Chapter five

They walked around the truck, connecting the trailer lights, and lifting the legs to prepare for the trip ahead. Jake climbed in the truck and flipped the lights on, making sure everything outside still worked. Jason crawled under the trailer to check its brakes and axles.

“Looks like everything’s in shape, shouldn’t run into any problems as far as I can see,” He said. He dusted himself off and tucked a wrench back into his pocket. “So, where’s this girl you picked up? You leave her in Oregon?”

Jake started to answer when the trailer door slammed shut. Lisa came walking around the back of the trailer, her hands up to her mouth, trying to warm them with her breath.

“Hey, good morning,” she said.

Jason looked her up and down before extending his hand. “Jason.”

Lisa took it, offering him a small smile. “Lisa, nice to meet you.”

Jason looked at Jake and smiled. “New employee?”

Jake laughed, tucking his hands into his coat. “Yeah, gonna see how well she can run a trucking company.”

Lisa rolled her eyes. “I doubt I can do that. I don’t know half of what I’m even looking at yet.”

“It’s easy once you learn the basics. You’ll figure it out quick,” said Jason. “If Jake can do it, you should be able to pass him up on everything.” He laughed and turned to walk away. “Mind if I use the bathroom? The bank locked everything up around here, can’t even use the shop.”

“Door is open.Help yourself,” Lisa answered.

Jake turned and grabbed Lisa, pulling her to him. Leaning down, Jake tried to kiss her cheek. They were pink with the cold, her breath coming out in small little vapor clouds. Lisa stopped him, placing a hand on his chest.

Her cold little nose touched his, showing him just how chilly she was. She eyed him curiously, scanning his face with her warm hazel eyes.

He waited, wondering what she was going to say. Her fingers closed, wrapping themselves in the fabric of his coat, pulling him forward.

Lisa closed her eyes, her lips parting ever so slightly. Jake let her pull him in, closing his eyes when their lips connected. Soft and cold, she kissed him softly. Jake didn’t press closer, still feeling her grip on his clothing; this was about her.

She took a shaky breath and released the hold on him, pushing him back lightly. He eyed her without expression. Lisa opened her eyes and pressed her lips tight, tasting the kiss they shared. Eyes sparkling, she turned and walked around the trailer to the front door.

‘What?’ he wondered.

Standing there, hands in his pockets, he kicked the dirt before following her inside.

‘Do I love her?’ he thought. ‘Shit, I've only known her a couple of days, and already she’s taken over my thoughts. Before, it was all about work, bills, and my dad passing. Now it's all about Lisa and the ranch, our future.’

‘I’m responsible for her, her wellbeing right now. Love shouldn't be on my mind. This is a business trip, not a romantic vacation. Get your shit together, Jake.’

Lisa sat in the big recliner, watching Jake close the door behind him. That kiss was everything she expected - way better than the last one in his pickup truck. Now she wanted to do it again. She watched him remove his hat and set it on the kitchen counter. Everything about him was driving her crazy right now.

‘Why is he acting like I didn’t kiss him?’ she wondered. ‘I know I did it right! He needs to go slow, but I want him! Look at me!’

Jason exited the bathroom just as Jake plopped down on the couch. Lisa quickly placed herself so close to him that not even a quarter could slide between them to lose itself in the cushions. Jake threw his arm around her and kissed the top of her head.

She wanted to melt into a puddle. ‘If Jason wasn’t here right now…’ she closed her eyes.

“So, what’s the story?” Jason asked. He sat in the recliner and propped a foot up on his knee. “You two meet in Cow Creek?”

—--------------------------------------------

They filled him in on the details that brought them together. Jake told him about the meetings with his lawyer and the condo in Mexico. After a few minutes, he got to the part about being charged at by the bear.

“Son of a bitch came right at me. I didn’t even know what it was before I hit the front of my truck. Split my head open, left me bleeding on the ground.”

Lisa nodded, reaching up and pressing Jake's head down for Jason to see. “Gave him a few stitches that night,” she said.

Jason whistled and leaned back in the chair. “What’d you tell the doctor when you hauled yourself in?”

Jake started to speak when Lisa interrupted. “Oh, he refused to go in. I ended up sewing him myself when he finally gave up arguing.”

