful for the dark. He couldn’t see how affected she was just from his whispered instruction.

Dylan sprayed her back and head. “Close your eyes.”

She heard him come around to stand in front of her and the spray can go off, but she didn’t feel anything. She looked up at him.