by Minard, Tori
“Well, I guess they have to,” I said, although the words nearly stuck in my throat. “It’s too dangerous for us to be together, right?”
“Yeah,” he said, bending his head. “Right.”
“I’m sure we’ll both get over it.” I patted his hand. “Now I have to find something so I can pay Joe.”
“You know once people find out I’m here, the media will find a way to harass you.”
“I know. But I can deal with it.”
The worried look hadn’t left his face. “Can you? Have you ever been at the center of something like that?”
“No, but —”
“They say all kinds of shit. Things that aren’t true. Things that are true. They’ll run the most unflattering pictures of you they can find. Not that they would be able to find any of you, because you’re so fucking gorgeous, but still….”
“It’s sweet of you to care,” I said. “But I’ll be fine. I don’t care what pictures they run or what they say.” I never paid attention to that kind of crap anyway.
Chapter 27
Snow Plow
Gage:
I could just make out a truck along Nova’s drive. A bend in the drive almost concealed it from view, but a little of its blue paint showed through gaps in the trees and the deep rumble of a diesel engine carried easily into the cabin. It had a huge, red snowplow attached to its front end. The driver moved it back and forth methodically, clearing the snow away and creating a berm along one side.
He was going to be at the cabin soon. And then Nova and I wouldn’t be alone anymore. Our protected little bubble would burst and the world would descend on us.
I’d known it would happen, sooner or later. But later was what I’d hoped for, and later was apparently now. Which sucked. It meant I’d have to leave her. Soon.
Jesus. The thought of walking away from her made my chest hurt almost as badly as it had when I’d found Jeremy. I didn’t want to do it. If there had been any practical way to stay, I’d stick around, keep hiding out here just to be with her.
But word was about to leak regarding my whereabouts.
This Joe guy might very well blab to everyone he knew about seeing me at Nova’s. And they’d tell all their friends, and so forth, until everyone in this part of Oregon knew exactly where I was. We’d probably get all kinds of visitors, “just checking in to see if Nova was okay.”
Any excuse I had to avoid contacting my people would be gone, just like that. Because I’d have access to a phone. Dozens of phones, probably. Unless maybe all the lines on the mountain were down. I hoped they were.
I glanced at Nova out of the corner of my eye. She was watching Joe’s truck make its way through the thick snow, a closed look on her face. She didn’t want me to know what she was thinking. Or feeling.
Did she want the same thing I did? I thought we’d established that last night, but at breakfast she’d seemed so mad at me. I wasn’t sure what I’d done wrong. Did she not want me to worry about her?
No, she wanted me to spill my guts to her. Even more than I already had. She wanted me to reveal everything there was to know about The Deal, and I couldn’t do that.
What would happen if I told her? She was already in danger just from knowing me, from creating an emotional bond with me.
Yeah, so what difference would it make? Go ahead and tell her.
I reached out and caught her hand. She looked up at me, her face free of expression. Still pissed off, then.
“Nova, I want —”
Her fingers curled around mine. “It’s all right. I understand.”
She didn’t. Not at all.
I stared down at her. This might be one of the last times I’d ever see her, and I wanted to remember. I wanted to engrave every detail on my mind, so I could take them out later and examine them. Treasure them.
Her elfin face looked solemn, her pretty mouth turned down a bit at the corners. She had no make-up, as usual. Huge, honey-gold eyes fringed in dark lashes gazed at me, calmly, pretending nothing was wrong. But I knew better.
I cupped her face in my hand. She was so tiny compared to me; my hand covered nearly the entire side of her head. A yearning came over me, to tell her everything, every single thing that had happened to me since I was ten and my mom made The Deal.
Just the idea of telling made the burden lift from my shoulders a tiny bit, and for an instant I could breathe more fully. To share with someone the awful position I was in. To not be alone anymore.
I opened my mouth to confess it all to her. And then I felt it. A waiting, a watching from the corner, a dark gloating presence observing us. The hair on the back of my neck all rose at once and I shivered.
