Gut clenching in knots, but completely prepared to leave without River, I hand him his breakfast sandwich. My fingers scrunch the bag tightly, waiting for him to answer.
He stares down at me with a strange look on his face. “Fuck it. Let’s catch a ride in a big rig.” I laugh and he shakes his head. “Haven’t you ever heard of stranger danger?”
I glance down at the glass of water on the counter and motion to the server. “Can we get these two waters to go?” I don’t know how to use my powers, but it couldn’t hurt to have a little water with us.
CHAPTER14
WILLA / GREER
Doug’s big rig is silver, and he’s standing by it when we come out. After laying down a few ground rules, basically telling us that if we give him trouble, he’ll drop us on the side of the road, he helps us into the cab.
Married with grown kids, Doug’s been on the road, driving semi-trucks for twenty years, and he’s seen a lot. He seems like a pretty decent man, but I’m thankful River came with me. I would have been nervous without him.
I’m pretty sure Doug’s wondering what our story is, since it’s obvious we’re not kids running away from home, but he doesn’t pry into our personal lives.
River asks him a question about some sports game, and his face lights up. The two of them dive into the details of the game, and I watch the miles roll by. Having had little sleep the last two days, the warmth of the heater quickly lulls me to sleep.
Laughter wakes me some time later, but cocooned in River’s arms, I let myself drift in and out for a while until the truck slows. Concerned, I force my gritty eyes open to see what’s happening. Orange cones and a flashing light indicate a construction zone ahead. We inch along until we can merge with the rest of the traffic into one lane, then slowly pick up speed again.
I wonder how long I’ve been asleep. I yawn and look around. A clock on the dash tells me it’s been about two hours. We have quite a way to go. Unwilling to move, I lay my head back against River’s arm, savoring the comfortable nest he’s created around me. Normally, I wouldn’t be so at ease with a complete stranger, but there’s something about him that makes me feel safe.
He bends down and peers into my eyes. “Hello, sleepyhead. We’re north of Atlanta, with roughly two and a half hours to go. Sleep some more if you want.”
With a big yawn, I glance away. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you.”
He brushes a strand of hair from my cheek. “I liked it.”
His words make me turn back to him, and I instantly get lost in his eyes. “What about you? Did you get some sleep?”
“I’m good,” he replies. “Better than I’ve been in a long time.” The brightness of his green eyes is startling up close.
I stare up at him. “Glad we took the ride, aren’t you?” His arms feel good, but there’s been so much that’s happened the last few days, I can’t quite feel the same level of happiness in this moment.
His eyes dim, and I’m sad that I ruined it, but he simply teases me. “Except for your snoring. But I’m glad we’re not walking in the cold.”
My mouth drops open. “I don’t snore.”
River looks over at Doug. “Doug, you heard her, didn’t you?” His tone is full of laughter, so I can’t tell if he’s telling the truth or not.
Doug chuckles. “I learned a long time ago to keep my nose out of other people’s business.” He reaches over and takes a swig of his coffee. “Is there a particular spot in Atlanta where you want me to drop you?”
I open my mouth to answer, but River beats me to it. “If you can drop us off within the I-285 perimeter, somewhere close to Sandy Springs, we’ll be able to make our way to the nearest Marta station.”
Doug gives a quick nod. “Can do.”
“It sounds like you’ve been to Atlanta?” I ask River, surprised he didn’t mention it.
“A few times, visiting friends,” he informs me with a tight smile. “You’ll like them.”
Them?I want to ask, but the directness of his stare silently urges me to wait until we’re alone to ask questions. I dip my chin in agreement.
The rest of the drive is light and easygoing, with Doug telling us funny stories about his kids and grandkids, and before I know it, we’re saying goodbye to our friendly truck driver at a gas station in Sandy Springs. After getting directions from the store clerk, we head out in the direction of the nearest Marta stop. Ten degrees warmer here in Georgia, the walk isn’t nearly as bad now.
Once we get to the station, he makes me wait out of sight for a few minutes. When he returns, he’s holding two ball caps, and I realize I lost mine last night at the gas station. He hands one to me and puts the other on his head.
“I thought you didn’t have any money,” I murmur, placing the hat on my head and pulling the brim down low.
“I don’t.” His voice is low. “We’re only a few stops from the university. One of my friends likes to hang out there.” His arm remains around my shoulders while we walk, but I notice his attention is on the people around us. Eyes swiveling from one side of the large open room to the other, he maneuvers us through the crowd to the counter, where I pay for our tickets, then onto the correct platform.