Jason laughed out loud and smacked his hand on his knee. “No shit?” He smiled, shaking his head at Jake. “You always were a stubborn bastard. And just to think the only one to make you do something is a hundred pound woman.”

Jake shrugged, looking a little embarrassed. “Well, she didn’t make me do anything. I mean - she can get kinda mean, but I didn’t wanna hurt her feelings.”

“Uh-huh, sure,” Jason laughed.

Lisa scoffed. “You know I was right!” She looked at him before her eyes lit up. “You wanna tell him about the ones above your eye?”

“Wait, that wasn’t the bear?” Jason asked.

Jake opened his mouth to answer, but Lisa beat him to it. “Nope! He fell over drunk trying to go to the bathroom.”

Jason was laughing so hard his face turned red. “Holy shit, Jake! Can’t hold your booze anymore or what?”

“He ain’t drinking anymore. At least not right now,” Lisa said.

Jason looked back and forth between the two, his smile growing bigger. “You’re kidding, right?”

“Nah, she ain’t kidding,” Jake growled. “I ain’t happy about it either.”

“But you’re the boss, dude! She’s only the manager,” said Jason.

Jake exhaled and patted Lisa’s knee. “Yeah, but I guess she’s right in the end. Gotta square up the house project an the business.”

“You’re whipped, bro,” Jason remarked.

“No, he’s just being responsible,” said Lisa. She smiled up at Jake, who still wore a frown.

They talked about Lisa finding him in the driveway, and Jake calling the sheriff. Neither of them mentioned her family details and the events that led up to her living alone in the house. Jake didn’t even know the half of it, anyway.

Jason listened, not pressing any further about Lisa’s past. That’s a big reason Jake liked and respected Jason as a good friend; he knew that some stuff didn’t need to be said or shared. The quiet, respectful looks he gave Lisa at certain parts of the story said it all. Jake knew his friend understood.

“Just about everyone has packed their shit and left.” Jason said. “You and Carlos are the last two with stuff here. Brad is long gone, the office closed up along with the mechanic shop.” Jason shook his head in disgust. “They left me here to see that everyone cleared out. Carlos will be here tomorrow to pull his other trailer out.”

Jake looked around the yard, through the window. Sure enough, everyone had gone. The once busy, packed truck yard now looked like a ghost town.

The IRS had come down hard on Brad, demanding what they were owed. His response was to close up shop and run, leaving the company drivers and owner operators to find other work. Lucky for Jake, who had already made plans to leave. Everyone else wasn't so lucky.

The three of them sat in the warm trailer, nobody quite knowing what to say. It was obvious Jason wasn’t able to secure a new position with another company. Jake knew what the job market was right now, and a company position as a diesel mechanic was scarce in the Reno area.

“Hey,” Jake said. “You want a job with me in Oregon?”

He looked up quickly. “You mean it, Jake? I mean, I have nothing going on here, so if you need help.”

“Yeah, the place ain't quite ready to go yet, but I could sure use your skills in the shop.”

“Shit yeah, man! I can help you out. I'll have to find an apartment or something up there, but yeah, I’d love it.”

Lisa smiled between them, watching this interaction take place. Aside from her early years at school, she was never really a part of any conversation. She didn’t count her abusive interactions with her parents. That was something she learned to label as toxic, not something to include with people you care about.

Jake leaned back deeper into the cushions, crossing his feet on the floor. “You can tow trailers with your old van, right?” he asked.

Jason shrugged. “Yeah, that old V-8 can pull.”

Jake knew Jason would never get rid of his work van. He wanted to suggest that he buy a motorhome, but Jason would shoot it down.

“What if you get a little bumper pull trailer? That way, you don’t need to rent an apartment,” Jake said. “You could park it next to ours at the ranch. All the connections are there.”

Lisa’s ears caught that, ‘ours.’ ‘Does he know what he’s saying?’

“Sure, but I ain't got the cash for that kind of purchase right now,” Jason said. “I was just gonna push the tools to one side of my van to make room for my sleeping bag.”

“No, that’s not gonna happen,” said Lisa. “If you can’t afford a trailer, then how would you get an apartment in Cow Creek?”

