Page 59 of Bitter Truth
“Cassie, wake up.”
“Huh?”
“I think we’re here.”
I startle, straightening up in my seat, now fully awake as his words register. I stare at the small building, then to the property beyond. “What? This place?”
He gives me a wry smile. “I don’t know if this is Julian’s idea of a joke, or if he’s a genius.”
“Well, it just might be the last place anyone would think to look for us.” Squinting through the window, I stare at the rows of campers visible beyond the gate. “Do you think we’ll be staying in one of those?”
“I don’t know. I’ll go find out.”
I let loose a massive yawn as the car door closes behind him, feeling guilty that I fell asleep, leaving Jake the task of navigating alone. I feel even worse that I never got the answers I needed from him, despite suspecting that I already knew what they’d be.
But even if my suspicions are true, that doesn’t mean that Jake’s plan won’t work. It’s entirely possible that emptying his mother’s bank account will be enough to cut off her reach outside the walls of her cell. Even if it’s not, that’s going to have to be a problem for another day.
All I want right now is to clean up and rest and enjoy some time with the man I love. Maybe I can even trick myself into believing this is just a vacation, like normal couples have. Don’t we deserve that much? The light clicks on as the door opens. Jake’s back already.
“That was quick. So what’s the verdict?” I ask, hoping my dreams of a long, hot shower in a space bigger than a toolbox aren’t going to be dashed.
Jake doesn’t answer, just grins as he slips behind the wheel.
“What?”
He shakes his head, still smiling as he starts the engine and puts the car in gear.
“Seriously. What?”
“You’ll see soon enough.”
I look curiously out the window as he punches in the code to the gate. It swings open and we drive through, moving at a slow crawl as we make our way down a narrow one-way lane lined with RVs and travel trailers.
The campground is clean and well-tended. The aroma of grilled meat mixed with the brine of the ocean drifts inside the car. And as I spot a series of vacationbungalows off to the side, I feel a rush of relief.
But Jake doesn’t even look toward the small buildings as he drives down the gravel road past them. I glance at him, forcing down a million questions. Tell myself to have patience, though my hands tighten on my knees as we continue forward. Then, as we round a curve, the ocean comes into view.
I’m knocked almost breathless. Though I grew up only a handful of hours away, I’ve never been to the Keys before. I left Gator Glade before I was old enough for Butch to approve of me taking road trips that long without him.
Though I’d resented it as a teenager, as strange as it might seem, I feel grateful now, because the best way to describe what I’m seeing is stunning. Everything my gaze settles on is memorable. And I’m glad that I’m experiencing it for the first time, making these memories, with Jake.
The long shadows of dusk can’t conceal the beauty of the gemstone-colored sea. Palm trees are darkened silhouettes. A group of pelicans fly in an arrow formation across a sky painted cotton candy colors by the sunset. It looks like something from a dream—a good one, for once.
Jake stops the car and kills the engine. Covers my hand, wrapped around his arm, and squeezes. I hadn’t even realized I’d grabbed onto him.
“Do you like it?”
“I love it.”
“Remind me to thank Julian when we get back.”
“It’s amazing. I could look at this view forever. If you can’t find me tomorrow morning, this is where I’ll be.”
“You don’t have to wait until tomorrow.”
“Mmm. Priorities. If I don’t take a shower soon, the CDC is going to come quarantine me.”
“You might be able to see it from the bathroom. I don’t know where the windows are, but we’ll find out soon enough.”
