Page 5 of Road Trip With the Ghost Hunter (Love Along Route 14 #10)

Li

“The sour gummies,” he murmured.

I chuckled. “The sour gummies,” I confirmed. “What do you have against sour gummies?”

I thought the mere mention of her would be like piercing my chest with a hot iron rod, but unexpectedly, the moment I started retelling my favorite childhood memories to Lucas, a lightness settled, making it easier to breathe. He was a good listener. For a potential serial killer.

He didn’t interrupt much, other than when he had genuine follow-up questions. When I got to lǎo lao’s and my road trip traditions, the corner of his mouth softly lifted in such a subtle way that if I weren’t studying his profile as he drove, I’d have missed it.

He glanced over, then shrugged. “I’m not some health nut,” he started, catching my skeptical raised brow.

He released a soft, deep chuckle that came more from his chest than his mouth.

“I indulge,” he defended. “I’ve learned what works for my body.

What’ll give it energy? And if I’m traveling on the road for days on end, I like to be conscious of what I’m putting in my body since I’m sitting the whole time. ”

“Ok. Fair.” I brought my feet up to rest on the dashboard and braced, wondering if that would drive him crazy.

His eyes shifted to my legs, but he continued driving without a word.

“And though my lǎo lao’s road trip foods couldn’t all be classified as healthy,” I emphasized with quotations, “Since it was home-cooked food, she considered it to be healthier.”

“Agreed,” he said.

“But, I can’t help it. The contrast of sour and sweet plus the gummy texture is my kryptonite.” I popped two different flavored sour gummies in my mouth, then I picked out my favorite, the blue and red gummy, and held it out to Lucas’s mouth.

“Absolutely not.”

“Oh, come on,” I cajoled. “Have you ever even tried one?”

“I don’t need to.”

Gaping at him, I sat frozen, then instantly shifted to bring my legs up and crossed them under me to face him. “Uh uh. No. Tell me you’re not one of those?”

“One of those?” he questioned, still focusing on the road.

“Please, tell me you believe the world is round.” My insides clenched, waiting. Wouldn’t that just be a hoot? Trapped in a car with not only a potential killer who’s planning on dumping my lifeless body in middle America somewhere, but a flat-earther too. And just when I was starting to like him.

Lucas’s frosted blue eyes narrowed in my direction.

Uh-oh.

“Was that a serious question?” he asked.

“Dead serious.” Oops. “I mean, not dead. You know. We don’t want to think of such things. Happy things. Two people breathing at the end of this, things.”

His gaze flicked back to me. I couldn’t get what he was thinking. Oh, no. Did I remind him of his murder-y plans?

Looking back on the road, he started, “Are we still there?”

“There?”

“At the place where you fear I’m collecting hitchhikers and offing them?”

“Offing them?” I asked, incredulously.

“Sounds better than murdering,” he answered matter-of-factly.

“I’m a single woman who got in a car with a stranger for a twenty-hour road trip. I’d be worried if I wasn’t thinking about the possibility.”

“Fair,” he replied. After we both sat in silence for a minute, he continued.

“I’m sorry I didn’t coordinate this from the beginning.

Do you have someone you can share your location with?

Also, you can take my picture and also my license and send it to them so someone knows where and who you’re with. ”

Wow. Okay. That’s actually a really smart idea. And sweet too. Damn it.

Also…I didn’t really have anyone. I could maybe text my ex-coworker, Sasha but she gave up getting unanswered texts three months ago.

I opened my mouth to mention someone, but closed it again.

Not wanting to sound alone and pathetic, I offered, “Benny already knows I’m with you.

He knows what you look like and your name. That takes care of that.”

I turned in my seat to face the front again and continued to stress-eat my sour gummies.

I felt Lucas’s stare studying me, but refused to look.

In the couple of hours I’ve known him, I already knew he was smart.

He was attentive. He listened and saw behind the lines.

And he was graciously ignoring the clear signs I poorly tried to conceal that I, in fact, did not have anyone to call and let know where and who I was with.

A deep sadness settled in my gut. Instinctively, my hand pressed into my stomach as I took a slow, deep breath.

The last six months played in my mind. The last three months, I was by her side when I wasn’t working, ignoring the world, keeping my head down, counting the mindless hours before I could rush home and take care of her, to the past three months after losing her.

I’d been bombarded with funeral arrangements, working with the state for the official death certificate, the insurance for end- of-life paperwork, insurance claims, needing to sell the house—all the dotted I’s and crossed T’s.

And then nights. My least favorite; when everything grew too still, too quiet.

Ironically, that was when the house was the loudest, creaking, shifting, groaning in the dead of my insomnia.

The few acquaintances I had, I pushed away. I was too busy, which made it easy enough. Then, two weeks ago, it all just stopped. Everything that needed taking care of was done. I was left to move on with life. So, naturally, I chose to run away.

“Hungry?” Lucas said after minutes of silence. Not even the radio was on.

Yes, my tummy was dancing with sour gummies, but hot, salty food sounded really good right now.

