“In seven minutes.”
Shit.
I clear my throat,not entirely sure how to break it to my favorite dynamo that since I don’t have a time machine, she’s not making her flight. Turns out I don’t need to because she melts into a puddle on the floor and bursts into tears.
I crouch down beside her,belatedly realizing I’m basically shoving my dick in her face. Quickly, I run into my room, step into some joggers, and plop my ass down on the floor next to her. My arm cradling her shoulders, I go for soothing. “Lucy, it’s not the end of the world. Let me see when the next flight out is.”
Shaking her head violently,she sobs louder. Her tear-streaked face just about kills me. “I can’t do that. My dad pays my credit card bill. He’ll know I missed my flight. He’ll know I was irresponsible. I can’t—”
“Luce,it’s a missed flight. Shit happens.”
“But it doesn’t.Not to me,” she says, and I realize she’s serious. Lucy Alvarez lives in a world where mistakes happen to other people. Damn. We really couldn’t be more different.
“Fine,we’ll put it on my card. No big.” I pull up flights on my phone, and it’s soon apparent that seats are hard to come by.
“Whit,no. I can’t let you do that. I mean, I’ll pay you back, but—”
I level her with a look.“Really? You can slide down my dick like my body’s a goddamn theme park, but you can’t let me book you a flight?”
Again she blushes.“Fine, thank you, but—”
“Don’t thankme just yet, Luce. I can get you on stand-by tomorrow morning, but that flight has two layovers. There are a couple flights leaving day after tomorrow, will that work?”
“What the heck?No. No, I can’t wait. I need to get there tonight. I need every advantage possible to start this internship on the right foot. There’s a meet and greet tomorrow evening. My adviser just told me about it yesterday, but I have to be there.” Her words are coming fast, and I can feel her panic rising.
“Lookslike there’s some sort of storm moving in later tomorrow, so I guess that’s why the flights are loaded up. You need to be there tomorrow night?”
“At the latest.The event is downtown. It starts at six, but I’ll need to prepare and—”
I stopher words with a finger to her lips.
“If you needto be there in thirty hours, give or take, we’d best get on the road, Luce. Pack up and meet me downstairs in thirty. I’ll make us a quick breakfast, and then we’ll head out.”
For the second time today,she stares up at me, her big eyes filled with something I can’t quite identify.
“You’re driving me?”
“How else are you getting there?”
“But I live in Wisconsin.It’ll take almost fourteen hours, and—”
“I know.That’s why you need to get that fine ass in gear. The Whitmobile leaves at one o’clock, Lucy Renee.”
Biting her bottom lip,she looks up at me. “Whit, just because we...I mean, you don’t have to…” she stammers.
“I’m not doingthis out of obligation, Lucy. You need a favor, and I have one to spare. Now come on, let’s get moving.”
She nodsand goes back to stuffing her suitcase full of winter clothes. And I head downstairs to grab some food, hoping we still have chocolate chips because she likes those in her pancakes.
From thousand-mile drivesto breakfast foods, I’d do just about anything for Lucy.
Chapter 12
Whit
“You putthe hotel’s address in the GPS, right?” she asks.
“Yes, Lucy Esmerelda, I typed it in. Two hours and four minutes until we hit Cleveland. The hotel is right off the exit.” I lean back in the seat and recline it as far as it will go. Pulling the brim of my hat low to block the fading sun, I settle in. Sitting in the passenger seat of my car is unfamiliar, but the soft leather seat feels good as my body relaxes after a five-hour stretch of driving. I’m ready to hit the road again, but I spare a glance to see that Lucy is toying with the pre-sets on my radio and messing with my steering wheel.
