CHAPTER 17 DANNY
We’re both up early in the morning, I think because we’re checking out of this place today, and we want to spend as much time up on the rooftop deck enjoying the view together as we can before we have to go.
Neither of us wants to leave.
It’s the place where we got engaged, and I have a good feeling we’ll be back someday—maybe to celebrate an anniversary or to bring our children here and show them the place where Mom and Dad got engaged.
I like hanging out with my nephews, but I get to send them home at the end of the day. Now, though, I have this feeling as though kids will somehow complete the picture, and it’s yet another thing on my list I didn’t realize I even wanted until Alexis stepped foot in my life.
I think about little miniature versions of her running around being sassy little divas, or little boys with my blue eyes, or some combination of her plus me.
It’s not the future I ever envisioned for myself, and I don’t know how far down the road it’ll be for us considering how she’s in the middle of filming a movie and already has a tour planned for next year, and I have two more seasons on my contract with the Heat and I’ll probably play beyond that, too.
But I see it in our future. We’re still young at just twenty-eight, and maybe somewhere in our mid-thirties, we’ll find the right time to make it all work.
Whatever happens, though, we’ll be holding hands through it all.
I keep thinking that way. I keep the positive thoughts alive.
Because thinking ahead to Christmas Eve continually sends a knot into my stomach.
I don’t know how her dad is going to react to any of this, but I can’t imagine he’ll approve of our marriage. If anything, I’m guessing he’ll demand she get it annulled, and I have no idea how she’s going to handle that.
But she’s a big girl…something her father has never given her credit for being.
I won’t force my own opinions and thoughts on how she should handle this onto her. She’s had enough of that in her lifetime.
Instead, we’ll work through it all together.
“What are you thinking about?” she asks. We’re standing in an embrace by the railing, and I’m holding her against my chest as we stare out at the water hitting the shoreline. We’ve finished our bacon and packed our bags, and this is it. It’s time to head out.
But I’m hesitating.
It feels safe here. Nobody has found us so far, and it feels like we can just stay on this rooftop, breathing in the ocean air and each other forever.
I realize how ridiculous that sounds considering the rather weighty responsibilities we have to return to, but here, life feels carefree and perfect.
“The future,” I answer honestly, my chin resting on top of her head.
“What about it?”
“About how I want things with you I’ve never wanted before. About how I feel like we’ll be back here someday.”
“That’s sweet,” she hums as she sinks more deeply into my chest.
I tighten my arms around her. “About how we’ll show our kids the place where we got engaged someday.”
She pulls back out of my arms and looks up at me, her eyes a little misty at my words. “You want kids?”
“I didn’t. And then I met you.”
She tilts her head, and then she pushes up on her tiptoes to press a kiss to my mouth. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
I drag in a deep breath of the salty sea air, and I release it slowly, feeling instantly calmed. But my next words drag up the anxiety once more. “We should get going.”
“I know.”
Neither of us moves.
“I don’t want to,” she says.
“Neither do I.”
“It just feels safe. Here in your arms, here on this rooftop. Here in Carmel. We don’t know what’s waiting on the other side.” She’s mumbling into my chest, so I literally feel her words against my body, but I feel them inside, too.
“We’ve got this, Lex. Together. You and me.”
She nods a little and backs up, and I lean down to drop one more kiss to her lips.
“And on the other side of this road trip, we’re getting married,” I remind her.
Her lips tip up. “That’s the only thing that could tear me from this roof.”
I chuckle. “Then let’s get to it.”
She nods, and I take her hand as we head down the stairs. I gather the suitcases and bring them to the rental car in the garage, and then we head out.
I’ve just started up the car on our way to Valencia, where we’ll be staying for the night, when my phone rings and we see it’s my mom calling.
“Good morning,” I answer.
“Hey, DJ. I heard from Gregory. I guess they traced you two up to Carmel by your rental car. They’re on their way up there now.”
I glance over at Alexis with wide eyes. “Oh shit.”
“They’ll be able to trace you now, so you need to switch cars,” she says.
“But I can’t reserve a new one under my name,” I point out.
“Right. And I shouldn’t do one under mine, either. Would Cooper or Rush help you out?”
“Definitely,” I say, and I pull up the map to figure out where I can switch cars. There’s a rental place ten minutes from where we are. “Thanks, Mom. I’ll call you back.”
It’s a slight setback in our plans, but I call Cooper as I head toward the rental car facility. “Hello?” he answers right away.
“Hey, man. I need a favor, and you’re on speaker.”
“Hi, Alexis,” he says.
“Hey, Cooper.”
“What can I do for you two?” he asks.
“I need a rental car at the Monterey Regional Airport. We were traced to Carmel by my car, so I can’t reserve one in my name,” I say.
“Monterey? Carmel? Traced?” he repeats. “Never mind. Whatever you need, you got it. I’ll do it now. What do you want and for how long?”
“Just book it for two weeks. I’ll return it in LA. A truck or SUV preferably.” I glance over at Alexis, and she looks nervous.
“I’ll send you a picture of my license and credit card since you’ll probably need to scan both at the self-service kiosk,” he says.
“You’re a lifesaver,” I breathe.
“Nah. Just a good friend rooting for you two.”
“Thanks, Cooper,” Alexis says softly, and I reach over and grab her hand.
“You got it.” He cuts the call to make the reservation, and I start navigating toward the airport. His details come through a few minutes later, and he really is a great friend. The best.
I drop the car on the return side and turn in the keys to an attendant, and then we head to the kiosk on the rental side to get the new car.
It’s a smooth process, and we’re out on the road within a few minutes.
I race the fuck out of there, sure we’ll be caught…but what other choice do we have?
We either keep trying to duck from her dad, or we let him find us. And I know she wants to keep running.
She’s not ready to face him yet, and I don’t blame her.
I’m not ready to face him yet, either.
I’m more than happy to stay on the run with her until we no longer can. And after that…well, I suppose we’ll face whatever consequences come next.