“I could eat,” I said, casually.

“First stop,” he said, pulling into a place called Kathy’s Diner.

“Where are we?” I asked as Lucas pulled into a spot around the corner. I looked around, noticing we were in some small town but damn, this place was packed.

Once parked, Lucas pulled out the large paper map, which was wild to me. We’d already had this debate earlier. It seemed archaic considering technology. I mean, hello, cell phone and map apps. But I relented when he made a good point.

“Li, reception is spotty in most of these rural spots and highways. GPS won’t always be reliable. And the last thing you want is to be lost and trapped on a dark highway in the middle of nowhere.”

It was annoying that not only was he ridiculously gorgeous, like, a Viking god type presence gorgeous, he was smart, and practical. And he found my reluctant acceptance of this with a roll of my eyes cute, apparently. Like, flat out, mumbled, cute with a chuckle.

Trouble.

“Heartstone, Missouri,” Lucas grumbled as he marked something on the map. “Checked online, and reviews seem great.”

I looked at the old Americana diner on the outside.

Through the window, I could already tell we were about to be transported to the past. The moment we stepped inside, the deep-fried savory scents hit, but not in that gross, greasy way.

It trapped your senses and pulled you in, making my stomach riot in demand for whatever lingered in the air.

Cherry red accent wall, checkered floors, and even a classic working jukebox painted this 1950s blast from the past. Even the waitresses' pink outfits and white aprons were adorably of the era, and they all played their part well.

“Hello, darlin’s, would y’all like a booth or the counter?” A stunning older woman, with blonde wavy hair and striking seafoam green eyes, smiled wide, holding two menus.

I glanced at Lucas, who looked at me in question. “Booth?”

“Yes.” I looked back at the woman who wasn't dressed like the other waitresses but still rocking a pink shirt and blazer combo. “We'll take a booth, thank you.”

“Excellent. Right this way,” she said, heading toward the back right side of the diner.

“Name’s Kathy. This is my place. Been in my family for generations.

” She gestured for us to sit at a booth against the windows.

Removing a pencil from behind her ear, she adjusted her perfectly styled hair and pointed at a man in the kitchen. “That there is my husband, Bill.”

I waved as his eyes were set on us, a soft, mischievous smile as he watched his wife.

“Now, I love me some out-of-towners. Where y’all headed?

” She waved over a young woman who practically skipped over, her naturally copper red ponytail bouncing.

“This here is Beatrice. She’ll be your waitress. What can she start you on, drink-wise?”

When I hesitated, Lucas chimed in. “Black coffee and water for me. Thank you. You need a minute?” he asked me.

“What do you recommend?” I turned and asked Kathy.

“Oh, hun, woman after my own heart.” Her entire face which was beautifully made up, lit bright.

The young waitress, Beatrice, tried hiding her smile as she looked down at her notepad, prepared to write our order.

“Are you health conscious cause I’ll have to break your heart if you’re one of those city folks wanting oat this and skim that.

Here, we believe in hearty and healthy for the soul. ”

I couldn’t help shifting my eyes over at Lucas, holding back my laugh. His eyes narrowed, and I just knew he understood what would happen next. The attempted warning didn’t keep me from the tease.

“Uh oh, Lucas. Are you going to be okay with allowing some grease and good ol’ fat to enter that body of yours?” He slowly shook his head, and I smirked, thrilled with this challenge.

“Say it isn’t so?” Kathy clutched her pearls.

Yes. The woman literally had pearls around her neck.

“Listen, darlin’, I get a body like yours, respectfully, takes discipline and work.

I mean, look over there at my husband. He may be sixty-eight, but that man can chop and carry stacks of wood with the best of them. ”

“Stop sexualizing my body, Kitten,” the man she introduced as Bill called from the counter while writing something down.

“Don’t you go pretending you don’t love every minute of it, Bill. I’m just sharing with this young man that he can keep that body of his as a temple while still indulging in the moments that life hands you. This is one of those moments.”

“If the man wants to eat grilled chicken and kale, let him.”

“Bite your tongue,” she gasped. “It’s like you want me to send you to sleep with the chickens tonight.”

It was like watching a ping-pong match. Light-hearted laughter escaped me as I glanced over, and even Lucas couldn’t help but smile. Kathy faced us again and gave us a cheeky smile. “Tough nuggets, hun, cause we don’t carry kale,” she said to Lucas, and I busted out laughing this time.

“You think that’s funny, huh?” He tried sounding offended, but I didn’t think anyone could hold a grudge around Kathy. Her energy was infectious.

I ordered her recommended strawberry pie shake before Kathy ran off to greet newcomers.

Beatrice came back with our drinks, and by recommendation, I ordered the Club Special, which had ham, turkey, pastrami, American cheese, and Swiss cheese and was served with homemade chips.

Shockingly, Lucas ordered the same but with the homemade fries.

“Like I said, I indulge.” He winked, took a sip of his coffee, and looked out the window. My body shivered, which I berated myself for.

It was a wink, Li. Normally, that’s an ick. What the hell, Viking man?