Jason shrugged. “Work a few months to save up. That’s the only way to do it right now.”

Lisa looked at Jake, his eyes were reading the ceiling. She wanted to tell him to help his friend, put up money for an apartment or something. ‘I can’t do that, though. That’s not my place. I’m an employee.’

She felt herself sinking into the couch - through the couch. The edges of her vision grayed, her throat tightened with a rush of emotions. ‘Jake’s employee, nothing more.’ Part of her screamed at herself to pull out of it, push those depressing thoughts away.

“What do you think, Lisa?” Jake asked. “If we buy a travel trailer for work, can we write that off on taxes?”

She heard the question, far away at the end of the tunnel. Jake was asking her about something - taxes? “Only if it’s a legitimate business purchase,” she said. “It has to make sense.” Her voice sounded robotic, monotone.

Jason gave her a confused look, glancing up at Jake. “Is she okay?”

Jake leaned forward to see Lisa’s face. “She’s okay, just swimming.”

“I don’t understand. Is it a condition?” he asked.

“Sort of like that. Best I can tell is it happens whenever she has a heavy thought or some kind of feeling. I think it’s her way of processing difficult, uh - stuff.”

Jason nodded, still watching Lisa. She stared down at the couch, blinking every few seconds. “How long does it last?”

Jake shrugged and reached down to hold her hand. “Hard to tell. We’ve only known each other for a short time. So far, anywhere from half a day to an hour. I’m surprised she even answered my question.”

They talked another hour while Lisa processed her thoughts. She heard them discuss money and the idea of Jake buying a small travel trailer to pull behind Jason’s van. Memories of high school home studies played through her mind. School was easy for her, but other people weren't.

Home economics with a focus on finances was something she had to do once a week at the college down the highway. As part of the high school’s independent study program, one class had to be at the college. The students there were nice. Lisa felt comfortable around them, especially since she didn’t have to talk much.

Some of the older girls discussed business, specifically taxes and inventory. Lisa remembered thinking some of those women must have had a business themselves, or took a class in something related. She absorbed this, eavesdropping as much as she could get away with. It made her feel like she was a part of the conversation, even though she didn’t want to be. Remembering things conflicted her.

“Give him a check for cash. He can have the seller sign the title and bill of sale to the company. Have him call us for insurance before he pulls it away. Then write him another check for payment of delivery and services rendered. He gets a place to live, and some money to move and pay the bills with.” Lisa blinked and saw Jason looking at her, mouth open.

“Holy shit. I think she said it best, Jake.”

Jake squeezed her and laughed. “See, Jason? I told you she was processing her thoughts.”

Lisa blushed. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. It’s not my place.”

Again, Jason glanced at Jake. “What’s she talking about?”

“Lisa, you have every right to speak your thoughts,” Jake said. “Don’t apologize for that, alright?”

She nodded and sat up. “Then do that. Let Jason collect the trailer.”

__________________________________

“What are these switches here on the shifter knob?” Lisa looked at the thing curiously and flipped the range selector up and down. She jerked her hand back when she heard the hiss of air and thunk in the transmission. “Shit! Did I break it?”

Jake laughed and explained it to her. “No, you didn't break it. That's the range selector you flipped, and this red switch here on the side is the gear splitter. It's a 13 speed transmission.”

“Thirteen? Why so many gears?” she asked.

“Well, pulling eighty-thousand pounds requires it. Some trucks use 10 speeds, some use 18. But I like 13 - just enough to make pulling the hills a little easier.”

Lisa sat back and studied everything around her again. She played with the seat controls until she found a setting she liked. “I like this. It's roomy. Kind of like a tiny house on wheels.”

“It is my mobile office, ma’am.” Jake said in his best, proper business voice.

She smiled. “Fire it up, sir. I wish to go on a road trip.”

“As you wish, boss.” Jake turned the key, bringing the old Cat engine to life. When he looked at her again, she was grinning ear to ear. “Coffee and breakfast?” he asked.

Lisa smiled, then immediately frowned. “Err, yeah, sure.”

Jake was just getting ready to shift the truck into gear, but stopped. “What’s the matter?”

