“Yeah, sorry. I needed a juicy distraction.”
“And what happens if I say no—you use the breakup as another distraction?”
He frowned a little. “Why the hell would you say no? He’s a senator’s son. And he knows the business. He’s perfect. Hell, he’s practically a miracle given that you’re—” He stopped himself. He still didn’t like to even say it. Gay. “Anyhow, I figured it was a given, so why not rush things along a little?” He glanced at his watch. “Make yourself at home. Go to dinner anywhere you want, but take Louis with you.”
Suddenly, suits, reporters, half-truths, and fucking fracking all piled on. “You know what? I’ve got a few more hours of daylight and a long drive to get to Omaha. I think I’ll get a head start.”
“Probably a good idea, so the reporters don’t hound you, huh?”
Yeah and so I didn’t say any more things my dad would hate. “I’ll get my stuff and sneak out the back way.” We shook hands. I had to say it. “Just remember, Dad. Fracking, oil, gas… they have a limited future. We’re never going to be free of these kinds of problems until we move to new tech.”
Dad shook his head, his mouth a moue of distaste. “I’ve got all I can do to get through the present, son. Talk to you soon.” He slapped my arm, walked into the bedroom, and closed the door.
Thirty minutes later, I was back in the car staring at trees again and taking the first full breath I’d had since arriving in Williamsport. I had around fourteen glorious unstructured hours of driving ahead of me and no big hurry to get there. God, I needed it.
The words I’d said to my father popped into my mind. Limited future. I stared at the prospect of getting my MBA at Columbia, but what I really wanted was an MBA in environmental management, and the best program was at Wharton in Philadelphia. I wouldn’t be with Fremont, my apparent fiancé, and I’d be a train ride from American Eagle Energy, but the way I felt right then, Alaska wouldn’t have been far enough.
Jesus, confronting Tommy Lee about my future did not make my list of top ten most exciting upcoming events.
I sighed.
At least my immediate future was all I wanted it to be.
My foot pressed the gas.
Chapter Four
Jax
“No. No, no, no, no, please.”
I tried coaxing the car, easing up on the gas and letting it coast. I gripped the wheel and sat up straighter, urging the beast on. But the lurching and hiccupping sound from the engine grew worse.
Shit. Shit. I glanced in the rearview mirror. The traffic on I-70 was intense, and the Pennsylvania highway was through mountainous terrain with a cement barrier in the middle. It wouldn’t be easy driving in the best of times. I got a couple of angry honks as my speed dropped and then dropped some more. I pumped the gas pedal, but it didn’t help.
“Stay calm, Jax,” I said out loud. I turned on my flashers to alert drivers I was going slow, but, dammit, I had to get off the road.
Like an answer to my prayers, the shoulder suddenly widened in a turnout. Yes! Thank you, universe. I eased over. Cars and semis whizzed past.
I didn’t even have to shut the car off. As soon as I touched the brakes, the engine died and the car shuddered to a stop. Still clutching the wheel in a death grip, I took a few deep breaths and thunked my head down. So much for being home in six hours. Visions flashed through my head—of the pasta and salads feast my mom had promised to make me tonight, the faces of her and my dad greeting me with hugs at the door, of my sister Loveda, my little brother Mikey, and my older brother Gill and his wife, two kids, and new baby who were coming over to eat with the family. So close… and now so far. Disappointment ached in my chest.
My road trip was supposed to be a treat. A little break between final exams and graduation, between Quiz Bowl and flag, between my senior year of college and the summer internship I had lined up that would take me far away. The idea had been that I’d get some alone time on this trip. Scenery. A much-needed visit with the fam. And I’d be doing a good deed along the way by delivering the old family car to Loveda. If that wasn’t a cosmic signpost, I didn’t know what was. But despite everything about this trip falling together so easily and perfectly beforehand, as if it were meant to be, it obviously wasn’t, because from day one things had gone wrong.
First, Rand showed up at the Quiz Bowl final with his ridiculous venom against me bringing out my worst. Then my brother Donny had zero time to spend with me because of some big deadline he had at work. I’d been looking forward to him showing me around Philly but no go. And now this.
Donny had handed me the keys with confidence. “Just coax her. Stay in the right lane. Don’t push her over 65, and she’ll make it to Indy. I put in a quart of oil for you.”
I’d told him it was fine, that I wasn’t worried. And I hadn’t been. Sometimes my optimism bit me in the ass. Maybe it was the universe’s way of keeping me humble and reminding me of the Golden Rule.
Shit happens.
I got out of the car, braced against the wind coming off the zooming vehicles, and went around the back to make sure the flashers were working. They were. Well, that was practically a miracle in itself. The side of the road I was on was a steep incline with pine trees. I stepped farther away from the car, getting closer to the trees, just in case someone trying to text and drive plowed into the car. The old Buick LeSabre had been in the family for probably twenty years, handed down from kid to kid. No one would miss it too much if it got smashed, but I preferred to stay in one piece.
I took out my phone. Who to call? There wasn’t a lot my dad could do except come and get me, and it was too far. I’d take a bus before I’d make him do that. My brother, Donny, was more than four hours away back in Philly and also in a conference all day. I didn’t have AAA, and the car sure as shit wouldn’t have a roadside assistance plan. Not if I knew Donny.
A problem is always an opportunity. That was one of my dad’s favorite sayings. I tried to think of what the opportunity was here, but all I could come up with was that I got to spend some quality time with Pennsylvanian fir trees.
I called Sean.
“Hi, Jax! We’re in an Uber heading back to campus from the airport. Why are you calling me? I thought you were embarking on a road trip.”
Sean was always so blunt. I appreciated that. “I’m having car trouble. I remembered you said Bubba had some experience as an auto mechanic? I thought perhaps—”
“Ah. That makes sense. I’m sure he’s quite adept. Here he is.” There was some ruffling as he passed the phone.
“Hi, Jax,” Bubba said, his voice upbeat. “What’s up? Having problems with your car?”
“Yeah. If you have a minute, I thought you might give me some advice. See if I really need to call a tow truck.” My wallet was wincing at the idea.
“Sure. Tell me what happened.”
I walked Bubba through the coughing of the engine and the lowering speed. He had me lift the hood and check a few things, using Facetime so he could see. The oil looked okay—my brother really had just topped it off. I’d just filled up with gas a half hour ago. There was no fuel leakage visible on the road. There was an ugly burny smell under the hood, but no smoke. When I tried to start the car, it wouldn’t even turn over and the engine light came on. I was impressed with how knowledgeable and patient Bubba was as he walked me through step by step.