Where the Road Takes Me by Jay McLean Read Free Book Online Page B

junior year, had the baby, tried to be a mom, couldn’t—so she ran away. Josh has no idea where she is. She won’t speak to him, just her parents. They watch Tommy when Josh has to work and no one else can. Natalie calls them every now and then and gets them to wire her money. They do, but they hate it.”
    “And Josh?”
    “Josh’s parents kicked him out of the house when they found out he got a girl pregnant. He leases a garage apartment off an old lady that loves the shit out of him and Tommy. I don’t think she even lets him pay rent anymore. He maintains her yard, and she watches Tommy when she can. She’s more like family to them than his own parents are. How fucked up is that? Josh stepped up to be a parent, and his own parents failed him.” He paused for a moment. “Actually, everyone failed him. His parents, his girlfriend, our so-called friends.”
    “So you knew him in high school?”
    He nodded. “Yeah. We were best friends. I mean we still are. He’s kind of my reality, you know?”
    I didn’t respond. I didn’t really understand what he meant.
    “It’s hard,” he continued. “He leads this whole other life that kids our age are way too young to be living. But you should see him with his kid. It’s like a higher power created two living individuals at different times and made them fit perfectly for each other. Josh loves that kid more than anything in the world. And when they’re together, their age difference doesn’t matter. Nothing matters. Just Tommy.” His eyes roamed my face, and I swear he wanted to say something more, but he held back. “Anyway,” he said with forced peppiness in his voice, “Josh was gonna be a pro skater. He had sponsors chasing him and everything. It was his dream.” He looked away and stared into the distance. “I remember when we were kids at the skate park and everyone would just watch him. He demanded attention. He was that good.”
    “What about you? I mean, you’re pretty good, right?”
    “I’m good, but I’m not Joshua-Warden good.”
    “So what’s your dream, Hunter?”
    His body went rigid with the coffee cup halfway to his mouth. He tilted his head slightly, his lips apart, examining me. “I think I’d prefer it if you called me Blake.”
    I dropped my head to hide my grin. “Okay, Blake. What’s your dream?”
    He inhaled audibly, and his shoulders tensed. “Ball.”
    “Basketball?”
    He nodded. “But it’s just a dream, Not Abby.”
    I laughed at his nickname for me before saying, “But you’re good, though, right? I mean, good enough for college?”
    His smile was tight.
    Then Josh’s voice interrupted us. “I’m so sorry. I forgot you guys were out here.”
    “It’s fine,” Blake said as we both stood.
    “He’s going to be okay,” Josh said.
    I hadn’t realized how tense I’d been until I felt my muscles relax.
    “It’s a horrible case of the flu, but he’s going to be okay.”
    I felt the rush of breath from Blake and looked up at him. His head was tipped back in relief.
    “Thank you, guys. I mean it. And Chloe, I can’t even—”
    “It’s no problem. Really,” I cut in.
    Then his arms were around me, holding me tight. “Thank you,” he said again. He pulled back. “I better get back in there. When Tommy’s out of here, I want you to meet him, okay?”
    I smiled. “Of course.”
    Then he was gone.
    “Home?” Blake asked.
    “Home.”
    Blake
    I drove her back to the bowling alley, where she’d left her car. We didn’t speak. She looked exhausted. “Will you be alright to drive home?”
    She nodded through a yawn.
    I pulled my car up next to hers. “Thanks for coming. I don’t know how Josh would’ve handled it if you hadn’t been there to come to his rescue.”
    She shrugged. “At least Tommy’s going to be okay. That’s the main thing, right?” She opened the car door and stepped out. I followed. I wasn’t ready to say good-bye yet. Throwing her bag in her car, she turned back to me.