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Okay, I am now.

I stand and rip the scratchy bedspread off, tossing it on the matching double bed across from me. I collapse again, now on the bare sheets and pull out my phone.

One person has been on my mind all day. I send her a quick text.

Me: Thinking about you, Drew-baby.

Truth be told, when I foun

d this car online, the idea of getting out, driving for three hours to Bixby felt like a godsend. I needed to clear my head. Everything with Drew was building up, and I was fucking sharing my feelings with people like Dagwood Magee. Shit. Great way to have it all over town.

I’m saved from my cringe-fest by a reply from Drew.

Drew: It’s about time. I’ve had a miserable day.

I’m immediately concerned.

Me: What’s wrong? What happened?

Could it be her dad? Did somebody tell him my truck had been parked outside her house overnight? Shit. The little dots are torturous. Why the fuck did I leave?

Drew: You didn’t tell me you were going to Bixby. I was so confused.

My exhale of relief turns into a chuckle.

Me: Sorry, baby. This rehab got me distracted. I found a prized part. Had to beat the competition for it.

Drew: If that’s all it was. You could have called.

Me: I will next time. I wasn’t thinking.

Drew: I like when you call me baby. I like that you said next time.

The surge of warmth moving through my stomach is like a drug. I love her words. Without hesitation, I hit the call button. I need to hear her voice. It only rings once.

“Hey.” Her voice is like a soothing balm to my tired insides.

“Hey.” I wonder if she can hear my smile. “You’ll never guess where I’m staying?”

She exhales a light laugh. “Tell me.”

“The Plucky Duck motel.”

That makes her laugh for real, and I smile. I love the way she sounds.

“Where the heck is the Plucky Duck motel?”

“It’s between Bixby and home. It’s on the highway near Oceanside Village. Remember that place?”

“No.” Her voice is soft, warm.

“Ah, I don’t know. I guess I kept up with stuff like this. It’s just a little bedroom community that was popular along the coast.”

“How far are you from home?”

I look at my phone and do some quick mental math. “About one hundred and twenty miles.”

She exhales in my ear. “How long is that?”