Where the Road Leads Us by Robin Reul

Author:Robin Reul
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Published: 2021-01-27T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Jack

Saturday, June 5, 6:49 a.m.

I temper my excitement about this latest development, so I don’t come across as too eager. “That would be great!”

She smiles back. “Cool.”

“So—I guess we’re both getting out here,” I tell Oscar.

“The band is breaking up,” he jokes as we begin to gather our things and grab our bags from the trunk. Princess, excited by the sudden flurry of movement and change, lets out a series of farts that sound like gunfire from an AK-47. Parting ways just in the nick of time.

“Oh man.” Oscar rolls down all the windows and hops out of the car along with us. “This is going to be a long ride to Berkeley.”

“Well—good luck with breaking up the wedding and winning Nikki back. I hope Princess seals the deal, although I’d be careful about what you feed her between now and then,” Hallie tells him as she comes toward us around the side of the car. “I feel like we should hug. I mean—we’re kind of friends now—right?”

“Absolutely,” Oscar says as they embrace. “I hope things work out for you—on all fronts.”

“Thanks, you too,” she says as she breaks away.

Oscar turns to me and extends his hand. “Thanks for the unexpected adventure, mate. I say trust your gut. And keep choosing your own ending.”

It’s a reassuring mini pep talk at the perfect time, exactly what I need to hear.

“I’ll be first in line for my autographed copy!” he adds as he climbs back into the driver’s seat, and I realize that he’s talking about my book and not my life.

He raises one hand out the window to wave goodbye, then pulls away from the curb into the oncoming traffic. Exit stage left.

Hallie watches Oscar drive away and says, “Isn’t it weird how people come into our lives—could be for a year or a day—and then they just disappear? Or you meet someone and it’s as if you’ve always known them.”

“Yeah.”

We store her suitcase in a locker at the bus station and then check the departure screens. Delayed. The estimated time of departure is now 1:00 p.m., and I worry that she’s going to flip out again like she did last time, but she seems to take it in stride.

“Unreal,” she says. “Looks like you’re stuck with me for a little longer.”

“Challenge accepted,” I say.

“So—breakfast then?”

Which is how we end up winding our way through the downtown streets in search of a place open this early that isn’t another coffee chain. A few blocks away, we stumble upon an open taqueria with a giant red-and-white WE SERVE BREAKFAST sign out front. The building seems a little rundown, but this place has an A rating and a line, so hopefully it’s decent.

I hold the door open for her. A set of bells tied to the door handle jingles to announce our arrival. We order two breakfast burritos and coffees at the counter and then settle in at a weathered-looking, red wooden table with a wobbly leg near the window.

“You know this is probably going to be the best breakfast burrito you’ve ever had in your life.

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