Truck Stop Jesus by Storm Buck

Author:Storm, Buck [Storm, Buck]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Heritage Beacon Fiction
Published: 2016-10-31T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Kermit, Texas

The Texas border town of Kermit welcomed Doc and Paradise with a water tower painted green and adorned with massive, one-dimensional ping-pong ball eyes. A fitting tribute to the amphibious star that shared the town’s name. Billowy white clouds rolled across the sky. Doc pulled into a Dairy Queen to stretch his legs and find something cold to drink. Paradise borrowed his cell and dialed Ash’s number. Her friend answered on the fourth ring.

“It’s me,” Paradise said.

“You know I’ve been worried sick. Where are you?”

“Traveling. Hollister and Crystal are in jail. At least for now.”

“Burt’s psycho trackers? How did that happen?”

“It’s a long story.”

“You with the ballplayer?”

“How did you know?”

“I think it’s romantic. Are you okay?”

“Yes. And it’s not romantic. Except maybe the dancing. That’s kind of romantic.”

“What dancing? Spill, sister.”

“Nothing to spill.”

“C’mon. It’s me.”

“It’s not like that. He’s helping me, that’s all.”

Was it? Was that all? There’d been a couple of times on the dance floor last night …

“Yeah, okay. I get it, no details,” Ash said. “Listen, Eve calls me every thirty seconds, asking if I’ve heard from you. She’s actually worried sick. Why don’t you call her?”

“Maybe I will. I don’t know.”

“Just do.”

“I said maybe.”

“Uh huh. So what’s it like out there in the big bad world, just you and the ballplayer who’s only helping you and you don’t have feelings for him so help you God on a stack of Bibles?”

Paradise squinted her eyes against the sun and looked up at the giant Kermit water tower. “I could really use a turkey on rye from Cantor’s. You know there’s only a few months before they’re supposed to start shooting Gone with the Wind?”

“Tell me about it. Arnie’s going berserk, calls a gazillion times a day. If you don’t get back soon, I swear he’s gonna lose his mind.”

“Have they announced who got the part yet?”

“Not that I’ve heard, but Arnie’s been talking to them. He still thinks you’ll get it—so do I. And what if you do? What about Burt? Will you come back?”

“I can’t think about it. Besides, if I really got it, I would have heard by now.”

“Maybe, maybe not. So who are you wearing today?”

Paradise caught her own reflection in the Dairy Queen window. “I don’t know, that green dress. You know the one.”

“The Elizabeth Taylor? Are you sure you’re okay? You don’t sound good. You love that dress.”

Paradise focused past her reflection and watched Doc as he placed his order. He laughed at something the girl behind the register said.

“Maybe once in a while, I’ll just be me. Or maybe half Elizabeth and half me.”

A long pause on Ash’s end. “I don’t think that’s a bad idea, but … what’s going on? You don’t sound very … I don’t know … you.”

“I just need to get home. Back to LA. I’ll be fine. Everything feels so strange right now.”

“Paradise, it’s okay. Relax a little. LA’s not going anywhere.”

“Even if they were going to give me the part, I’m sure this thing with Burt has messed it all up.

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