Page 46 of The Fast Lane
A gas station somewhere in Colorado
While Mack showered, Theo and I sat on opposite ends of the same brown couch that had been in my grandparents’ living room since I was a kid. In fact, not much had changed at all. It still had the slightly dated, homey feeling of my childhood, and the smell of baby powder and vanilla was faint but still there.
Karen was nestled on Theo’s lap, limp with joy as he stroked her. She was also watching me with unblinking dark eyes.
“She’s staring at me,” I whispered.
“She is not,” Theo said, amusement in his voice.
“That dog is planning my murder right this instant.” Karen’s head cocked to the side. I think she was sizing me up to estimate the lethal amount of poison she’d need.
“Since when do you not like dogs?”
“I like dogs. Normal-sized dogs who like to play fetch and cuddle and don’t want to bury my body in a shallow grave. That is not a dog.”
Theo grinned and Karen continued to bask in his attention. I might have been a little jealous of her. I too would be limp with joy if Theo decided to stroke me…my hair…stroke my hair.
“Let’s get this show on the road.” Mack waltzed into the living room.
Mack had always been a jeans and t-shirt kind of guy at home, suits and ties for work. But this Mack was a different model: Mack 2.0. He wore loose-fitting tan pants that I thought were linen, a blue guayabera shirt with yellow embroidery, brown leather sandals, and a fedora at a jaunty angle. In all, he looked like he might be heading on vacation to a Mexican beach resort.
“Oh, wow. This is different,” I said.
Mack glanced down at his clothes. “Thought I’d try out something new.” He did a spin. “What do you think?”
“You look great.”
“It was time for a change.” He grabbed his suitcase and pulled open the front door. “After you, madam.”
Mack insisted on sitting in the backseat and refused to change his mind no matter how much I protested. “Karen will do better back here and you two can keep each other company.”
“I’d rather you sit in front. It will be easier for you.”
“Stop playing so hard to get, Ali-Cat. Throw the man a bone.” With a wink, Mack patted me on the cheek and climbed into the backseat as though he hadn’t heard me.
“We are not dat?—”
“Close the door for me,” he said. “I plan to take a nap.”
Fifteen minutes later, the sound of a small army of growling bears filled the car as Mack and Karen drifted off, his face pressed against the window and her face pressing into his lap.
I cringed. “I think Karen snores louder than he does.”
“That’s going to be fun to sleep in the same room with,” Theo said.
It turned out Mack had the same size bladder as a goldfish.
Two hours later (and our second pit stop of the day), we ended up at a gas station just past Lamar, Colorado. While Theo got gas, I stretched my legs, bought a variety of snacks that would have made a nine-year-old with a credit card proud, and asked Gus, the grizzled, bearded guy behind the counter for the key to the bathroom. The key was tied to an actual bicycle wheel and unlocked a dingy white door to reveal an even dingier bathroom.
Unfortunately, by the time I returned, Mack, Karen cradled in his arms like a newborn, and Gus were chatting away like long-lost brothers. I heard mention of local historical landmarks, and I knew we were done for.
“Mack’s gonna be a while.” I pointed to a picnic table on the side of the store. “Might as well sit outside and enjoy the weather.”
I climbed to sit atop the table and leaned back on my hands. The heat from the sun was soft and warm and a nice breeze rippled through my hair. The weather here was a dream, nothing like back home in Two Harts. It was beautiful, too, with sweeping views and mountains and fresh, clean air. The appeal was obvious. I could understand why Abe had settled in Colorado.
Theo sat on the bench, close enough that his shoulder brushed my knee. I rummaged through my bag of goodies and tossed a snack in his lap.
“Oreos?” With a grimace, he pinched the corner of the package and dangled it over my lap. “Not funny.”