Page 70 of Dotted Lines (Runaway 5)

“Uh . . . I’m still here,” I said.

“Good,” Londyn said. “Fill in any blanks. And keep your eyes on the road. That car is nearly as precious as your passengers.”

I chuckled. “I see you still love bossing me around.”

“Hey, when you’re good at something, why quit?”

Clara giggled. “Okay, what do you want to know about Karson?”

“Is he still handsome?”

“Yes.” Clara’s eyes darted to the seat, but I caught the flush rising in her cheeks. “He looks like Karson, just all grown up. He’s got a short beard.”

“A beard.” Londyn groaned. “No. Not you too.”

“What do you mean, not me too?” I asked.

“Brooks grew one and I hate it. Which I made the mistake of saying, so now he won’t shave. He likes it because when he kisses Ellie it makes her giggle. But he has such a sexy jaw I hate that it’s covered up with all that hair.”

“In my defense, my beard usually only lasts a month, then I shave.” I chuckled. Hearing her talk about her husband and daughter made my heart swell. “Are you happy, Lonny?”

“So, so happy.” The smile in her voice filled the car. “Clara, what’s his house like?”

“It’s beautiful. It’s white with warm touches. It’s close to the beach. And clean, obviously. This is Karson we’re talking about.”

I barked a laugh. The girls always teased me for being the cleanest one in the junkyard. Not that they were messy, but I think they’d thought the token male would have left his things lying around. Except when you were living in dirt, the least you could do to take care of it was to put it away.

“Were you surprised? By the Cadillac?” Londyn asked.

“You could have knocked me over with a feather,” I answered. “What you did is nothing short of a miracle. But this car is too much.”

“Shush. It was as much yours as it was mine.”

“You put a lot of money into it. Let me pay for it.”

“Never.”

“Londyn—”

“Oh, look at the time. Gotta go. Drive safe. Clara, call me when you get home.”

Clara giggled. “I will.”

“It was good to hear your voice, Karson,” Londyn said. “Expect a phone call from time to time.”

“I look forward to it. And Lonny? Thanks. I’m not sure what I did to deserve this car I’m driving.”

“You were the rock.” Clara spoke for Londyn. “You were the glue. You saved us all when you found that junkyard.”

“And that’s why I want you to have that car,” Londyn added. “Because if it makes you smile every time you get behind the wheel, then maybe you’ll remember that you made me—us—smile through the hardest days. You deserve a lifetime of smiles. So take that car, drive it, and be happy.”

My throat burned as Clar

a ended the call. She dabbed the corners of her eyes, then, as I’d expected, she twisted to look at her son.

August looked up and smiled before going right back to his game.

She drew strength from him. He rooted her. She anchored him. They relied on each other.