“What are you doing?” Lucas asks.
“Trying to get a signal to make a call.”
“There’s no reception out here.”
My arm drops to my side. “Are you serious?”
“Yep.” He slows down to avoid a deer scurrying across the road.
“What about in town?”
“The reception is sketchy. Calls drop in and out at the best of times.”
My mouth falls open. Have we traveled back in time? “How do people communicate? Shop online?”
Lucas shrugs. “Not everyone’s lives revolve around the internet. They like to do things face to face. Now’s your time to try it. You might like it.”
“Not having to deal with any calls for a few days does sound appealing.”
“Then you’re in the best place, Penelope.”
“Why do you call me Penelope?”
“It’s your name,” he says like I’ve asked a silly question.
“No one calls me by my full name unless it’s for work. All my friends call me Penny.”
He takes his eyes off the road and his gaze bores into me. “We are not friends, are we,Penelope?”
A heavy weight lands on my chest. “No, I guess we’re not.” How stupid of me to forget how we really feel about each other.
A few minutes later, we pass aWelcome to Oaks Valleysign and drive into the town. Lucas was right, there isn’t much here. There’s a small strip of red and brown brick shops with arched windows, and rows of planter boxes filled with colorful flowers decorate the sidewalk. It looks like something from a movie.
Lucas pulls into a parking space in front of the This ‘n That convenience store. I get out of the car and follow Lucas inside. Maybe I can get service to call Claudia and my mother. A bell chimes as we enter. By the looks of the empty aisles, we are the only customers. How do people survive financially out here? They are so remote and cut off from any major city.
We both pick up a basket. I may need some snacks; who knows what food the bar offers. I keep it simple with muffins, fruit, and bottled water. I’ll get more later when I know how the accommodation is set up for cooking. Lucas fills his basket with whatever it is he needs.
When we have everything, we take our groceries to the counter. An older woman with flaming red hair, wearing tight, skinny jeans and a blue flannel shirt, greets us with a cigarettedangling from her lips. Taking a long drag, she puts it out in an ashtray filled with butts. She gives Lucas a beaming, yellow-toothed smile. “Lucas, darlin’. I was beginnin’ to wonder if you were ever comin’ back.” Her voice is deep and raspy, probably from smoking.
“I could never stay away from you, Flo. You’re the light of my life,” Lucas flirts.
Flo pats her short curls and blushes like a young schoolgirl. “You’re always so charmin’.” Then her gaze travels over to me. “And who have you brought with you?” She scans me from head to toe. It’s been a long day traveling. My cream-colored linen pants and shirt are wrinkled from the car ride. I must look a mess.
“Flo, this is Penelope. She’s my…arhh…she is…” Lucas stumbles with the introduction. As we are not friends, like he pointed out earlier, what are we? Will he introduce me as his enemy?
Flo smacks her hand on the counter, causing a cigarette to fall from the ashtray. “You’ve gone and gotten yourself a girlfriend.” She chuckles. It comes out more as a hack. “I never thought I’d see the day. Don’t let Alison find out.”
“Penelope isnotmy girlfriend. I’m just helping her out with something,” Lucas explains.
“Mmm-hmm.” Flo grins, looking unconvinced.
I place my hand on Lucas’ forearm and pout. “Honeybee, you told me I was the love of your life.” I sniff and dab at my eye. “I thought we had something special.” That’s payback for looking so appalled over Flo mistaking us for a couple.
Lucas’ head swings toward me. Anger pinches his face. I smirk with glee, not caring that I pissed him off. I have to entertain myself somehow. I need something to help me crawl out of the cave of misery I’m living in.
Through gritted teeth, he says, “You arenotmy girlfriend.”
I drop my bottom lip and make it tremble. “How can you say such a thing? You told me last night how much you loved me.”