Page 88 of Wild Highway (Runaway 2)

“It’s an empty plate.” I ignored her and found Katherine in the kitchen, refilling her glass of wine. “Hey.”

“Hey.”

“I take it this was a surprise.”

She nodded and gulped her wine.

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine.”

“Liar.”

Katherine hung her head. “I’m so stupid. I mean, I knew this would happen eventually. I just hoped . . .”

That Cash would love her, like she loved him.

“I can’t keep doing this,” she whispered. “Waiting. I need—I don’t know what I need.”

“A vacation.” An idea sparked.

It happened to me every so often—where something hit me with such force that I knew instantly it would be brilliant. Like the time I’d sunk an entire year’s profit at Gemma Lane into development of an organic, eco-friendly skin care line. It had paid off tenfold within thirteen months.

“I don’t have time for a vacation,” she said.

“You need to make time. Get away from here. Get away from him. Carol and Liddy and JR will cover for you. Let your heart heal a little bit.”

Her eyes tracked to the dining room where Dany had said something to make Cash burst out laughing. “Where would I go?”

“Drive the Cadillac to California.”

“No,” she said instantly. “I’m never going back there.”

I didn’t blame her for that. “Then how about, um . . .” I snapped my fingers. “Oregon.”

“What’s in Oregon?” she asked.

“Not what, but who.” I smiled. “Aria.”

“Huh?”

“Take the car to Aria. It’s fitting, don’t you think? I took the Cadillac from Londyn. You can take it from me. And if you don’t want to go to California, I bet Aria would. Give her the car.”

“How do you know? Have you talked to her?”

“Well, no. But worst case, she doesn’t want to, and you return home with a car. Then once the baby is old enough, Easton and I will drive it and find Karson.”

“How do you know Aria’s still in Oregon?”

“Well, I don’t. But it wouldn’t be hard to find out.” One call to my private investigator and we’d know before breakfast.

“What about Londyn?”

“You said it earlier. She’s not going to care.”

Katherine sipped her wine, thinking it over. Then her eyes went to the dining room once more just in time to see Cash drop a kiss to Dany’s forehead. “Okay. I’ll go. Give me a day to get things in order.”

Oh my God, it worked. I thought it would take more convincing. “Great! We’ll have the car ready to go.”