Perfect Kind Of Trouble

29 Kayla

The drive out to the old lavender ranch is tense and uncomfortably silent. Daren hasn’t said a word since we left the courthouse and I’m not sure if I should speak.

I carefully say, “So that seemed to go… okay.”

“Don’t,” he says.

I blink, slightly hurt, but say nothing else.

I wonder if maybe he’s being cold because of what happened last night. I know he’s a womanizer, and I know he’s not big on commitment, so maybe he’s upset because he woke up this morning and realized he, literally, can’t escape me. Then everything with his dad this morning just angered him even more.

“Listen,” I begin, hoping to alleviate some of the stress radiating from his side of the car. “What happened last night… it wasn’t a big deal.”

He nods at the road, working a muscle in his jaw without looking at me, then slowly swings his head to me and sneers. “Oh, I know.” He scoffs and glares back out the window. “I know.”

I stare at him in confusion.

What the hell is that supposed to mean? He knows? Like he had no intention of caring about me or us beyond sex? God. I was just trying to let him off the hook, but wow.

I bite back a curse. Maybe I was wrong about Daren. Maybe he’s just like every other piggish guy I know.

A few miles later we pull into the old lavender ranch, and I park just inside the gate. We get out of the car and are immediately assaulted by a miniature tornado of dust, sweeping over the deserted ranchland and funneling dirt into the sky. It blows over us quickly but my skin and clothes are already coated in a thick film of dust. Fantastic.

I wipe my hands over my face and rub out my eyes. Daren does the same. When we open them, we instantly spy a note pinned to a post of the ranch sign.

I look at Daren, waiting. “What, no ‘Eureka!’ or ‘Tallyho!’ for this one?”

“Aha!” he says with false exuberance and a lame expression.

“Whatever.” Restraining the scowl I want to throw his way, I hastily unpin the note from the post and scan the message inside.

Congratulations, this is your last clue! Your money is in a safe place through the trenches. Good luck!

“Through the trenches…?” I say. “What does that mean?”

Daren turns around a few times. “Maybe there are some trenches dug out around the ranch somewhere?” His attitude seems lighter now that we’ve read the note, and I breathe a little easier.

We search the grounds, sweating under the hot afternoon sun, but find nothing even remotely close to a trench.

I bite my lip. “Maybe he has some trenches around his garden back at his house?”

Daren shakes his head. “I practically built that garden. No trenches.”

We brainstorm a while longer but can’t come up with any solid ideas.

Daren kicks at the ground and curses. “This is so fucking annoying.” He throws his arms out. “Why couldn’t he just tell us where to go? Why did he have to make it so goddamn impossible with our cuffed wrists and these stupid hints?”

“I don’t know.” I shrug. “Let’s keep thinking. Maybe he meant—”

“No.” He shakes his head. “This is dumb. We don’t even know how much money we’re jumping all these hurdles for. For all we know, your dad left us a quarter.”

“Maybe, but I really think—”

“And the handcuffs! Why?” he says with dark eyes, pissed. “Why did he ever think this would be a good idea?” He jiggles our handcuffs somewhat aggressively.

I narrow my eyes. “Why are you in such a bad mood?”

He glowers at me. “No reason.”

“Then quit bitching and help me figure this clue out,” I snap.

His sour attitude doesn’t make any sense. If he wants outs, I already offered to cut off the cuffs. And if he’s scared I’m going to get clingy, he can relax since I told him last night wasn’t any big deal. I eye him for a moment. Maybe something else is going on here? Maybe something happened between him and his dad to set him off? I’m so confused.

Forty-five minutes and two mini dust tornados later, we still have no idea what “through the trenches” means. And now we’re covered in dirt that clings to our faces and limbs thanks to the sticky sweat glistening on our skin.

Another gust of wind blows more dust into my hair and eyes and I swat it away angrily. Daren swats at the dirty wind, accidentally meets my eyes, and quickly looks away with a scowl as he wipes his brow.

Now I’m convinced his sour attitude is because of what happened between us. The bastard can’t even look me in the eye.

“Maybe he meant a different kind of trench. Like a war trench,” Daren suggests.

I scoff. “Yeah, I’m sure he wants us to trek through a battlefield and go digging through some war trenches.”

He juts his chin. “Do you have any better ideas? Because all you’ve done for the past twenty minutes is complain. It’s hot. I’m tired.” He scowls. “What is your deal?”

“What is your deal?” I say. “You’re the one who’s been in a pissy mood all morning and hasn’t spoken to me since we left your dad.”