She bowed her head, but moved her eyes up to meet his. “I just want coffee. Nothing’s wrong.”

“No, that ain’t right. C’mon, tell me,” he pushed. “Did I say something wrong?”

She didn’t want to tell him. She’d rather dig in and tell him all the details of her past abuse than expose her most private -

“Lisa, tell me what’s bugging you. This is the second time you’ve shut down this morning.” Jake sat in his seat, staring at her.

“Jake I - I can’t tell you,” she said. Her eyes felt wet, and her mouth twitched.

He exhaled, long and slow. He really didn’t want the 9 hour drive into Oregon to be full of negative emotions. She was acting differently today, and she seemed all over the place in her head.

“Please? I won’t judge you or get mad - whatever you think my reaction will be. But we need to communicate if we’re gonna be together.”

‘Together, like what?’ she thought. ‘But I can’t tell him I’m getting fat! He’ll think I’m some kind of cow - but I’m not. I don’t want to ask him for bigger -’

“Come on, Lisa. Talk to me,” Jake said.

“I - don’t. I mean, I can’t eat breakfast today,” she said. She looked up to see if he bought it.

“Oh, does your stomach hurt?” he asked. “I've got some pepto stuff in the trailer. I can go get it before we leave.”

‘Damn,’ she thought. “No, that’s fine. I just need something to drink, that's all.”

Jake pulled out through the gate and onto the road leading to the highway. The straight pipe exhaust roared, louder than they did idling around the yard. At the top of every rev, the loud whistle of the turbo peaked and died off.

They sat at a stoplight, the cars and trucks around them darting across the interaction, all hurrying off to somewhere unknown.

“I know you ain’t telling the truth,” Jake said. He watched the red light, waiting for the moment it turned green. “I wish you’d let me know what’s going on.”

The light switched, Jake let the clutch out and sped up the on-ramp to Interstate 80. The roar of the big engine grew longer, the high-pitched whistling of the turbo became louder between each shift. Lisa rolled her window up to block out some of the noise.

Jake didn’t look at her, didn’t speak while he focused on the traffic zipping past them. Lisa knew he was right, but this thing had been her personal secret for so long. If she told him why she didn’t want to eat today, her control would be lost. She picked at a stitch in her pants, battling herself inside.

As they exited the freeway, Lisa looked up to see where they were going. ‘Like I know where we are. I need to tell him - it’s not fair.’

Jake set the brakes at the fuel pumps and jumped out. He didn’t wait for Lisa - not wanting to waste time playing mental chess this morning. ‘If she needs time, then she can have time,’ he told himself. ‘Be patient. This isn’t her fault.’

Two coffees and a bag of food later, he stepped into the truck handing a tearful Lisa her cup. “I’m gonna fill up the truck, and then we’ll take off.” He tossed his hat on the dash and closed the door behind him.

“This shit ain’t gonna be easy - nobody said it would be,” he said to himself. He jabbed the keypad on the pump, buttons clicking with his enthusiasm. “But dumb ass me had to play guardian angel. Fuckin’ sweet eyed girl had to be hidin’ out at my daddy’s house. Make me get all butter-kneed and shit.” He ripped the pump handle off the stand and thrust it into the fuel tank, smacking the side of his truck with his hand.

“Be all got-dang nice, offer her a place to lay her head - but no! Gotta sleep in my bed!” he said, walking to the other side of the truck to fuel that tank. “All cute - fuckin hurtin’ inside - of course a decent man should offer help.” He grabbed the long handled window squeegee, dunking it in the bucket, still muttering to himself.

A man walking by stared at Jake, still muttering while he scrubbed the windows clean. He caught the guy looking, giving him a disgusted look.

“What!” Jake yelled. The guy stepped back, shaking his head. “Mind your business, cowboy!”

Lisa kicked her boots off and slid down in her seat, putting her sock feet on the dash. People were watching Jake, and she didn’t want to be seen. She caught glimpses of him talking to himself in the mirrors, but couldn’t make out what he was saying. It was about her. She had a feeling.

Jake hung the hoses back on their pumps and climbed in the truck. He grabbed his coffee from the holder and took a long drink. “Alright, let's get out of Nevada, yeah?” He asked, looking at Lisa.

