Chapter 19 #2
We were running an hour behind to get to the festival, and I was starting to get antsy.
Today was the last day, so if I missed my chance with Mr. Sheridan, I was fucked.
I wasn’t going to dwell on the fact the delay started with me thirsting after Jude’s ass in bed this morning.
We’d gotten up with the alarm, but I couldn’t keep my hands off him and ended up leaving his house at eight instead of seven like I’d planned.
But whatever, if I hustled, I’d get to the festival grounds right at ten-thirty.
We’d start serving about an hour later than yesterday, but it shouldn’t be a big deal.
The crowds didn’t start coming in until eleven anyway.
I shoved in the bin with condiments in the back and quickly fired up the truck.
The guys would meet us at the grounds, and my mom was on her way there with Ari and Yin.
It was just me in the truck. I took the smaller road my mom recommended to avoid hitting the traffic we’d run into on the way in yesterday.
As I cruised on my way to Seneca Lake, my mind started drifting to the night before and how amazing things had been with Jude.
Something big had changed between us last night and I was done pretending what we had was casual.
I needed to tell him. He turned me inside out, and with the way he’d given himself to me, I knew it was the same for him.
This chance with Mr. Sheridan could be the key to staying here, and now that things with Jude were part of the plan, more than ever, I needed to get my head in the game.
Today could be a game-changer for me not just professionally, but personally, too.
I was checking the time when I saw a young woman standing by the side of the road.
Her car tire looked blown out and it seemed like she was not getting reception on her phone.
As I got closer, I noticed she was young, had to still be in high school, but there was no way I could stop for this.
When she spotted me, she waved frantically, but I drove past her without even slowing down.
I felt like shit for leaving her out there like that, but I was already running late and couldn’t risk any more delays.
After a couple of minutes, guilt started gnawing at me, especially since I hadn’t seen any other cars on the road since I’d gotten on it.
My mom told me it was pretty isolated, so that poor girl would probably be there for a long time waiting for someone to help her, or worst, what if whomever stopped was some creepy asshole.
The guilt was already next level about not stopping, but what made me finally snap was the thought of something like that happening to Minerva. I would want someone to stop for my sister if she was ever in trouble and not leave her stranded by the side of the road.
“Fuck,” I yelled as I turned the truck around and backtracked the few miles to where I’d seen her.
A few minutes later I pulled up a few yards from her and jumped out. I approached her slowly, noticing she looked freaked out and more than a little pissed. She was petite, very blonde, and was wearing horse-riding gear. She had her phone in a death grip but wasn’t using it.
I didn’t make any sudden movements, not wanting to scare her. I was a strange man after all, and it was just the two of us out here. “Hey, I’m Nesto.” I pointed at the flat rear tire. “You need help putting the spare on?”
She looked at me for a second, like she was trying to figure out if she could take me, then stuck her hand out. “Hi, I’m Riley. Thanks for not being a total douchebag and coming back, I was starting to think I was going to be here for hours.”
I chuckled as I moved closer to the car. I liked this kid. “No problem. Were you able to call a tow truck?”
She huffed with frustration and lifted the hand clutching the cell phone. “There’s no signal here.” I was about to suggest we try my phone and then remembered mine was dead and like a fucking idiot I’d forgotten my charger at the kitchen.
I nodded at the tire again and walked to her trunk. “I can help you with the tire though.”
She shook her head like I had no idea how bad shit actually was. When I walked around the car I saw why she was so frustrated. Her front right tire was blown out, too. She would need a tow for sure.
“What happened?” I asked, as I bent down to look at the tire more closely.
She crossed her arms over her chest with a stank face almost identical to Minerva’s.
“Some tool ran me off the road, and I ended up driving over these fucking spikes.” She waved her hand in the direction of the road behind us.
“I didn’t realize they were so sharp. I got back on the road, but within a few minutes both tires were flat. “
I shook my head at her story. “And that asshole didn’t stop?” She rolled her eyes at my stupid question. This kid would get along great with my little sister. “Do you have anyone you can call to come? Triple A or something?”
She pointed at her phone, looking at me like she may have overestimated my ability to be helpful.
“No signal, remember? My parents have Triple A, I just need to let them know to send someone.”
I sighed, already resigned to the fact that I was going to be ridiculously late. “Where do you live?”
“Right outside Trumansburg.”
Shit, taking this kid home was going to really mess with my already super late starting time at the festival, but I couldn’t just leave her here. I rubbed my hands over my head, feeling sort of desperate and wondering how bad I was fucking myself over.
“Okay, I’ll take you back. It’s probably quicker than trying to get to another town and find someone to call a tow truck for you.”
She gave me a suspicious look and I laughed. “I promise you’ll be okay.”
This time she took her stank face to another level. “Riiiight, because that isn’t what every creepy serial killer says to his victims.”
This kid was something else. I held up my hands and then nodded toward the truck. “You can check the truck, it’s full of food. I was on my way to the Wine and Beer Festival when I saw you. I promise. No dead bodies. Just a lot of stuff to make burritos.”
She perked up at the word burritos. Typical teenager.
After a second, she went to the car, got her bag, locked up and climbed into the truck.
We were on the road back to Trumansburg within a couple of minutes.
After a moment Riley spoke again. “Thanks so much for doing this, really. I’m sorry if it’s making you late for your job. ”
I smiled, keeping my eyes on the road. “No worries, and you’re welcome.”
She looked around the truck cabin. “I’ve seen your truck at the Farmers’ Market but haven’t tried it. What kind of food is it?”
“Caribbean food in a burrito. You gotta stop and try them. You’re missing out.” I could see her nodding in my peripheral, her face very serious.
“Oh I definitely will. You totally saved my ass. My mom has told me like a million times, not to take that road, because it’s too lonely.
But it’s a faster way to get to the stable.
I work at a horse farm in the summers.” She stopped suddenly and pressed her palm to her forehead.
“Dammit, I’m going to be late for that.”
I turned my head for a second and tried to give her a reassuring smile and not freak out about my own lateness. “I’m sure they’ll understand.”
I kept my attention on the road until Riley signaled toward a huge property with a very ornate gate up the road. “It’s the house on the right.”
When I stopped and turned to look at her she was rolling her eyes. “My parents are too much, I know.”
I smiled and extended my hand to her. “You’re home safely. Good luck with the car, okay? I have to hurry back.”
She shook my hand with a strong grip, a big smile on her face. “Thanks so much for stopping, Nesto. You’re a lifesaver and I hope you do great at the festival today. I’ll come by your truck for sure.”
She waved me off as I got back on the road to the festival, hoping this detour wouldn’t cost me everything.