A Shot at Freedom by Kelli Bradicich Read Free Book Online

she was again, needy , even with the change in conversation.
    “You really need to cut your hair or dye it or something. The way you are to us right now – you’re a big liability ,” David said.
    “I’ll wear a hat.”
    “You’re a country princess. People will be looking for you.”
    “You didn’t seem to give a shit about that this morning while we were playing around on the beach wasting time.”
    He nodded. “We were in the middle of nowhere.”
    “Giving them all time to catch up and find us. If that’s what they will do. We’re both old enough to leave home. It’s not that much of a drama. No one’s going to bother chasing me down. What are they going to do when they find me? Stuff me in the back of a police van? Maybe that’s what you want, to get rid of me, so you have absolute freedom. Don’t want the girls thinking I’m your girlfriend or anything. I mean now that you’re free you can have anyone. You’re not the David Banks anymore.”
    “And if you stick with me you’ll be doing it tough and you won’t be the pampered country princess .”
    “Yep . Absolute freedom. That’s what you want,” she said, pushing her plate away.
    He pushed it back to her. “Eat it.”
    “I’m not hungry.”
    “We can’t afford to waste food.”
    She reached down for her mobile phone, and turned it on. “So, we’ll buy some fresh bread and jam for lunch and maybe some more biscuits and apples. I saw they’ve got some groceries where you pay for the petrol.”
    David nodded , sopping up some egg with the edge of his sandwich. He swiped the mobile out of her hand turned it off and pocketed it. It felt hot with information. “I told you not to touch it, unless you want them to talk you into going back.”
    She picked up her fork again and cut into the pile of pancakes, dipping into the maple syrup. “So you want me with you then.” She smiled.
    “If you want to be with me.”
    “Together then?”
    David felt his mouth go dry . He shifted in his seat, What am I doing?
    “I’m still busting for the loo,” Brooke said, swapping his empty plate for hers so he could finish her pancakes.
    He forced a smile . “Can’t you squat over the can for the sake of a pee?”
    “Yuk .” She reached back for an abandoned newspaper, opening up to the cartoons. “Are you sure we shouldn’t check for messages.”
    “I wouldn’t listen to them if there are any.”
    “There’ll be messages,” she snorted. “The question is how many. I’m guessing 36. What do you want to bet, higher or lower? Let’s break it down to texts and voicemail. Actually, no I change my mind, Mum’s more likely to get more satisfaction out of a voicemail. Better to vent with.”
    “It’ll do our heads in. I’ll wipe them. It might be easier not to think about home for a while.”
    “I w ant to know if they’ve worked out we’re gone.”
    “ When you don’t appear at the breakfast table, it’s a dead giveaway.”
    “What do you think ’s happening?”
    “ Will that make any difference to what we’re going to do for the day or for the rest of the week or year?” The phone felt heavy in his pocket.
    She shrugged, sagging . She propped her head in her hand.
    “ Look I’ll go pay and see if I can get some cleaning gear for the toilet for you. I’m sure they won’t mind if I volunteer to do a rough job for them. They might cut us a deal on the bill.”
    ***
    Brooke
    She watched in disbelief as the waitress handed him a bucket filled with products, kissing him on the cheek, before turning back to the line of customers at the register. God, why doesn’t she just go for the full grope!
    “Not enough staff ?” Brooke said to him as he passed her by.
    He patted her shoulder . “Remember all the things I do for you.”
    When the door sucked closed behind him, she sat back and watched the waitress deliver meals and take orders. It was something she considered doing once they’d settled in up north. A fantasy evolved in