“Jake, my pants are tighter today,” she said. Her voice came out small, almost a whisper.

He looked at her, then down at her jeans. “Okay, so?” He asked. “Not a big deal, is it? We can get you a new size if you need it.”

That was an odd thing to say out of the blue, but Jake had said some stupid shit himself before. He shrugged his shoulders and pushed the parking brake knob in on the dash before pulling away from the fuel pumps and onto the highway.

She gave him a look that told him it was a big deal. “Jake, I’m getting fat!”

“Alright, then slide your chair back a few notches. I don’t wanna be overweight on the steer tires. D.O.T don't play about axle weights,” he said.

Lisa rolled her eyes. “Nevermind then, you’re being stupid,” she said. She crossed her arms and stared ahead at the road.

Jake looked at her with surprise. ‘Feisty today!’

“Look, you’re being a little emotional right now,” he said. He knew he fucked up the minute he said it. “Well, that ain’t exactly what I meant.”

“What? I'm being emotional? You were outside acting like a drunk cowboy, talking to yourself and abusing the fuel pumps!”

“I wish I could have a drink right now! My damn girl - I mean, you're talking about the tightness of yer britches!” he said, looking away. “You're still extremely skinny, Lisa. You need to get up to a healthy weight like the doc said.”

“What did you say?” Lisa asked.

“I just told you, you need to get up to a healthy weight cuz the doc said so,” he said again.

“No, before that,” she asked.

She knew what he was about to say. They’ve been close and everything, but had given nothing a title. If she could only hear it from him -

“Lisa, come on. You know, I think we should take it easy. You said so, too.”

“Fine, you’re right, Jake.” She turned away, holding the warm cup in her hands. “I just - I’d feel more comfortable if we just said it.”

“You know I don’t want to. It’s too soon an you need to get everything figured out.” He said, downshifting to climb the hill leading to highway 395. “We talked about this kind of stuff.”

“Yeah, well, I’m the same way about my body,” she commented. “I don’t want to get to the size of your truck, you know.”

“But starving yourself ain’t healthy, Lisa. Who the fuck will there be to love if you go an kill yourself?” He bit his lip and smacked the steering wheel. “Fuck!”

Lisa looked forward again, her face feeling warm. ‘He said it, kind of! I’m loved? He really cares?’ She turned to look out through her window, a small smile tugging at her lips.

Jake pointed a finger at her, still watching the road. “Yer manipulatin’ me!”

“I SO am not!” Lisa shot back. “Stupid cowboy!”

Jake grabbed his can of tobacco off the dash and took a pinch before throwing it back where it came from, shaking his head. Neither of them said anything for the first hour of their trip after their outbursts. Jake switched the radio on, sliding a Willie Nelson tape in the stereo.

They stopped at the check station going into California and drove on into Susanville before disappearing into the thick forest beyond. Lisa watched the trees fly by in a blur, the sound of the loud exhaust droning on, blending in with the steady hum of the tires.

“I’ll forget what you said, and mind my business from now on.,” she said. “I know better. I just got caught up again and I’m really sorry.”

Jake sighed and turned the volume down on the radio. “I’ve shared my feelings many times over the years. I know I ain’t that old, but it feels like it sometimes. Especially when I got fucked over every time.”

He thought, choosing his words before he spoke again. “I ain’t upset with you. I’m upset with myself.”

She understood why he was like this, and she then realized she knew more about him than he did about her. He didn’t have any idea why she acted like she did, other than her weight and being abandoned.

“My mom is a selfish, manipulative woman who only thinks about herself,” she said. “My daddy was a good man once. But as you’ve seen, he found something else to love more than me and my mom.”

Jake watched the road, listening to what she said. He’d already figured those two things out, but he kept his thoughts to himself.

“I didn’t have many friends in school, and they bullied me a lot. I ended up doing home study and graduated early,” she added.

Jake looked at her and nodded. ‘I already know she’s smart. No surprise there.’

“And,” she exhaled. She took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. “My uh - my daddy raped me, when I was younger.” She closed her eyes, not wanting to see Jake's face. She hoped he wouldn’t pull over and push her out on the side of the road.

