Left On The Highway: Too Late, Ex-Lover

ke's

tacos, my phone buzz

name on t

noisy crowds on the wood

y voice

she always used whenever Hiram tattled to her. "Hiram just texte

ed against the brick wall

parking lot," I said, forcing my voice level. "I stood in line for three

then a dismissive c

because Kenzie couldn't handle the wait, and now you're throwing a fit over a little walk. You k

feet are

vacation!" she snapped. "This trip is supposed to b

say another wor

t the dark

hope for "family warmth" sn

ck to the p

f the long bench, happily

eady been swallowed up by

, shoving a greasy cardb

gone cold, soaked th

't tou

planter, bag on my lap, and qu

we finally reached the

o-story log cabin

macaron-colored suitcases inside, while I dragge

s to the bathroom to clean my

ne holding my carefully curated, sensitive

serum sat uncapped on the coun

ously slathering the expensive se

manded, my voice pitching

the cap clatter

her eyes. "I got sunburned at the lake! Easton said I could us

ard and snatched the near-empty bottle off the counter. "It cost

welling up instantly. "I didn't kn

peared in the bathroom doorway,

" He pulled Kenzie behind him. "It's

held up the hollow glass bottle. "She didn't even a

ck your twenty bucks!" Hiram bellowed

d dollars, Hiram

th money, aren't you? Kenzie's skin

k his head

with the double bed goes to Kenzie-her skin allergy needs its own bathroom. The two singl

in rental on my credit card. I'm t

and Hiram are grown men-they can't fit on a fold-ou

nore

hallway, dragged it into the smaller of the two

r a few times in fury,

off my shredded skin bit by bit, then spent forty minutes at

my injuries. Not once did anyo

orning, pounding on my do

d from the hallway. "We lea

tepped into a pair of flat slip-on canvas shoes-my

our of them were in full professiona

am announced, buckling his pack. "Kenzie want

the bottom

alf is all loose gravel slopes along the canyon edge,"

our room," Easton said, handing Kenzie a hydration b

bandaged feet. "The stiff uppers would shred

d down his face with

rk to stroll a paved tourist path," he said. "You're not that de

ff ridge in canvas shoes," I said flatly

re goes the summit group photo! Wh

orward with a so

you could wear my spare snea

six," I said flatly. "I w

nd hauling me toward the front door. "You're coming. Why should we

earm, digging in painfully, as he d