This Much is True

by Louise, Tia

  Her pink lips part, and she looks up at me. “You’re kidding?”

  “He said you’re the first person needing anything but gas in four months.”

  “Well, I’ll be.” She turns side to side then smiles at me. “Thank you. I really will pay you back as soon as I get my wallet—”

  “Don’t worry about it. I can spot you a pair of shoes.”

  She wrinkles her nose like she does. “In case you decide to leave me on the side of the road again?”

  I can’t tell if she’s flirting with me or if she’s fishing for reassurance. Either way, I’m not getting mixed up with my brother’s charity case—or whatever she is. I’ve got one reason for this trip, and it isn’t romance.

  Clearing my throat, I start for the passenger’s side. “You’d better go to the restroom. We’re not going to stop again for a while.”

  “Okay…” She shakes her blonde head at me and rolls her eyes. “Dad.”

  I watch her sass away in that thin yellow dress with no bra in those white boots, and dirty thoughts come uninvited to my mind. Thoughts that start with her on the hood of the car and end with her on my lap in the backseat… legs spread, hips rolling.

  “She’s pretty damn cute, huh?” Scout walks out, breaking my pornographic fantasy.

  He shoves a mask in his pocket and tosses a football in the air. He throws it to me, and like muscle memory, I catch it.

  “I don’t care.” Looking at the brown leather, I shake my head. “Not interested in this either.”

  Scout slides in the driver’s side, and I climb in the back. “You’re just a barrel of laughs these days.”

  “Nothing to laugh about.”

  “Getting out two years early sounds like a good place to start.”

  “I shouldn’t have been there in the first place.” Lying across the bench seat, I dig in my bag for a ball cap.

  “Right.” My brother nods, looking out the windshield. “I was thinking you might ask her to stay when we get to Fireside.”

  “Why the fuck would I do that?”

  “Because she’s cute as hell, and you’re both starting from scratch…”

  “When we get to Fireside, I’m sending you both back to California. That’s the end of it.”

  Exhaustion creeps up the back of my neck as I pull the cap over my eyes. I don’t even respond when my brother makes some additional remark about life going on. I’m too tired to get pissed again about what happened to me. I’m too tired for much of anything right now.

  And as I’ve already noted, this road trip isn’t about romance.

  Hope

  “I walked into the conference room and said, ‘Here’s the file you needed.’ Dustin Hoffman says, ‘Thank you, Scout,’ and boom. I’m in the union.” He smiles, and I can’t help smiling back.

  “That’s amazing. Dustin Hoffman?”

  “Yep.” Scout is infectious—adorable and open, and so friendly.

  Nothing like the dark cloud currently snoring on the backseat. The dark cloud I can’t help stealing another glance at… Something about John “JR” Dunne makes my insides all hot and zippy. I want to put my thumb on that full bottom lip and pull it down. I want to bite him… I want him to put his hands on my body and do dirty things to me.

  Blinking away that impossible thought, I exhale a laugh, returning my attention to his brother. “It took how long for you to get in the union?”

  “Three years…” He winces, looking out the window as if he’s embarrassed. “I kind of got off on the wrong foot in Hollywood.”

  I’m about to ask what happened when Mr. Dark Cloud cuts in. “You can say that again.” John sits up in the backseat, and my heart beats a little faster. “Damn I’m starving. Anybody else hungry?”

  “Fuck, I could eat a horse!” Scout yells, and I’m glad I’m not the only one starving to death.

  All we’ve eaten today is road junk—Combos, Red Vines, and water. That’s following a morning of me barfing up a whole bottle of wine from last night.

  “I could eat… if that’s okay?” My voice is quiet, because I have no money…

  Also, what the hell am I doing here? I didn’t even have shoes before four hours ago. I was still drunk and hungover when I got in the car this morning, I can’t believe I agreed to this trip. My brain is coming back around, and I am very aware I’m driving across the country with two men I don’t know.

  I blame it all on Metallicar.

