A Turn in the Road (Blossom Street #8)(25)

“Now?” Bethanne asked. “You mean today?”

“Not exactly today. It’s a ways yet. I’ve got the map here, and if we head south on Highway 93 at Twin Falls we can reach Vegas tomorrow afternoon.”

“Honey,” Bethanne reminded her daughter for probably the fifth time. “Your grandmother has carefully planned our route and we’re going to South Dakota to see Mount Rushmore.”

“I know, but wouldn’t it be more fun in Vegas?”

Ruth didn’t comment one way or the other.

“It’s boring on the freeway,” Annie continued. “If we’re going to drive all the way across the United States, it’d be a lot more interesting on the highways and byways than the interstate.”

“Vegas,” Ruth murmured.

“Remember, you specifically mentioned Mount Rushmore,” Bethanne said mildly, not wanting to put pressure on her former mother-in-law, but not wanting her to be disappointed, either.

“I know I did,” Ruth said. “But that old mountain will be there until the end of time. Annie’s right. It isn’t every day that I have the opportunity to visit Las Vegas—and with two of my favorite people.”

“You mean we can actually go to Vegas?” Annie didn’t seem capable of containing her excitement.

“We’re going to Vegas!” Ruth shouted.

“And what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” Annie returned, laughing.

Bethanne had to smile, too. Vegas did sound like a lot more fun than elbowing her way through the tourist crowds anxious for a better view of Rushmore.

“Just promise me,” Ruth said, “that you won’t say a word about this to Grant or Robin. I promised them we’d stick to the freeway the entire trip, but Annie’s got a point. This is pretty dull driving. If we’re going to see the country, we need to get off the interstate. We should explore a little.”

“Look at the map and tell me where you want me to go,” Bethanne said. This was turning into far more of an adventure than she’d ever anticipated. Her stint as a waitress at Marie’s café yesterday had been quite an experience. Bethanne had nearly forty dollars, her share of the money they’d made in tips. Gambling money. The biggest surprise had been Max, the biker who sat next to the older man who called himself Rooster. It was Max whose eyes had connected with hers, Max who’d looked at her so…knowingly.

After the busload of customers left, Marie had prepared dinner for them all. Ruth said the chicken-fried steak was even better than she remembered. The two older women sat, chatting over coffee, while Annie and Bethanne finished the cleanup. Later that night, after Marie had given them a quick tour of town, Bethanne had crawled into the hotel bed, exhausted and oddly exhilarated as she closed her eyes. As soon as she did, the image of the biker filled her mind. Max. He hadn’t spoken a word to her, other than to place his order. It’d been that brief look they’d exchanged. A couple of times Bethanne had tried to shake the memory and found she couldn’t.

She was getting fanciful, she’d thought. Downright silly. She had absolutely nothing in common with this biker, and it was highly unlikely she’d ever run into him again, which was just as well. She’d mumbled a prayer for him—there was something about the sadness in his eyes—and then she’d fallen almost immediately into a deep and peaceful sleep.

“We’re about an hour away from Twin Falls,” Ruth said, breaking into Bethanne’s musings. She glanced up from the map, which Annie had handed over to her. “I’ll need to cancel my hotel reservation again.”

“We should probably cancel them all,” Annie advised. “I mean, we’ve already changed Grandma’s plans once, and now we’re doing it again. It’s way more fun making plans as we go along, don’t you think?”

“It is,” Ruth said. “I’m so grateful to have the two of you with me. This is much better than driving alone.”

Bethanne smiled. Annie had added spontaneity and adventure to the trip. If it’d just been Ruth and Bethanne, she would’ve gladly followed her mother-in-law’s itinerary.

“Where should we spend the night?” Ruth asked, unfolding the map on her knees.

“Where do you suggest?” Bethanne asked.

“Hmm. There aren’t too many big towns on the way into Vegas. I think our best bet is Ely. Maybe Annie could check the internet for a hotel and make a reservation.”

“Good idea,” Bethanne inserted.

“How far is Ely from Twin Falls?” Annie asked.

“Oh…” Ruth paused, as though calculating the distance. “I’d say about three or four hours.”

“That’ll make nine hours in the car, Ruth,” Bethanne said, a bit concerned. “Is that too long for you?”

“It’s fine,” Ruth insisted.

“Let’s stop in Wells and pick up lunch and find somewhere to eat along the way,” Annie suggested. “There’s all kinds of small lakes, but I heard someone mention one called Snow Water Lake. I don’t remember who, but they said it was absolutely pristine. We could have a picnic there.”

“Sounds like a great plan,” Ruth concurred. “I’d like to stretch my legs and be somewhere cool and refreshing.”