Page 4 of Loving Hard on the Highway (Love Along Route 14)

Sean

We were focusing on looking for the hotel when the most glorious aroma of smoked meat wafted into the car. My mouth salivated, and I clearly heard Gabbie’s stomach grumble.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” I asked.

“Hell yeah,” Gabbie said, sitting up. “Let’s hurry and check into the hotel. I’m starved!”

The hotel sat between a diner and a gift shop that sold scented candles and Route 14 key chains. It was a small, two-story building with brick siding and trendy flower boxes under the windows. Not too fancy, but it was nice and fit the town’s ambiance.

Gabbie looked a little surprised, so I held the door open as she stepped inside. The faint dinging of an electric bell followed us, and we stepped into the lobby. A couple wearing I Got Sauced t-shirts were laughing with the receptionist, as their dog sniffed curiously at a brochure stand.

“Oh, he’s so cute,” Gabbie gushed as soon as she set eyes on the little corgi.

The couple smiled at Gabbie and said the little guy’s name was Russel. They made a bit of small talk before heading to their room.

The young lady called back to us, “Oh, you guys have to try Roadside BBQ! Best brisket I’ve ever had.”

The guy with her nodded in agreement. I grinned a little as I faintly heard the lady say, “They are such a cute couple.”

We walked to the front desk, Gabbie adjusting the strap of her backpack as I moved my duffle bag off my shoulder.

“You must be our late check-in,” the receptionist said with a smile.

“I am,” she said tiredly. “Gabrielle Jones. Laurel Young made the reservation.”

The receptionist looked at me. “And you must be Laurel?”

“Oh, no, we’re just riding together,” I corrected her. “I’ll take any room you have available.”

“Oh, you two aren’t together?” The clerk gave us a concerned but polite, blank look and started typing. “Unfortunately, we only have the reserved room available.”

“Oh, damn, I didn’t even think to call ahead. Do you have another hotel in town?” I asked.

“We do. The nicer one is all booked. Our last check-in came from there. There is a motel just outside of town.” She scrunched her face, trying to keep her smile. “They always have vacancies.”

“You know what?” Gabbie interrupted. “It’s fine. We can share.”

“Are you sure?” I asked, not wanting to impose, but I really didn’t want to sleep in the car. The grunge motel was not an option.

“Okay.” The receptionist perked back up. “I can’t use the card on file if the owner isn’t joining you.”

“My friend was just using her card to book the room for me,” Gabbie said, as she started fishing through her purse. “I have cash.”

The receptionist seemed shocked at the mention of cash.

“I got it.” I quickly whipped out my black card and handed it over in a way to keep it from Gabbie’s view. Fortunately for me, the receptionist understood the assignment and slid it back to me under the printed receipt.

“Are you sure?” Gabbie half looked up from her bag. “I have the cash. And besides, you got gas on the last fill-up.”

“Yeah, it’s just easier if I use my card for the trip, and we can square up when we get to Cali.”

“Oh.” Gabbie blinked, as if my excuse made perfect sense. Which it did, by the way. But I had no intention of having her pay me back. This trip was costing me nothing, and it seemed like she could use that cash to get settled.

“One standard two queen bed suite,” the receptionist chimed as she handed me the key cards.

I handed one to Gabbie, who looked relieved that there were two beds, as the receptionist relayed some activities we could do in Saddleback on a Saturday night.

Twenty minutes later, the hostess at Roadside 14 BBQ was sitting Gabbie and me at a private booth.

I inhaled a deep breath. “If this is what heaven smells like, then take me now.”

“It smells good, but I think it’s presumptuous to think you’re getting into heaven, my guy,” Gabbie snickered.

“With these looks, I’m sure I could charm my way in.” I flashed her a smile.

“Oh, the confidence is strong,” she scoffed, then looked at the menu, but I swear I saw her crack a smile and blush hit her gorgeous copper cheeks.

To say the meal was fantastic would be an understatement. We lingered at the table longer than we needed to, the remains of rib bone, brisket crumbs, and sauce between us like a truce flag,

I told her about the state of disembodiment I left Reba in. My wording caused a passerby to gasp and go wide-eyed, which elicited a full laugh from Gabbie.

She daintily licked a dab of sauce from her thumb, and her dark brown eyes crinkled in that way that made it hard for me to look away.

“Don’t worry. I’m sure you and Reba will be reunited soon.”

“I’ll be counting the days.” I dabbed nonexistent tears as the waitress came to our table.

“Can I get you two anything for dessert?” she asked as she topped off our drinks.

Gabbie shook her head. “I am completely stuffed.”

“Same here,” I agreed. “You can bring me the check.”

