Chapter 44

Since meeting her: 51 days

Company takeover: ?

Married: 32 days

It’s been four days since we left New York, and I have yet to turn my phone on once. However, I know my father postponed the passing of the torch considering the event was supposed to happen today.

Weston will find me. He always does.

Lexi and I have eaten in dives and diners and stopped at so many roadside attractions that I’ve lost count.

We decided against anything luxury. We go nowhere where we might be recognized. We travel the Mother Road as it was always intended—off the grid in an old hot rod in the middle of July with a Polaroid Instant camera and film so we don’t miss a single fucking moment.

I’ve taken the time to sketch every stop—from a Route 66 museum to the Gemini Giant to the drive-in theater, where we made love in the back seat. If we come up on an old gas station, we pull over to admire the architecture. We’ve taken countless selfies at murals painted across the sides of buildings. And each second I’m with her, I fall harder. Not sure how that’s even fucking possible.

I’ve never been happier than I am right now, even considering the shitstorm I left behind. I’m not concerned, either.

When fat drops hit the windshield, I click on the wipers, sliding them away. We’ve driven four to five hours daily, and we haven’t rushed at a single attraction.

Time doesn’t matter. Lexi taught me what it means to be lost without wanting to be found. It’s freeing.

We’ve driven through Illinois, Missouri, and Kansas and christened every state. Now, we’ve added visiting all fifty to the bucket list.

Right now, we’re driving sixty-five in the desolate part of Oklahoma on roads without shoulders. We’re an hour from the Texas state line, and it’s just an open road and land.

The sky in the distance is the color of a bruise as we drive straight into the storm. The engine growls, and I keep my hand tight on Lexi’s thigh as she snaps a photo of me.

I’ve driven more miles since we left the city than I ever have at one time. More firsts with Lexi than not. She grins when she sees the giant sign that says Welcome to the Lone Star State.

“Home sweet home,” she says, breathing in the air, smiling. “We have to go to the Big Texan. It’s in Amarillo, where the old Route 66 used to be. Best steak of your life, guaranteed.”

I laugh. “That wasn’t on the bucket list.”

She nods. “It is now! It’s the home of the seventy-two-ounce steak!”

“Fuck, everything is bigger in Texas,” I mutter, not able to mentally picture how much meat that is.

“Yep, there’s a whole challenge around eating it all too. Everyone in the room watches as this huge clock hangs over your head.”

“Oh, we’re going,” I tell her. “But that means we must add something else to our list to replace it.”

“Our list.” She smiles. “I like how you said that.”

It rains harder, and on either side of us are pastures. It’s difficult to see outside as the car gets pounded. We come across a rest stop that’s an empty parking lot, so I pull over and park. We’re in no rush.

Leaning forward, I study the angry clouds, wanting to check the radar, but refusing to let my cell phone blip my location.

“Dance with me,” she says, pulling my thoughts away.

I don’t hesitate before I leave the car and walk to her side. She joins me and kisses me as the rain falls against our skin. It fucking hurts, but we’re alive and together. I twirl her around and dip her down. We’re laughs and smiles and memories and adventure, and it’s moments like this that I’ll never regret falling in love with my little adventure-taker. My wife.

Drops of water fall off my hair and splash across her cheeks, and I pull her closer to me. “Dancing in the rain was added?”

“Yes, just now,” she says.

Her nipples press through her T-shirt, and it grows heated between us. Her cheeks are between palms as I desperately kiss her. The water from the summer storm falls around us.

I press her against the car and she reaches down, grabbing my cock that’s strained against my jeans, feeling exactly what she does to me.

“Fuck,” she says, chewing on her lip.

“Back seat?”

“Yes.”

We’re like teenagers, tripping and giggling, falling into the back seat, soaked. Our hands and lips are full of want and need and everything in between as we struggle to remove wet clothes from our bodies.

“I love this.” She giggles.

“Me too,” I say, slamming my lips against hers as I sink my cock deep inside of her.

She hisses out, opening her thighs wide as I pump into her. She rocks her hips and her teeth slide down my neck as her strained pants fill the space.

“I’ll never get enough of you,” she whispers.

“I hope you don’t,” I say, knowing we’re never satisfied, even when we lose ourselves together.

“Are you doing okay?” she asks, knowing today was supposed to be the day.

“With you by my side, nothing matters, Lexi.”

The pressure of the world should destroy us, but it only makes us stronger, just like a diamond.