He was here. He was watching us, watching me, waiting for me to make a mistake. Waiting for me to involve an innocent woman, just so he could have the pleasure of destroying her.
“What is it?” Nova raised her hand to cover mine, her brows coming together.
“Nothing.” I dropped my hand from her face. “It’s nothing. I—never mind.”
Was that disappointment I saw in her eyes? Damn, it hurt to see that. If I could just explain myself, maybe she’d forgive me. But in explaining, I’d further endanger her and that could not happen.
Better she be disappointed in me than that he take her. I couldn’t stand that.
I turned from her and pretended to look out the window again. I pretended I gave a shit what was happening out there, when really a huge, ragged hole was opening up in my chest. All I cared about at the moment was that I’d hurt Nova, and I was going to hurt her again, and I was going away, and I’d lost her.
The truth was, I’d never really had her.
This time we’d shared had been a dream in a way. A time apart, separate from everyday reality. An escape. But escapes never last forever. At some point, you always have to face whatever it was you were running from, and for me that point was now.
Joe and his big, blue truck were in the yard now. He saw us looking out the window and waved. Nova waved back. I just clenched my jaw.
He was older, probably in his mid-forties at least. So not a rival. Probably not, anyway. Maybe Nova liked older men. I’d never thought to ask her.
Shit, what was I thinking? We weren’t meant to be together, and it didn’t matter whether Joe liked her or not. It didn’t matter if she liked him. Because I wasn’t going to be a part of her life, so jealousy was just stupid.
Knowing that didn’t make me feel any better, or any less jealous.
“I’m going to talk to him,” she said. She went toward the back door, where she kept her coat, leaving me at the window.
I could stay in here. Hide. Maybe then he wouldn’t realize I was here ... except he’d already seen me through the window. He’d ask Nova about me, and I didn’t want to force her to lie for me.
Fuck. It was time to man up.
She came back in boots and a coat. She didn’t look at me as she opened the front door and waded into the snow accumulated on the front steps. The silent treatment. Great.
Joe climbed out of the cab of his truck. He was tall and burly, with graying brown hair under a baseball cap. He grinned at us.
“Nova! Sorry I couldn’t get here earlier, but with the storm —”
“Don’t apologize,” she said. “I didn’t expect you to come at all.”
He frowned at her. “We’d never leave you out here by yourself, all snowed in. You got enough wood? Propane? Kerosene?”
“Yeah, I’m good.” She reached into her pocket and withdrew a bill. “This is for plowing the drive.”
Now he glared. “Put that away. I’m not taking money from you.”
“But that was a lot of work.”
“Consider it a favor for a friend.” He looked over her head at me. “Do I know you, sir?”
“I don’t think so,” I said. I stepped forward and held out my hand. “Gage Dalton.”
He took my hand with a puzzled look in his brown eyes. Then those eyes widened an
d a huge grin lit up his face. “Gage Dalton the actor? Holy shit, no wonder you looked familiar. My daughter has the biggest crush on you.” He pumped my hand ferociously. “It’s good to meet you. Great, actually.”
“Same.”
“Wow,” Joe said. “Too bad Misty’s not here. She’d be out of her mind. In fact, she will be out of her mind when she finds out I met you. I asked her if she wanted to come with me this morning, but you know teen-age girls. Dad’s not cool enough, or sick enough, or whatever it is these days.”
“Tell her I said hi.”
“We heard they were looking for you in the area, but like I told my wife, I figured they had it wrong. I mean, what would a big name movie star be doing here? It’s not even ski season yet. Well, it wasn’t. They’ll be mobbing us as soon as the roads are cleared, now that we’ve got all this powder.” He turned red and doffed his cap to run his hands through his cropped hair. “Sorry. I’m rambling.”
“No problem. I had some car trouble just when the storm was starting and Nova here helped me out. She let me stay with her.”
Joe turned his gaze on Nova. “That must have been exciting for you.”