Jake felt like someone dumped a bucket of ice water over his head. His ears rang, pounded with the blood rushing to his head. ‘That explains everything.’

When Jake said nothing, she continued. “I don’t like being touched sometimes - and for a long time the only thing I could control was me, what I ate, and what I looked like under my clothes.”

Jake could only stare ahead at the road. ‘Some sick fuck raped his only daughter - while jacked up on meth. That motherfucking piece of shit.’

“Jake, say something - please?” Lisa said. Her eyes watered, hands shaking on her cup. “Listen, if you don’t want me, I’ll understand. I know I’m ruined - and I know I’m not pretty.” She sniffed, crying harder now. “I’ll never have big breasts or a nice butt,” she said between sobs. “I’ll j - just go to that state house when we get back.”

“Lisa - shut up,” said Jake.

Lisa sniffed again, wiping her eyes on her coat sleeve. “W- what?”

“Why did you kiss me, back in the truck yard?”

“I wanted to,” she said. “I - I enjoy being with you.”

“I was your first kiss?” he asked.

She nodded, wiping her eyes again. “Yes.”

“You’re beautiful, Lisa. I don’t care about shallow shit. I like people for who they are, not their bodies, alright?” He sighed and tapped a thumb on the steering wheel. “You need to be healthy. That's what’s important right now.”

“But my mom - she said it ruined me after what my -”

“Fuck that shit!” Jake boomed. “The only thing ruined was your childhood, not you. That woman is ruined in her fucking head!” He tapped his temple for emphasis. “What I think is she is jealous of your potential.”

Lisa flinched at his outburst, almost dropping her cup. Did he really mean what he said?

“Okay, Jake,” she said. “But I really want nothing to eat right now.”

Jake swung his head around, ready to lose his fucking mind. Back and forth with shit, and now she was back on that topic? He raised a finger, his mouth open.

“I’ll have the next meal, okay?” Lisa snapped, glaring at him. “And don’t treat me like a child, Jake.”

“Is she fucking serious? After all this drama, back and forth. Now I’m the bad guy for giving a shit?’

He started to roll his head and cuss, but stopped himself. He held his chin and rested an elbow on the armrest, focusing on the road.

“Fine,” he said through his teeth. “Wonderful talk.”

Lisa shrugged and crossed her legs in front of her on the seat. “I guess - if you say so.”

‘My head is gonna explode before we get home,’ he thought.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jake pulled into the truck stop in Klamath Falls, Oregon, four hours later. He parked at a pump and set the brakes. The loud air burst roused Lisa from her nap.

“Hey, you’re awake,” Jake said. He unbuckled and stood between the seats, groaning with a long stretch. “Let’s piss and get some lunch,”

Lisa yawned, uncurling her legs and standing like a sleepy cat, unhappy to move. She bent down and looked through the windshield, eyeing the gray clouds surrounding them.

“Can you hand me my boots?” She asked.

Jake found them under the bunk and held them out to her.

“Thanks,” she mumbled.

Jake leaned an elbow on the back of his seat and looked down at her. “You alright?”

“Huh?” she asked, looking up at him. “Oh, yeah.” She laughed and pulled her boot on. “I don’t enjoy waking up.”

Jake smiled and held his arms out. “C’mere.”

Lisa stood, watching his face. “Yeah?”

He stepped forward, wrapping her in a light hug. “Thanks for talking with me earlier.”

Lisa giggled into his coat. “Even when I made you mad?”

Jake chuckled, holding her out at arm’s length. “I don’t know any man who doesn’t complain about women. Same for the women complaining about us men.”

Lisa grinned, searching his face again. “Yeah, I guess that’s true. Bathroom?”

“And lunch,” Jake reminded her.

Lisa sighed, following him out the door and into the parking lot. “And lunch.”

“It’s not that bad,” he said. “The food here ain’t terrible, and the portions are huge.”

Lisa slipped her hand in his, keeping pace alongside him. She groaned, trying to hide her disappointment. She was hungry, but didn’t want to eat a huge meal. Would Jake really make her eat a lot?

He held the door open to the store, Lisa passing under his arm into the dimly lit room. The smell of bacon and hash browns immediately hit her. Her stomach growled, reminding her she had eaten nothing all day.

