Page 49 of Dotted Lines (Runaway 5)

“Then we won’t.”

A sob escaped right as he pulled me into his arms, holding me close as I cried. More footsteps sounded in the truck and when one of Karson’s arms loosened, it was only to make room for Aria to join our huddle.

The three of us clung to one another, and when Karson finally let us go, my tears had soaked his shirt and Aria was sniffling.

“Where

will you go?” she asked him.

“Exploring,” Karson and I answered in unison, then laughed.

“Out of Temecula, that’s for sure,” he said, then looked to me. “And maybe someday, to visit you two in Vegas. I expect you’ll be running the town by then.”

I forced a smile. “That’s the plan.”

“What time are you leaving?” Aria asked.

“Early. You?”

“We’ll go to the bus station first thing,” I said. “The bus to Vegas leaves at nine. But we’ll be early, just in case.”

“So this is it. The last night. Calls for a celebration.”

“Like what?” I followed him as he walked to the end of the truck to look out at the junkyard.

“Peanut butter and honey sandwiches, of course.”

Hours later, after the sun had set and Aria had fallen asleep, I snuck out of the truck, careful not to wake her, and I made my way to the tent.

Karson’s lantern was on. His bags were packed beside the door and he was sitting on his bed.

Waiting for me.

Neither of us spoke as he took me in his arms and kissed me breathless. Or as he stripped off my clothes and his own. Or as he made love to me, one last time, holding me tight until morning.

I refused to fall asleep when he drifted off. Instead, I clung to him until the first rays of dawn lit the sky, and I snuck to the shop for a shower before he or Aria woke up.

While Aria was in the bathroom, I found the small notebook and pen Aria kept in her pack and tore out a page. Then I wrote Lou a note, leaving it at the base of his front door.

* * *

I love you, Lou. Thank you.

Clara

* * *

“Goodbye, Lou,” I whispered to his shack. “Take care of yourself.”

Aria had done her farewell yesterday. Never before had her plants looked so green and her flowers so bold as they did around his shack. She’d staged them so artfully, I doubted even a professional gardener would have done such a nice job.

While she collected her things, I set out a bowl of cat food for Katherine’s cat. Then I took the half-empty bag of food to the shop, leaving it beside the door where Lou would find it.

“I didn’t think I’d be sad,” Aria said as we both stood outside the truck.

I had. I’d known this would hurt.

We each wore a backpack on our shoulders and held another in our hands. On the wall, I’d erased yesterday’s number, but I hadn’t written anything in its place.