He snaps, “Why do you keep bringing up my personal shit? It’s none of your damn business. Can’t you just forget about my life for one fucking second?”

I scoff. “Not a problem. Consider yourself forgotten.”

He scoffs back. “I already have.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I pull back, struggling to decode his expression. I shift my jaw. “Is this about last night?”

“Nope. Last night was no big deal and nothing happened,” he says with contempt. “Nothing that mattered, anyway.”

His words cut deep—deeper than I’d like to admit—and he doesn’t even look remorseful.

My mouth falls open. “What a shitty thing to say.”

“Shittier than you using me to get your daddy’s money?”

“What?” I shake my head in disbelief. “If anyone is being used it’s me. You’re just using me to get the money—and maybe get lucky along the way,” I snap.

He looks like I just slapped him. And in a way I guess I did.

His face falls. “Are you for real right now?”

I don’t really think he’s been using me. If anything, I think he just doesn’t know what to do with me. But his words still sting and I’m too hurt to care about his feelings.

I shrug. “Well that’s what you do, isn’t it? You’re an opportunist, trying to get laid at every corner.”

He clenches his jaw and angrily nods. “Yep. Yeah. You’ve got me all figured out. I found out we were going to be handcuffed together and I was like, ‘You know what? This would be a great opportunity for me to get in frigid little Kayla’s pants.’ ” He scoffs. “I’m not the one who was practically begging for it.”

“Excuse me?”

“Oh please. You spread your legs and practically begged me to do you.”

My throat closes in as I feel all the blood rush to my face. I’m embarrassed and furious, but mostly I’m in pain. My heart aches like he’s stabbed a butcher knife into its core and is mercilessly twisting. All I want to do is hurt him back.

I glare at him. “Don’t flatter yourself.” And just because I’m a horrible person, I add, “I felt sorry for you, that’s all. You’re homeless, for God’s sake. You sleep on the floor and can’t even afford to eat. You have no future and any women who knew the truth about you would run away screaming. Nobody wants you, so I felt bad. It was going to be a pity lay.”

Oh God. I went too far. The look of heartbreak on his face cuts into my lungs, making it hard to breathe as I watch his every fear claw at his self-esteem, stripping him down into the tattered shreds of worthlessness he already thinks he is.

I open my mouth to apologize but he cuts me off before words can form.

“Well good thing it didn’t happen then.” His face turns to stone. “It was just going to be a victory lay for me. Just another notch on my belt. But now? Meh.” He shrugs. “You’re not really worth my time. There’s really nothing to you except some tits and an ass. And I can get that anywhere.”

Pain.

Pure, black pain. That’s what this is.

We’re piercing each other, one sharp arrow of insecurity after another, puncturing holes in our already ruined facades. I’m pissed and hurt, and on the verge of tears. All I want to do is run away from him. Goddamn these fucking handcuffs!

I swallow and try to keep my tears at bay. “You know what?” I say calmly. “I don’t really need the money. We’re stuck and can’t figure out the clue anyway.” I look him over. “I’m done.”

He shifts his jaw and looks me over as well. “Me too.”

More pain.

“Good. Let’s go.” We head back to the car and climb inside. I’m proud of my ability to keep the keys from shaking as I jam them into the ignition and turn.

Nothing.

I try again. The car makes a whirring noise but doesn’t turn over. Again and again. Still nothing.

Daren grunts in frustration. “Here, let me try.” He grabs the keys and tries himself, but the car won’t work.

“The battery’s probably dead,” I say.

Daren mutters, “Fuck.”

We sit in silence for a good full minute.

“What now?” I stare at the steering wheel.

He rubs a hand down his face and exhales. “I don’t know.”

“We’re in the middle of nowhere with no food or water.” I pull out my phone. “And no freaking service.”

“I know.”

“We need a plan, Daren.”

“I know! I don’t know what to do… Wait. Yes I do. Get out.”

“What? Why?”

“Just get out of the damn car,” he barks.

I sneer at him but get out anyway.

“Willow Inn is about a mile away,” he says. “If we hike through the forest we can be there in half an hour and Angelo, one of my coworkers, will be able to get these damn things off of us so we can figure out what our next move is. So come on.” He marches past me, leading us into the trees. “Let’s hurry,” he says without looking at me. “I want to get these damn things cut off of us as soon as fucking possible.”

“Me too,” I say, but even as the words leave my mouth a little piece of my heart falls away.