“Back here, hun. I know just the thing for you,” Jake said, pulling her through a door on the other side of the room.

The old gentleman at the counter looked up from his book, waving to them as they passed. He grinned when he saw Lisa being pulled along by Jake. They stopped just inside the dining room of a restaurant. The place was dead aside from a table in the back. A TV on the wall played some old western, and a bored-looking waitress leaned on the counter by the register.

“What’ll you have, Jake?” She asked.

Jake pulled Lisa to the counter, placing a hand on her shoulder as they stood before the waitress. Lisa looked up at him, wondering how the hell this woman knew him.

“Hey, Becca,” Jake said, smiling. “How ya been?”

“Damn peachy, Jake,” she said. The woman frowned, looking Lisa up and down. “Who’s that?”

Lisa scoffed, appalled at this woman’s words. ‘Rude bitch!’

Jake squeezed Lisa to his side. “This is Lisa, my -”

“Girlfriend,” Lisa said. She smiled and stepped forward, holding her hand out. “It’s so nice to meet you. Jake never mentioned you before.”

‘Fuck you, bitch!’ Lisa thought.

Becca’s mouth dropped as she looked between Jake and Lisa. “Okaaay,” she said. Shaking Lisa’s hand, she quickly released it and grabbed her ticket book. “What can I get you then?”

Jake watched Becca’s face, seeing her jaw tighten as her cheeks reddened. What the hell just happened? He didn’t know. Becca’s question was rude, but why did Lisa’s kind handshake upset her? Was it the ‘girlfriend’ comment?

Becca liked him, he knew that. But she wasn’t quite what he was looking for. She was loud and rude, but kind and sweet when you got to know her. That was fine for some folks, but not him. Why she was talking to him like Lisa wasn’t standing there made little sense.

The two women stood there in silence, eyeing each other. Lisa smiled kindly, but Becca glared back, pencil tight in her fingers. Neither one moved or spoke until Jake broke the silence.

“Two hot sandwiches, Becca.”

She jerked, pressing her pencil against the paper. “Oh, yeah. What kind’ll they be, Jake?” She looked up at him momentarily before her eyes settled on Lisa again.

“I want a B.L.T on sourdough, easy on the mayo,” Jake said. “Pepper Jack cheese and a side of potato salad.”

“Alright, and the other one?” She looked up at him, waiting for him to answer.

“I’ll have the same, but no bacon. Turkey and avocado with swiss,” Lisa said. She wore a forced smile, her hands curled into fists in her coat pockets.

“The side,” Becca said. She smirked and looked Lisa up and down again. “If you can eat it.”

“Potato salad,” Jake answered. “Unless you want something else,” he added.

“No, it’s perfect,” Lisa hissed. “I’m just gonna go - get stuff.” She turned and pointed behind them to the store. “I need your wallet.” She held her hand out, staring at Jake.

“Oh, uh yeah.” He pulled it from his pocket and handed her $50. “I’ll get our food. It shouldn't be long.”

Lisa shrugged, taking the money from him. “Okay, that’s fine.” She stood on her toes, planting a kiss on his cheek. “I’ll let you two catch up.”

She turned and left, Jake turning to watch her. Lisa knew Jake would watch her walk away, and that’s just what she wanted at that moment. Becca was a jealous bitch with a rude personality. She knew her type from school, and there was no way she'd deal with that shit again.

“Jake, that’ll be $12,” Becca snapped.

He turned back to face her, holding the cash out. “Here, damn,” he said. “You ain’t gotta yell.”

Becca snatched the money from him, slamming his change on the counter. “It’ll be out,” she said. She pushed through the doors, disappearing into the kitchen.

“What the hell?” He asked himself. “What did I do?”

He tucked the coins into his pocket, shaking his head. “So much for catching up.”

—------------------------------------------------------

Lisa walked into the store, smiling at the old man behind the register. He gave her a small wave before returning to his book. The walls were a mixture of painted drywall and old wood paneling. It was a homey feeling she was used to, reminding her of her old room at the ranch.