  And Scout sounding like my dad talking about serendipity and how this year is magical… I’d call this year cursed, but he’d probably argue curses are magical.

  Scout shakes my shoulder. “You thought we were going to make you live on sunflower seeds and Chex Mix for three days?”

  He’s so laid-back, I can’t help teasing, “I was hoping for Bugles and beef jerky.”

  We’re just outside of Phoenix, and he exits the interstate. “Check it out… Hopeville. That seems like a good sign to me.”

  “You’re such a little bitch. You haven’t even been driving four hours.” John’s voice is a low grumble from the backseat, but I hear a smile in his tone.

  “I’ve been riding more than eight. We need a break.”

  He turns in at the Black Bear Diner. It’s a long, rectangular building with carved black bears on stumps in rock and succulent beds, and tables arranged under what looks like newly installed awnings. A motel is right behind the restaurant with a huge yellow sign reading, “Rooms $19.95 per night.”

  “I’m not sure that’s a good sign.” I shift in my seat, wondering what the plan for sleeping might be.

  “We’re not spending the night,” John snaps.

  Scout pulls Metallicar into a spot up front, and we stumble out. My legs feel like Jell-O, and I follow behind as John stalks towards the glass entrance. Reaching out, I catch Scout’s arm, pulling him back as his brother goes inside.

  “What am I doing here?”

  He stops and faces me, grinning like always. “We’re taking a road trip to Fireside, South Carolina. The Palmetto State. My hometown.”

  “Yeah, but what am I doing here? I don’t belong here. I don’t have any money. We don’t really know each other—”

  “Shh…” He holds a finger just in front of my lips. “You’re very important. You provided the car.”

  “Your brother bought the car. It’s his car now. I fell asleep on the backseat after drinking a whole bottle of wine.”

  “Who are we to question the fates?”

  The sun is setting over the desert, and behind us the sky is painted in the most brilliant shades of pink, blue, and purple. It really does feel magical in this moment… And I am a fool for stuff like that. It’s because of how I was raised.

  “I really need to catch a bus to San Francisco.”

  He crosses his arms, grinning down at me. “But how will you pay for it?”

  Chewing my lip, I look around. He’s got me there. “I guess I could ask my dad to wire me the money.” If I can get through to him in the nursing home.

  “Hope Eternal…” Scout tosses a muscled arm over my shoulders, leading me towards the restaurant. “You have a purpose for being here. I knew it the minute I saw you. It’s destiny.”

  “You’ve been in California too long.” Then I squint an eye up at him. “Are you trying to ask me out?”

  His lips tighten, and he stops walking, glancing in the direction his brother went. “No.”

  Oh fuck, I screwed this up. “That came out wrong. I didn’t mean—”

  “Hey, no, I’m sorry. I like you a lot! You’re really cool and—”

  “You don’t have to say that.” God, I am such an airhead.

  “Stop. Now listen… I’m going to tell you something.” His chin drops, and he rubs the back of his neck. “I kind of have my own reason for making this trip—besides helping JR. I kind of left someone behind in Fireside. And I’m hoping… Well, I don’t know if she’ll even speak to me now…”

  My eyebrows rise. “You h
ave a girlfriend in Fireside?”

  “Maybe?”

  This is so screwed up. I’ve been sneaking glances at his brother for the past ten hours, and now I’ve made things weird with my one ally. “I really should go now.”

  “I wish you wouldn’t.” He catches my arms gently, and his blue eyes hold mine. “I don’t know why we all ended up in this car together, but I’m serious when I say it feels important. I said I’d look out for you, right? Do you trust me?”

  My stomach twists, and this feels so foolish. So stupid and foolish and oh my God, this is nuts. Still, the look in his eyes…

  Rubbing my hand over my stomach, I wince. “I guess I never had one of those crazy college road trips people always talk about.”

  “That-a girl. Now let’s get something to eat. Combos and Red Vines are not food.”

  “I love Red Vines.”

  JR’s sitting in a booth looking at a plastic-covered menu. “About damn time. What the hell were you doing?”

