Zoey

After we finished our lunch, we climbed into the SUV and got back on the road to Lake Tahoe. Carter pulled his phone from his pocket and contacted several private jet agencies that were unable to accommodate his request from the Grand Canyon to Seattle. But he did manage to rent a plane to get us to Hawaii.

“This is bullshit,” he shouted as he threw his phone down. “How can there not be one fucking plane available?”

I was silently smiling inside because I knew why. Nora didn’t want us flying to Seattle and she made sure it didn’t happen.

“The minute I get back to New York, I’m buying my own fucking plane.”

I sat there in silence and let him rant and rave.

“Aren’t you going to say anything?” he asked as he glanced over at me with his aviator sunglasses on.

“I’m sorry you couldn’t get a plane and I’m sorry you have to be stuck with me on this road trip. Once we scatter Nora’s ashes and get back to New York, you will never have to see me again, Mr. Grayson.”

He glanced over at me and didn’t say a word. Several moments passed, and suddenly, he pulled off to the side of the expressway.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Before we go any further, I think we need to have a talk. I don’t feel like I’m stuck with you, so get that out of your head. I’m just frustrated. That’s all. It has nothing to do with you and I don’t want you to think that I don’t want you on this trip. I’ve been through a lot, Zoey, and now that I’ve lost my sister, it just makes life a hell of a lot worse. You were there for Nora and I appreciate it. It just makes me mad that this is what she wanted and chose not to discuss any of it with me before she died. I visit the cemetery every Sunday, and now she won’t be there for me to visit her.”

This was the first time since I’d met him that he opened up to me and I was grateful for it. I reached over and placed my hand on top of his. I didn’t care if he wanted me to do it or not, he needed comforting.

“Cemeteries are good places, Mr. Grayson, but you need to understand that your loved ones are around you at all times. It’s only their bodies that are underground and that’s why people think they need to visit cemeteries. They do it out of respect for their loved ones, but their spirits/souls are around you at all times. You can talk to Nora anytime you want and she’ll hear you.”

“I don’t believe in any of that. I’m sorry.” He removed his hand from under mine.

“It’s okay. I can’t make you believe anything you don’t want to. But Nora can hear you wherever you are.”

He took in a deep breath and pulled back onto the highway.

“Can you do me a favor and look up some hotels in Lake Tahoe?” he asked.

“Sure.” I gave him a small smile as I pulled out my phone and noticed I had a text message from Holly.

“Hey, how’s the road trip going?”

“Not good. He’s still the same old Carter Grayson. Mean, arrogant, and filled with anger. So far, I can’t seem to get through to him about anything.”

“You will eventually. Just hang in there.”

“Thanks, Holly.”

“Text me some pictures later when you get to Lake Tahoe.”

“I will.”

I pulled up local hotels around Lake Tahoe.

“Is there a specific hotel you’re looking for?” I asked him.

“Something that’s a five star.”

“There’s a Hyatt Regency Resort, Spa, and Casino that’s a five star.”

I read the description to him and he told me to call and book two rooms.

“They only have a one bedroom cottage available for tonight,” I spoke.

“Of course that’s all they have,” he spoke in a harsh tone. “Just hang up and call another hotel.”

I called the other three that were five-star hotels and all of them were fully booked.

“Now what do you want me to do?” I asked.

“I guess we have no choice. Dial the other hotel and hand me your phone,” he spoke in an irritated manner.

After reserving the only room available, he handed me my phone back.

“Is this the type of problem we’re going to run into this whole goddamn trip?” he angrily spoke.

“I think the best thing to do when we get to Lake Tahoe, is we should look up hotels for all the other places and book them tonight.”

“We’re going to have to. Especially in Hawaii. We’ll be lucky if we don’t have to sleep on the beach,” he spoke.

“Well, hopefully, it won’t come to that. But I’m not sure sleeping on a blanket in the sand with the roaring sound of the waves and the smell of the ocean would be so bad.” I softly smiled.

He looked over at me, and when he saw the smile on my face, the corners of his mouth slightly curved upwards.

****

Carter

The moment she placed her hand on mine, I felt like I was going to jump out of my skin. A bolt of—fuck if I knew—jolted through me. There was only one other time in my life when I ever felt that. I remembered the feeling and I remembered it was many years ago, but I couldn’t remember when or where. Sharing a one-bedroom cottage with her was going to be difficult. But it was only for one night, and as soon as we got to Lake Tahoe, I would immediately book other hotels we needed during the course of our trip.

“I need to pull off and get gas. You should try to use the restroom while we’re there,” I spoke.

“Good idea.” She smiled.

At the next exit, I got off and pulled into the first gas station I saw. I got out of the car and started to pump gas while Zoey went to the bathroom. As I stood there, holding the pump, I looked around, taking in the sight of the mountains. When I was finished, I couldn’t believe Zoey wasn’t back yet, so I went inside the station to look for her.

“Are you hungry?” I asked as I found her in the candy aisle.

“Just having a little sweet tooth at the moment.” She grinned.

“Pick out anything you want. It’s on me. In fact, I think I’ll grab a couple things myself.”

We both reached at the same time for the Snickers bar and our fingers lightly touched.

“You like Snickers?” I asked as I looked at her.

“I do. I guess you do too.”

“It’s one of my favorites.”

“Mine too.” She smiled.

I grabbed the candy bar from the box and handed it to her. She graciously accepted and picked up a box of Junior Mints.

“These used to be my mom’s—” She suddenly stopped and began to walk away.

A feeling sank inside me. She told me that she was abandoned as a baby on the stairs of a church. In fact, her father, John, told me the same thing. What the hell was going on?

“How could you possibly remember what your mom’s favorite candy was if you never knew your mother?” I asked.

She swallowed hard and walked up to the cash register.

“Zoey, answer me.”

“Sometimes I call my dad Scott ‘Mom.’ It was hard growing up with two fathers and no mother. Sometimes, the kids at school made fun of me.”

She was lying. I could feel it. But I was going to let it go for now. Soon enough I’d find out the truth.

“I see. I’m sure that was hard,” I spoke.

I pulled my wallet from my pocket and handed the cashier some cash.

“Are you ready?” I asked her as I grabbed the bag from the counter.