Someone had mopped recently. The white linoleum tile smelling of lemon cleaner reached her nose. She tucked her hands into her pockets, walking over to the drink coolers. She wondered whether coming out here with Jake had been a good idea. So far, it had been an emotional roller coaster of hell.

She was excited about the different scenery and meeting new people; some of which she could do without. Jake mentioned love, but he also wanted to be bossy with her and her eating habits. Could she deal with that?

She grabbed two bottles of Coke and found a shopping basket at the end of an aisle. Placing the two bottles in it, she grabbed the handles and walked up and down the few rows of shelves. In the personal care section, she selected a box of condoms and a bottle of aspirin.

In another aisle, she found a bag of chips she liked. Ten minutes later, she checked out with the old timer, and placed her new beanie hat on her head. Her coat was nice, but her head was cold, too. She was always cold these days.

Jake burst through the door into the freezing air outside. Looking around him, he threw a hand up when he saw Lisa standing outside by the newspaper box.

“Holy shit, I thought I lost you!” He exclaimed.

Lisa grinned, shrugging her shoulders against the cold. A plastic bag swung at her side, the handles around her wrist.

“Just out here waiting for you, guy.” She smiled, wincing at the icy air blowing around them.

He frowned, but that changed when he saw her smiling. “Why are you out here? I thought you’d be inside the store.”

Lisa kicked at a piece of gravel while they walked to the truck. “Just trying out my new hat. So far, I like it.”

Jake stopped walking, Lisa passing him up. Sure enough, she was indeed wearing a new hat. It was a pink and gray knit beanie, with a gray puff ball on top that shook with each of her steps. She stopped a few feet in front of him and turned, wearing a toothy smile.

“Do you like it?” She asked.

Jake nodded, grinning. “Yeah, it looks great! Didn’t know this place sold ‘em.”

They hit the road again, their lunch in the bag between the seats. Lisa pulled the two Cokes from her bag, opening one and handing it to Jake once they hit a straight section of road.

“Oh, hell yes,” he said, accepting the bottle. “Thanks, Lis.”

She took a sip from hers, nodding to him. “You're welcome, even though it's your money.”

He shot her a confused look. “What?”

“You bought it,” she said. “I only gathered it.”

“Hun, you ain’t used to the exchange of money and buying things for others, are you?”

She shook her head, adjusting her hat. “No, not really.”

He nodded, focusing again on the road. “I gave you the money, so you bought it. It doesn’t matter though, your decision to buy it is what counts.”

“Oh,” she said. “Even so, I didn’t earn the cash.”

He laughed and pointed to his bag. “Eat up, girl. I can hear your tummy talking from over here.”

She sighed and picked the bag off the floor. He was right, but it conflicted her inside. The food smelled great, but did she want to eat it? She unwrapped her sandwich and picked up a half.

Turkey, tomato, and cheese with avocado. It looked so good, she couldn’t resist it. She took a bite, closing her eyes when the flavors hit her senses.

“Mmm, so good,” she moaned.

Jake smiled, watching her in food heaven. “Yep, that was my first reaction when I tried their sandwiches.” He leaned over and grabbed the bag next to her seat, removing a tub of the potato salad and a plastic spoon.

Lisa watched him, eyeing the chunky mixture. “I’ve never had that stuff before,” she said with a mouthful of food.

Jake took a bite, keeping the truck straight as he did. “You should try some,” he said. He stuck the spoon in the salad and held it out to her.

Lisa accepted it and scooped a spoonful. She sniffed it, eyeing the contents before looking at Jake.

He nodded, encouraging her to take a bite. “It’s mayo and potatoes. I think they mix a bit of sour cream into it, too.”

She took a bite, unable to stop the low moan that escaped her lips. “Ooh, so good.”

Jake barked out a laugh, thumping the steering wheel with his hand. “Yes, I knew it!”

She gave him a guilty smile while scooping more into her mouth. “Stop it.”

“It’s all about what you eat,” he said. “If you eat right and exercise, you’ll be fine.”

Lisa looked at the food in her hand and handed it back to him. “I should watch what I eat.”

He took the tub, but shot her a concerned look. “Hey, it’s fine. This won't hurt you, Lisa.”

She shook her head. “No, I want to leave room for my sandwich. I can’t fit much in my stomach, remember?”