Here I was thinking we’d finally crossed that great Reynolds-Winters divide. But we’d just been swimming in the river that ran the middle ground between us. I shook my head and brought her phone back into the car.
“Here you go, princess.” I threw it onto her lap. “I need to put some gas in.”
When I got out of the car and headed to the pump, the old man stopped me. He took the pump from my hand.
“You want it filled up?” He gave me a warm smile.
“Thanks,” I nodded with confirmation.
“Why don’t you go get a cup of my wife’s delicious freshly ground coffee,” the man nodded toward the store where a gray-haired woman had her nose plastered to the window.
“I think I may just do that,” I walked into the shop and was greeted by a warm, friendly smile.
It was getting late so the nice old couple from the gas station pointed me in the direction of a motel. The lady helped me with my GPS directions, which made me feel a little stupid being shown by a generation that was not supposed to be as tech savvy as mine.
“Thank you very much.” I grinned at the kind woman, feeling somewhat relieved that the day was not totally busted. At least there were still warm welcoming people on this planet who did not readily judge you unlike a certain someone.
***
I found the motel and got us two rooms. Carla and I had not said a word to each other since the incident at the garage.
“I’m going to get us something to eat from the corner diner,” I said to her at the door of my room, which was right next to hers on the first floor. I pointed it out across the street from the motel. “What do you want to eat?”
“Nothing.” Carla looked at me like I was a piece of dirt before opening her room door and walking in carrying her small duffle bag with the few pieces of clothing we’d been forced to buy at each little town we’d stayed at night in.
I nodded and stared at her closed door. I’d blown it. I knew that. And when this numb feeling of defeat wore off, I knew it was probably going to hurt like hell. I’d never felt this way about a woman before. All this time I’d been playing the field, hopping from one relationship to another because secretly I was always comparing them to her.
I let myself into my room and went to have a shower. I knew Carla and I needed to talk but I also knew I wasn’t going to get anywhere until she was ready to. Tomorrow we should get back home to Napa, and I would seek out Hayley’s help.
CHAPTER 34
Carla
We were back on the road again and Damon had reluctantly agreed to use my phone’s GPS to get back to Napa later today. I was actually really looking forward to going home after the past couple of tornado days I went through.
I’d kept Hayley updated on everything that had happened. After she told me it was time to speak to Damon, I decided she’d switched sides and was on team Damon. So, I ignored her messages of which there were a lot, not to mention a few missed calls as well.
“Are you going to get that?” Damon asked me. Those were his first words to me since we’d been on the road for the last couple of hours.
“Oh, you do remember how to talk then?” I told him sarcastically.
“Answer your phone.” Damon ignored my sarcasm.
I pointedly ignored him and looked out of the window tuning him out until he snatched the phone off my lap and answered it.
“It’s Hayley,” he shoved the phone at me.
Before I knew what was happening, I took the phone and my window slid down of its own accord once again and my phone jumped out of it. I was getting really good at flinging phones from the car. It was really therapeutic, and I was even thinking about opening a business where people could fling phones out of the window. Damon rudely interrupted my new business venture plans when he snail squealed to a stop.
“Very mature,” Damon hissed as he got out of the car and went searching for my phone. “I’ve had enough.” he yelled back at me. “I already know you are pregnant with my child. I’m coming back to the car and you and I are not moving from this spot until we’ve talked this out.”
I needed to pee, and I didn’t like being backed into a corner.
“Even Hayley agrees with me that you’re being irrational and pig-headed,” I watched Damon duck down and pick up my phone. “Hello?” I heard him say into the phone.
I knew I was being childish, but I suddenly felt so hurt and alone. My best friend had left me to team up with bat brains. A turmoil of emotions was swirling inside of me and tears sprung to my eyes. Now I had no one to talk to or help me figure out what to do. Damon now knew I was pregnant and had not found out as I’d intended him to. When I’d tried to talk to him before he’d seen my messages, he’d slammed his door shut in my face. Now he expected me to just open up and spill my guts to him because he’d found out I was pregnant?