She gave him a forced-looking smile. “I didn’t even know who he was. I just knew he needed help.”
“Jeez, Nova, you shouldn’t take in strangers like that. You could get hurt bad.” He glanced at me. “No offense, Dalton. It’s just —”
“No offense taken. I told her the same thing. I’m grateful, though, that she was willing to take me in. I’d be frozen solid by now if she hadn’t.” I’d be dead.
“In fact, Joe, Gage needs a ride to somewhere with a working phone,” Nova said. “He’s got to call his people and let them know where he is. That he’s still alive.”
Unreasonable of me to feel like she was pushing me out the door, but that was how I felt.
“Oh, sure.” Joe gave both of us an amiable grin. “Sure. You wanna ride with me? I was gonna do a few more drives, but I can drop you off at the store. Our cell signal is pretty strong at the store, so you should be able to get through.”
“Sure, that would be great. Thanks, man.” I smiled at Nova, still pretending everything was all right. “You should come. You’ve been cooped up in the cabin even longer than I have.”
She pursed her lips, looking unhappy. “That’s not necessary. I’m fine here.”
“No, you should come,” Joe said. “I’ve got room in the cab for three if we squeeze in tight. Misty and her mom would love to see you.”
“Oh. Okay, then.” She smiled at him, another fake one. It was weird how well I could read her after just a few days with her. They’d been intense days, though.
“You got a coat, Dalton?” Joe said.
“No. It’s a little torn up. I’ll just go as I am.”
“Okay, then. Hop in. The store’s just a ten minute drive away.”
Nova sat between us because she had the shortest legs. She still wasn’t looking at me. Jesus. I never should have told her anything at all. Then we wouldn’t be suffering this silence between us.
I wanted her to smile at me. I wanted another kiss before I left, and I had the feeling I wasn’t going to get one. It was my fault, but still ... was this how it was going to be during our last hours together? We were going to be all stiff and unfriendly, acting like what we’d had together meant nothing?
It damn well meant something to me. What I hadn’t quite figured out, but I knew Nova was going to ripple out through my life somehow and change everything. Even if I never saw her after today.
The truck jolted and rocked its way up the drive to the highway. All around us, fir and spruce trees bent their branches toward the ground, weighted by the huge puffs of snow they’d accumulated. Every so often, one of the puffs slipped off and the branch bounced upward, a spray of flakes sparkling in the sunlight.
I was going to miss this place. I’d never been one for camping, or the country, except in the tiniest doses. I’d never imagined myself loving a place like this, and now I did. Because of Nova.
Five minutes later, we turned onto the highway. Joe drove slowly and steadily through the snow. Someone—maybe him—had already plowed a narrow lane for driving, so at least we didn’t have to plow our way back to the store. I wondered how long it had taken him to clear the way to Nova’s place.
“Um, Joe?” she said.
“Yeah, honey?”
“You can’t tell anyone except your family about Gage. And they can’t tell anyone at all. He needs his privacy and we don’t want to be mobbed by the media. Okay? Can you keep it a secret?”
“Of course I can.” He glanced across her to me. “Trying to stay out of the public eye?”
“I’m just trying to protect Nova,” I said. “I don’t want reporters here harassing her. If they know I spent the storm at her place, they’ll be all over her. They can be mean. Really nasty.” I fixed him with a stern look. “That’s why it’s so important you and your family keep the secret. I don’t want Nova getting hurt.”
“No. I totally agree.” He nodded solemnly. “You have my word nobody will hear it from me.”
“Thank you.”
I wasn’t convinced he wouldn’t talk. Or his daughter. Teen-age girls aren’t exactly known for their discretion. But maybe if I impressed them with the need for secrecy, it would buy us a day or so. Of course, at the rate things were moving, I’d probably be long gone by then.
Nova would have the peace and quiet she craved and I’d be back in L.A.
Chapter 28
General Store
Gage:
Joe’s General Store was a big, barn-like building with graying wood siding and a metal roof. It had a long, covered porch just like so many stores you saw in old pictures and in movies. There were a couple of other vehicles in the parking lot, but they were covered with snow and had obviously been there a while.
