Page 16 (2/2)

“Yeah, yeah” David turned and saw me A hint of a smile curled his lips

Except for that first day on the bathroom floor, I’d never seen him smile, never even seen hiht up inside My knees wobbled That couldn’t be nor all warm and happy just because he was I couldn’t afford to have any feelings for hiet out of this in one piece

“Thanks for putting up with me today, Mal,” I said

“The pleasure was all o with hih”

David’s shtly against the base of“We’re out of here”

Mal grinned and winked at ?” I asked David

“Does it matter? Let’s just drive”

CHAPTER SEVEN

My neck had seized up Pain shot through htened and blinked the sleep froet the wheel and reached out, rubbing the back of ers “You okay?”

“Yeah Iin our surroundings, trying not to enjoy the neck rub too ood with his hands Mr Magic Fingers cajoled ly little effort I couldn’t be expected to resist Impossible So instead Ibarely aasTall, shadowy trees rushed by outside Trying to get out of LA, we’d gotten caught in a traffic jairl had never seen For all otten food and gas The rest of the time, Johnny Cash had played on the stereo and I’d practiced speeches in my head None of the words made it out of my mouth For some reason, I was reluctant to call a halt to our adventure and go off on irl panties and everything to do with how coun to feel with hi even, given the last day’s worth of dra freeing about it At around two in the aveto Monterey?”

“That’s whereup”

“Monterey?”

“Yeah What’ve you got against Monterey, hmm? Have a bad time at ato appear ungrateful “It’s just a surprise I didn’t realize ere, uhed and pulled off the road Dust flew and stones pinged off the Jeep (Mal wouldn’t be pleased) He turned to faceme in