Page 134 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol 4

"Thank you, Tyler. You have no idea how much this means to me." She put her hand on my shoulder.

It shouldn't have affected me. I had just seen her do it with a few patrons of her bar. It was a trick to get more tips. But for some reason, it did. Like this tiny little spark that I hadn't felt in so long. For three years I had been hung up on a girl that never needed me back, chasing a spark we had only gotten to act upon once. It felt nice to be needed for a change. I put my key into the ignition. "So where's this gas station?"

"Just down the road. Why weren't you just using your car charger?" she asked as she attached my phone to the chord.

"I haven't needed it." I turned out of the parking lot.

"You weren't using a GPS?"

"Like I said, I was just driving toward California. The signs on the highway were enough."

She nodded. "My house is right by the gas station. I just need to grab a few things."

"Okay," I said as I pulled into the gas station. "I can drive you there when I'm done filling up."

"Oh, that's not necessary. I promised not to inconvenience you at all. I'll just be right back." She quickly climbed out of the car and started sprinting down the street.

What she didn't seem to realize was that she really wasn't inconveniencing me. I literally had nothing to do for a week. It should have felt like I was driving toward my future, but it felt a lot more like I was running away from my past. My roots had been cut out from underneath of me in New York. I was barely holding on. And maybe if I hadn't wound up in bumblefuck, Indiana, I would have fallen. And this time, I wasn't sure I would have been able to get back up.

I watched her disappear into the darkness.

Missing Pieces - Chapter 5

Hailey

Friday

I grabbed a pen and looked down at the blank piece of paper. There were a million things I wanted to say to my dad. I wanted to tell him how much I loved him and how sorry I was for not being there for him. But I refused to start getting sentimental and giving up. My dad wasn't going to die anytime soon if I could help it. I quickly wrote him a note so that he'd at least know where I was.

Dad,

I'm going to find Elena. I'll be back soon.

Love,

Hails

I knew he'd freak out when he saw it. He had survived for four years on his own without me, though. He could survive another week or so. He was the strongest person I knew. I grabbed my duffel bag and hoisted it over my shoulder. I was going to fix this.

***

Tyler was leaning against his car, staring down at his phone. His blonde hair fell onto his forehead and I watched him absentmindedly push it away. He had scruff on his chin, like he hadn't shaved in a few days. The look worked for him. Any look would probably work for him, really. He was very handsome. And not in the way like the guys from town. He looked more distinguished even though he was just wearing khaki shorts and a t-shirt. I would have bet that he wore a suit to some fancy job in NYC. He'd probably look really good in a suit. When he noticed me approaching, he quickly slid his phone back into his pocket.

"That was fast," he said.

"I was kind of packed already."

"Do you always carry a go-bag or something? Now I'm starting to think you really are a criminal."

I laughed. "No, I just moved back here from college and hadn't unpacked yet." I opened up the back seat and tossed my bag into the car. There were two plastic bags already on the seat, but no luggage. "Is your stuff in the trunk? Would you prefer I put my bag back there?"

"No, that's actually all of it."

I closed the door and looked up at him. "You're telling me you're traveling across the country with two shopping bags and nothing else?"

"I left unexpectedly."

"Are you homeless or something?" I said with a laugh.