Swimming Thoughts
Two towns over from the exit Ella had taken somewhere in the middle of New Mexico, they found a hotel off the beaten path. It wasn’t bad, though it was nothing like what Rome was used to. It would do for one night, though.
She drove the SUV around back and parked it in the shadow of the building, despite the fact that the room he’d gotten them was on the other side. This way, maybe his dad’s men wouldn’t see the vehicle, but even if they did, they wouldn’t know what room the two of them were in.
They hadn’t seen anyone suspicious since they left Dallas-Fort Worth hours ago. The whole time he’d been pumping gas into the vehicle at a gas station, while Ella was inside using the restroom and grabbing some snacks, he had his eyes glued to the surrounding area, looking for anyone who might try to jump out and grab either of them. But even if those men had worked for his dad, they were long gone now.
Grabbing their bags, the two of them went to their room on the second floor. Ella popped the door open with the electronic keycard she’d been given, and they walked into the scent of recently used cleaner and a bit of must. There was one large bed, a TV, and a couch off to the side. It wasn’t a five-star resort, but it would do.
Rome made sure the door was completely secure in every way possible. They’d eaten dinner on the drive, so there was no reason to go out again until they were ready to leave, which would likely be about the time the sun came up so that any spying eyes would have more difficulty finding them.
After showering together, the two of them fell into bed, exhausted, and ready to get some sleep. Jet lag, uncertainty, adrenaline rushes, and the unknown had them both beat. With Ella’s head on his chest, Rome tried to go to sleep, but even though his body was beyond tired, his head wouldn’t stop swimming. What would they do if they ran into more of his dad’s men? What if they recognized him this time? What would happen when they got to California? What if his dad caught wind of the transaction and found out he’d bought a house? There were so many things still up in the air… his mind just wouldn’t turn off.
Ella was restless, too. He could tell by the way she was breathing that she wasn’t asleep. He lightly brushed his fingers across her arm, and she looked up at him. “Rome, we’re doing the right thing, aren’t we?”
“I think so,” he said, his fingers tangling in what was left of her hair. “Don’t you? I mean… we had to go back eventually.”
“I meant… maybe I should tell them.”
“Tell them? Tell your dad and stepmother?” He thought there was no way he could’ve possibly understood her correctly. “That you’re alive?”
Ella was quiet, and then he thought she must’ve meant exactly that, and he’d offended her. She turned and folded her arms on top of his chest, resting her chin on them, and stared at him with a look in her eyes he was having trouble reading. “I guess I’m just nervous,” she said. “I’m afraid I’ll be found out. Then what will I do?”
“They won’t be able to prove anything,” Rome reminded her. “Only a few people in the world know you’re alive. Gus and Mary won’t be back anytime soon. Bart won’t talk. Neither will King. Your aunts aren’t going to say anything or else they would have by now. Obviously, I’m not telling anyone.”
“Yeah, but I look like me, Rome.”
“Not to anyone else.”
“My dad will recognize me. If he sees me at all, he’ll know it’s me. Then what? Do I just deny it?”
“I don’t know, baby. I really don’t. But… if you stay in the house for a bit, and no one sees you, then we can figure it out later. He won’t see you if you don’t go anywhere.”
She opened her mouth, like she wanted to say something else, but then closed it. “Okay,” she whispered. “You’re right. I’ll just lay low for a bit.”
“You’ll be on the beach. You can go there. I didn’t mean you’d actually have to stay in the house.”
“I know.” She moved so that she wasn’t looking at him anymore, though her head was still on his chest.
Rome felt like a jerk, like he’d said something she didn’t want to hear for selfish reasons. He continued to play with her hair, but he could tell by her response that she was still upset. Exactly what it was that was bothering her, he wasn’t sure, but he knew he’d have to figure it out on his own soon enough. Or else, he’d hear about it when she couldn’t take it anymore, and that was no way to start a marriage--again.
With a deep sigh, Rome closed his eyes, the same questions from before still swirling, but now he added to it--were they making the right decision about not telling Ella’s family the truth?
He thought so; she clearly didn’t.
If they told Lloyd Sinders the truth… they were asking for the same sort of trouble Rome was in the process of running away from now, and of all the decisions he was trying to make, he was most confident that telling her father the truth would be a bad one.
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