  We slide into the seat across from him. “Sorry—Hope was trying to desert us again.”

  Scout nudges me with an elbow, and I’m terrified he might tell his brother I thought he was going to ask me out. JR cuts those steel-blue eyes up at me under a lowered brow, and I get hot all over. If I want either of these brothers asking me out…

  That is never going to happen. It’s beyond clear John Roth Dunne wants no part of me.

  “Welcome to the Black Bear. What can I get you folks?” A middle-aged waitress wearing a paper mask under her nose walks up grinning. Her pale red hair is teased up in a bun, and she has little ringlets at her temples.

  John doesn’t smile. He doesn’t even look up. “This ‘Reunited at Last’ looks good.”

  “One New York steak sandwich. And you?” She turns to me, and I order the first thing I see.

  “‘Let’s Catch Up’?”

  “Two fish tacos… that just leaves you, honey.” She winks at Scout.

  He grins and winks right back, reading her nametag. “Heck, Darlene, I can’t decide. What’s your favorite?”

  “Get the ‘So Happy to See You.’”

  “Works for me.” He takes our plastic menus and hands them to her.

  She looks around the table. “Arnold Palmers for everyone?”

  “Sure.” Scout smiles, but JR stops her.

  “I’ll have a coffee.”

  “And one coffee.” She makes a note, and I’m pretty sure as she walks away, she adds a little wiggle to her strut.

  JR glances after her. “This would be a great time to rob a bank with everyone in masks.”

  Scout leans forward. “It doesn’t do any good under her nose.”

  JR gives his brother a look. “Must you flirt with everyone?”

  “Just being friendly.” Scout takes a sip of ice water. “You know, every interaction is a little nicer if you make people feel special.”

  “Oh yeah, how’s that working out for you?”

  Darlene returns with one coffee and two Arnold Palmers.

  I lift mine and take a sip of the half-iced tea, half-lemonade concoction, smiling up at her. “I don’t think I’ve ever had one of these.”

  Scout stretches his arm across the booth behind me. “What’s happening in Hopeville tonight, Darlene?”

  “Well, funny you should ask, sugar.” She cocks a hip to the side. “Some of the high school kids put together a football team. They’re playing some kids from out of town in about an hour.”

  “You’re kidding.” He looks across the table, but John is shaking his head no.

  She nods. “First recreational thing we’ve had in months. It’s kind of a big deal. Out at the memorial stadium.”

  “Maybe we’ll check it out.”

  “You do that.” She sashays away again, and we’re left facing each other.

  “We don’t have time for a football game.” JR’s sips his coffee, glaring at his brother.

  John and Scout aren’t identical. Scout is blond and surfer, while John is dark and stormy… but they have those matching blue eyes, and when they smile, I can tell they’re brothers. I can tell they love each other.

  “Right, and you were going to tell me why we’re driving home like the cops are after us.” Scout’s tone is serious for the first time all day.

  “I told you. I want to see Jesse.”

  “Yeah, I get that. I believe you want to see him, but I don’t think killing ourselves is the best approach.”

  “Nobody’s getting killed.” JR says it like he left off the yet.

  “Who’s Jesse?” My voice is quiet, and I say it more to Scout’s shoulder than the table.

  John answers. “He’s my son.”

  My eyebrows rise, and I swallow the sting of jealousy in my throat. “Oh.”

  Of course, he’s married. I study my drink doing my best to act cool, even though I feel like I just found out there’s no Santa Claus.

  What’s that about? I have no reason to feel disappointed. This guy was going to leave me on the side of the road.

  “Have you even talked to Becky since you’ve been out? Does she know you’re coming?”

  “I haven’t talked to Becky since she sent me divorce papers three months into my sentence.” An edge is in his voice, but I’m feeling the tiniest bit better… Divorce papers.

  “How old is your son?” My voice is still quiet.

  “He turned five a few months ago.”

  “That’s a cute age.” I give him a little smile, and he blinks at me a second before looking away.