He pulled up at the front door, the engine still running. “You kids go in. I’m gonna finish my plowing.”
“Thanks, Joe.” I opened my door and got out. The sun glittered on the brilliantly white snow, making it hard to see.
“Remember to keep the secret,” Nova said, as she followed me.
“Will do.”
Nova shut the truck door. She glanced up at me. The snow where we were standing had been shoveled away and the remainder was packed down, but it was still cold as hell.
“Let’s go inside,” I said.
“Your nose is turning pink.” She grinned and ran for the door.
Inside, it was warm and smelled like something spicy. Gingerbread, maybe. Half the store looked like a small grocery, with ordinary rows of shelves covered in cans and boxes, a tiny produce department along one side. The other half had a weird assortment of stuff—clothes, car parts, garden tools, hardware, cosmetics. Probably a bunch of other stuff I couldn’t see.
A skinny girl with long brown hair hanging down her back stood in the middle of the clothes, folding some sweaters. “I don’t see why we have to work today, Mom,” she said in a whiny tone, talking to someone I couldn’t see. “Nobody’s going to come in.”
The door slammed behind us and she looked up. For an instant, she seemed annoyed to be proven wrong. Then she looked at me and her face went blank. Another instant, and her eyes went completely round as her mouth fell open.
“Hi, Misty,” Nova said. “We need to use your parents’ cell phone.”
“That’s —” Misty pointed at me. “Is he—are you Gage Dalton?”
“Yes. I am, and I really need to use your phone.”
“Oh, my God!” She squealed in an ear-drum destroying shriek and jumped up and down, her hair flying. “Oh, my God! Oh, my God! I can’t believe this! This can’t be happening to me!”
Nova gave me an amused smile. “She knows who you are.”
“I can see that.”
“Oh, my God! I have to tell Cherie. She won’t even believe it!”
Nova shook her head as she walked up to the s
quealing teen. She took Misty by the forearm. “You can’t tell anyone.”
Misty frowned at her. “Why not?”
“Because Gage doesn’t want anyone to know he’s here. He doesn’t want reporters coming in and harassing everyone in town.”
Misty’s shoulders sagged. “Oh. But why not?”
“They’d make a lot of problems for you,” I said, giving her one of my charm-the-fans smiles. “They’d be all over your parents’ store, interfering with their business. They’d harass Nova. They can be unbelievably nasty sometimes, getting into people’s private property and just causing all kinds of trouble. I’m sure you don’t want your family to suffer.”
“Oh. I never thought of it that way.” She gazed at me with wide, star-struck eyes. “I can’t tell anyone?”
“Not until I’m long gone.”
“Pooh. That sucks.”
“Misty?” said an adult woman’s voice. “What’s going on out here? Are you okay?”
“Yeah, Mom, I’m fine. We have customers.”
“I heard you yelling.” A plump woman about Joe’s age entered the store from a back room. She had brown hair nearly the same shade as Misty’s, and she wore jeans and a thick fleece pullover.
She saw us and smiled politely, first at me, then at Nova. “Hello, Nova. It’s good to see you. Who’s your friend?”
Then she got a closer look at me and her jaw dropped just like Misty’s had. “Oh. You’re that Gage Dalton guy, aren’t you? They’ve been looking all over for you.”
“Yeah,” I said. “Your husband drove me and Nova over here so I could use your cell phone. Just so they don’t think I died or anything.”
“Oh! Of course you can. Anytime. It’s right over here.”
Apparently, Joe and Marcia used some kind of cell signal boosting equipment to make their cell signal powerful enough out here in the boonies. Soon enough, I had my mother’s number dialed. Behind me, Nova patiently explained all over again why Marcia and Misty couldn’t tell anyone they’d seen me.
“Hello?” my mom said blearily on the other end of the connection.
“Hi, Mom. It’s Gage.”