She returned with the bill and a brochure listing various things to do in town.

“There’s this place nearby. Live music, good crowd. Thought maybe we could go hang out for a little,” I said as I handed Gabbie the brochure.

As she looked it over, I slipped my card into the billfold and handed it back to the waitress.

“I don’t know,” she sighed. “I’m sure my friends will try to call me at the hotel, and we have to get up early. I need to get a phone, and we need to get back on the road.”

“Come on, they’ve got karaoke.”

She blinked, surprised. Not in a bad way. More like she hadn’t expected that from me .

“You sing?” she said, one corner of her mouth lifting.

I shrugged, smiling. “Badly. But enthusiastically and with unwarranted confidence.”

She laughed, the sound soft and genuine. “That’s a dangerous combination.”

“Could be,” I said, holding her gaze. “But it’s more fun than going back to the hotel early.”

For a moment, she looked at me like she was measuring something and weighing it. Then she stood, grabbing her bag. “I need to go freshen up in the ladies’ room.”

“So, we’re on?” I asked.

“Only if you promise not to bail halfway through.”

My grin came without hesitation. “You have my word.”

As we stepped out into the night, shoulder to shoulder, the air felt breezier and more refreshing than it had an hour earlier. Or maybe that was just me.

The music hit like a heartbeat the second we stepped inside.

A group of friends was on a stage belting a popular tune; it wasn’t bad at all.

Warm bodies packed the room, some dancing, while others sat and enjoyed the show under the colored lights.

The air was thick with laughter and the scent of citrusy drinks.

I wasn’t sure what he expected, but Gabbie fit into it like she’d been here a hundred times. She grinned at me over her shoulder as we wove through the crowd, her fingers briefly brushing mine. I had no idea if it was intentional or not, but it left a mark either way.

We found a free table near the back, just close enough to the speakers to feel the music in our ribs. The friend group finished their song, and the DJ played something upbeat. More couples got up to dance.

Halfway through the song, the DJ announced, “First-time visitors who perform a song get one drink on the house!”

Gabbie lit up. “They had me at free drinks.”

“You’re really going to sing?” I asked.

“Uh, yeah…free drinks,” she said, as if that was obvious.

I don’t think I’d ever needed to do anything for a freebie, but she was impossible to resist. So, I followed her to the stage, and we scanned the monitor for a song that we both could handle.

“I know they won’t have any of my favorites, but,” she pointed, “how about this one? You do know this song?”

“I’m wounded that you’d think otherwise.” I was vaguely familiar with the retro 90s tune and gave her a nod.

As the music began, she was already moving, hips swaying in time with the beat.

“My sisters and I used to do karaoke at home all the time. You have to just go with it,” she shouted over the instrumental, like she was daring me.

I laughed, letting myself loosen and sway a little alongside her.

She started singing, and not softly, not self-consciously, but full voice, laughing through the lyrics. And something about that made it easier. I joined in, a little off-key, a little breathless from how close she was, from the way her hair brushed my shoulder when she turned toward me.

She reached for my hand, and this time it was unmistakable, as we belted out the Truly, Madly, Deeply lyrics.

We kept singing.

Louder. Messier. Closer.

And then, without warning, the music faded.

The crowd cheered, and a few whistles rang out as we stepped off the stage, still holding hands.

The music slowed as the DJ transitioned into a softer, moodier track.

It was a song that didn’t ask you to dance so much as feel your way through it.

I turned to her, and we somehow just eased into each other’s arms.

We swayed together as her hands moved lightly up my arms. Her smile dimmed into something quieter. She had a sweet, floral scent, like lavender or something similar. It was faint, which made me want to draw closer to her.

I watched her as her eyes drifted toward my lips and then back up, almost too fast to notice. Almost.

My throat felt dry. The air between us had changed, as if something were waiting, just on the edge.

“Hey,” I said, not even sure what I was about to say.

She looked up. “Yeah?”

And suddenly, the words that came to my mind weren’t about dancing or music or how fun the night was.

They were about her. About how I’d been thinking about her laugh since dinner.

How her hand felt like it belonged in mine.

How I think I fell in love with her the moment I saw her at the club the night before.

How I wanted to know what it would be like to kiss her.

Maybe not now. I wasn’t sure if she was ready for that. But eventually, definitely.

But I didn’t say any of that.

I just smiled softly, unguarded, and said, “I’m really glad you came out with me tonight.”

And the way she looked at me in that moment, like maybe she’d been waiting for me to say something just like that, made it harder to keep everything else unsaid.

“So am I,” she said, her soft smile radiant. “I can’t remember the last time I was anywhere, especially with a guy, and felt free. Like I don’t have to look over my shoulder.”