“And then what?”
“Then we ditch the car, hitchhike or find another way to get to New York.”
He made it sound so easy. His confidence and cool manner was what allowed her to believe in the plan even though she hated the plan for its necessity. In a perfect world, they would move to New York together. Or stay in Maryland and she could still pursue being a singer.
He leaned closer and looked at her seriously. “It means you’re going to New York with the clothes on your back. Nothing else. It won’t be easy.”
She swallowed. If she stayed here life would be easy. All meals and housing were provided. She wouldn’t have to ever worry about money. And she’d have Peter.
She kept her gaze on his handsome face and thought about what he wasn’t saying. Going to New York was terrifying, but it would also be exhilarating. No, she couldn’t live here giving up her dream of music. The whole situation sucked. She didn’t see a way for both of them to emerge as winners.
“At least we have tonight together,” he said.
She smiled through her tears, but though they spent the night wrapped in each other’s arms, they didn’t make love. They both seemed to understand it would be too hard to let each other go if they were intimate.
Allison dozed in and out of a fitful sleep. She’d spend an hour sure she was making the right decision to leave Peter and go to New York, then she’d sob silently against his wide chest wondering how she’d leave him, and she’d decide to stay. Becoming a rock star was a pipe dream, wasn’t it? Chances of her succeeding were nearly nil. Better to stay here with a man who loved her. But then she’d hear a line of music float through her head and know she’d never be whole if she stayed.
The next morning, everything went according to plan. She curled into a ball in the dark trunk. Peter had wrapped a thick blanket next to her to protect her from the worst of the bumps. Nevertheless, she was grateful when he finally stopped the car and released her.
She blinked into the bright summer sunshine and held Peter’s hand as they strode through the large parking lot of the shopping mall toward her car, which had been left there overnight. Seeing the car reminded her that her parents had to be terrified that she’d never come home or called. Knowing Peter’s bosses had left her parents a note didn’t help much. Though she and her parents had argued a lot this summer about her going to college, she was still pretty close with them and never would’ve left without a proper good-bye. She’d call them as soon as she made it to New York safely.
They reached her green and wood paneled Buick wagon, a hand-me-down from her mom. She started toward the driver’s side door, keys in hand. The lump in her throat was about the size of Texas. It was time to say good-bye.
“What are you doing?” she asked when Peter took the keys out of her hand. For the first time she noticed he had a large black backpack slung over his shoulder.
“I’m coming with you.”
Her heart did a full cartwheel. “But—”
“Made up my mind last night. Living without you isn’t an option.”
“But…”
“Don’t argue with me. I’m not changing my mind.”
She could see that he meant it, and she wanted to break into song there in the parking lot. He was coming with her. To New York. He caught her flying leap into his arms effortlessly and whirled her into a hug, their lips clashing in an ecstatic kiss. Then she pulled back. “I can’t let you do this. For the same reasons you want me to go to New York, I want you to stay here and do what you were bred to do. I’d feel like a traitor to my country if I took you with me.”
His thumb brushed her lower lip. “That’s sweet.” But his smile was rueful. “Allison, I was bred to be a soldier, and I’m good at it, but this summer I saw that I could live a normal life. I’m sick of living someplace with everyone treating me like a science experiment. Even my parents look at me like that. You’re the only person I know who treats me like a man.”
She swallowed and looked at his face, her heart breaking at his words. She couldn’t imagine living the life he’d described. How could she ask him to return there? It would be cruel. “Okay. Come with me.”
Their mutual grins were beams of sunshine adding to a now perfect day.
“It’s going to be amazing.” she said, clutching his shirt to her face and inhaling his scent, the smell she’d thought she’d have to abandon for the rest of her life. At the realization that she could now kiss him or touch him any time she wanted, she pulled him in for another hug.
“Agreed. Now let’s get moving.”
He didn’t have to ask her twice. She raced around to the passenger seat and hopped in, content to let Peter drive. He started up the engine and frowned at the steering wheel.
“Everything okay?”
“This car’s engine is not nearly in as good shape as the car we’re leaving behind.” He glanced behind him at the black Program car, lonely as a funeral in its remote parking spot. “Never mind, this is fine,” he added when her face must have revealed her dismay at his criticism of her precious mode of transportation. “Let’s move out.”
She threw her hands in the air. “Woo hoo! Road trip.” She reached for the radio and turned to her favorite station where she started to sing along.
Peter reached and lowered the volume. “I’ve never heard you sing before,” he said in response to her questioning gaze. “I want to hear you, not the radio.”
Her heart melted a little more with love, and she kept her gaze on him as she sang along to the radio. She was actually a little nervous at his reaction. What if he thought she sucked? Here they were running away to New York to follow her rock star dream, and it would be embarrassing and horrible if he thought she couldn’t make it.