After we check in to the motel next door to the Big Texan and change into clothes that aren’t wet, we walk across the parking lot and put our names on the waiting list. The two of us stroll around, playing a few arcade games, then enter the gift shop and buy shot glasses and magnets. People glance our way, but I don’t think it’s because they recognize us.

We’re beautiful together.

Lexi signs us up for the challenge, and we pay before trying our luck. We’d lose even if we were sharing.

Lexi and I step up on the platform at the Big Texan, smiling. The announcer gives us the rules and points at the clock, and a room full of people, from the bottom floor to the upstairs area, is staring at us.

“Wait, this is live-streamed?” I ask, glancing at Lexi. Then, I see the camera pointed at us.

“Shit, I forgot about that,” she says, getting up and going to the announcer. The live stream is cut a few moments later and the cameras are turned off. She returns. “Fixed it.”

“Thanks. Now I guess we’re eating four and a half pounds of fucking steak each.”

I pull my hat down farther. If Weston is searching for me … here’s a crumb.

She leans over, placing her palm on my cheek, forcing me to see her. When I look into her green eyes, it’s almost like the whole room quiets as I focus on her, even though it doesn’t.

A minute later, our big-ass steaks, the size of a plate, are set in front of us. We’re allowed to make sure it was prepared correctly before we begin eating this comically large amount of food.

“We’re losing,” I say, glancing at her, not rushing as I take a bite of steak because it’s allowed to test the temperature.

She’s right; it is fucking good.

“I know,” she says, raising her eyebrows with a smirk. “I didn’t think it was this big.”

“Not the first time I’ve heard you say that,” I mutter into her ear.

The timer starts, but neither of us rushes. When the timer runs out, it’s obvious neither of us tried.

Afterward, we walk outside and take selfies next to the historic sign that talks about the old Route 66 road and how it traveled by the restaurant before the interstates were built.

The parking lot is full, and people shuffle in and out. It’s a tourist attraction.

Lexi and I walk across the parking lot with enough leftover steak in to-go boxes to feed a family of ten.

“That was a mistake,” she says, holding her stomach. “But it’s been on my list since I was a teenager. Dad and I said we’d always take the drive, but we never got around to it.”

“Did you make him proud?”

She shakes her head. “No way. He’d have at least expected me to get halfway.”

When we enter our home for the night, Lexi and I fall onto the bed and stare at the ceiling.

“I don’t think I’m eating meat for a year.”

“Me neither,” she says, turning toward me.

I glance at her. “Are you happy?”

“So damn happy,” she says in a whisper. “Are you?”

“I’ve never been happier,” I say as she kisses my scruffy chin. I haven’t shaved once since we left. “That’s a truth.”

“I know,” she says, wrapping her arm around me and lying on my chest.

I could stay like this all night. Forever, even.

A knock wakes us from sleep. At first, I’m unsure where I am, but I see it says it’s four in the morning on the bedside clock.

“Easton,” I hear a voice say outside.

Lexi rolls over. “Who is that? Brody?”

“I think,” I say, moving to the door and glancing outside.

My cousin is agitated.

I open the door and he glares at me like I’m an inconvenience.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” he asks, and I step aside, allowing him in.

“I’ve been expecting you,” I say, but not this quickly.

I thought we’d have at least made it to Arizona before they caught up with us. I guess Brody is worth every penny. If, by some miracle, I get my job back, he’s getting a raise.

Lexi sits up and smooths her hair down.

“There are missing persons reports out for both of you. Do you know how many people are worried? People believe you’re …” He doesn’t finish.

Dead.

I glance over at Lexi, and she understands what he’s inferring.

Brody turns to me. “You need to return to New York immediately.”

I shake my head. “No.”

“Does my mom think—” Lexi tries to ask.

“Yes, everyone does. The conspiracy theories have gone from fake relationship to misunderstood couple who wanted love to conquer all. Not to mention what Carlee did.”

Lexi pulls her hair up into a high bun. “Oh no, what did she do?”

“She released everything from text message conversations to pictures she took of you two together. It’s all anyone is talking about right now. It’s a tribute to your love; since you’ve been gone, she’s interviewed everyone who has seen you two together—from the flight attendant to the random drivers to the man who married you in Fiji. Handfuls of people. Her journalistic research is top-notch. You both need to leave.”

I suck in a breath as he hands me plane tickets. “I’m not fucking going.”

He laughs and shakes his head. “I knew you’d say that. Weston told me to tell you it’s time.”