  Darlene is back with a teenage guy, and they put the plates in front of us. “Can I get you anything? Refills on your drinks?”

  “I’ll have a refill.” JR unrolls his napkin, and the three of us dig in.

  I’m so hungry, I barely even taste the food before I swallow it, doing my best not to groan loudly.

  “Damn…” Scout has no such qualms. “I hope you’re not planning to starve us every day.”

  “I hope you brought money,” JR quips. “I don’t have unlimited resources.”

  “I have money…” Sitting straighter, I hold up a hand. I don’t know why, so I put it down again. “We just have to stop at my bank so I can get a temporary debit card.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” JR polishes off his sandwich.

  “It’s the money you paid for the car, so… I guess if I’m still using the car, it’s technically yours—”

  His brow lowers. “I haven’t made a payment yet.”

  “Then how’d you get it?” Scout asks.

  “They have this seven-day money-back guarantee. Payments don’t start until next week.”

  He looks from me to John then back to me. “Is that why—”

  “No,” his brother snaps.

  My heart beats a little faster, and I think about his comment earlier. Robbing banks. “You never said why you were in jail.”

  “I was set up.” He pushes the plate away and digs in his pocket, taking out a wad of cash. “Let’s go.”

  “That doesn’t answer my question…” But he’s out the door, leaving me confused and a little scared. “Is that why you promised to keep me safe?”

  Scout’s lips press into a line, and he shakes his head. “JR won’t hurt you.”

  “Why was he in prison?”

  The horn honks sharply outside, and Scout slides out of the booth with me behind him. “Our dad owns a gym. One of his suppliers planted HGH in an order of supplements, and JR got caught with it.”

  “I don’t know what that means.”

  “HGH is Human growth hormone. It’s illegal.”

  I stop walking. “So it was a drug deal?”

  “Technically… But not like cocaine or heroin.” He walks back to me and catches my hand. “I believe JR when he says he misses his son, but this trip is about more than just a reunion. I think he’s trying to get there before our dad knows he’s out.”

  We’re at the car, and I’m still feeling nervous. Looking up t
he road, I don’t see any signs of a bus station or any way of getting back to San Francisco. Why didn’t I just stay on the side of the road? Or hell, why didn’t I stay in LA?

  “It’s still my turn to drive.” Scout leans the front seat forward so I can climb inside the car. “Climb in. I want to check out that football game.”

  Jr

  The bleacher-lined stadium is flooded with lights as we approach. Parked cars ring both end zones, and some spectators have arranged lawn chairs in front of the sparsely filled stands.

  “Not sure that’s a safe social distance,” my brother huffs under his breath, parking at the edge of the field, far from the other cars.

  “Not sure they care.” I look out the open passenger’s window, already growing impatient.

  I have no idea what we’re doing here, but I step out as Hope exits behind my brother.

  The night air is crisp and dry, just what you’d expect in the desert. Kids line up in the middle of the field. They’re dressed like any other football team, only they’re also wearing black masks beneath their helmets.

  “Imagine, one day we’ll be telling our kids about this crazy year.” Scout leans against the hood, chewing on a Red Vine and tossing that football he bought in the air.

  “I’ll never forget it.” Hope’s voice is quiet, and she hangs back by the door.

  She’s acting nervous again, and I don’t like it. At the same time, it bothers me I care about her discomfort. She has no business being on this trip, and I won’t let myself get soft around her, no matter how cute she is in those boots with her wavy hair hanging over her shoulders.

  A whistle blows, and the starting quarterback falls back. I watch him scan the field, and I’m pulled into a memory like I’m reading his mind. I know exactly what it’s like to spot every player, flying through all the potential outcomes in a flash in your brain.

  The clock is ticking as he makes a decision, firing a pass like a bullet straight to the wide receiver, who easily runs it into the end zone.

  The crowd goes wild, and Scout laughs. “Damn, he’s good. Reminds me of how we were.”

  I watch the people in the stands, waving signs and pom poms. I don’t expect the surge of nostalgia it provokes.