On the Way Down

Chapter Twenty-Two

It's late in the afternoon by the time we step out the front door together. Phoenix hasn't hinted at where he's taking us, but the blankets and hoodies in the back of his SUV that weren't there yesterday have my attention. The daytime temperature in Las Vegas at this time of year definitely doesn't call for blankets and hoodies. Walking outside for ten feet from the house to the vehicle in the desert inferno is enough to need a personal bubble of ice cold air conditioning, although the heat will let up later in the day when the sun dips below the horizon and the ball of fire in the sky gives way to twilight. He's either taking us somewhere with cooler temperatures, or we'll be somewhere outdoors into the night.

Should I let on that I've noticed the blankets and hoodies and ask about them? I mentally strategize how to solicit clues about our destination, but then stop. If there's one thing I've remembered about Phoenix over the last few weeks, it's that he enjoys planning things for us and keeping the details shrouded in secrecy. Maybe I shouldn't ask questions or throw out guesses that could ruin my surprise. Plus, I'm all for anything he can focus on that sparks his happiness right now, considering the news about Len that hit him with the force of a Mack truck. However, if there's a chance we'll be gone into the night, then I need to get my energy to a level where I can sustain it. Afterglow brings its own brand of buzz, but I'm far from feeling fully charged.

"There's something I need to ask you before we leave the driveway," I say, right as we start moving.

Phoenix applies the brake and turns his head toward me. I can't see his eyes with his sunglasses covering them, but his dimple is already visible. He probably expects me to ask where we're going and is already coming up with vague answers or riddles to respond with.

"Ask away."

"Can you find us the most ridiculously high-energy music to listen to, and can we go by Starbucks on the way?"

His dimple deepens when he flashes me a full-fledged smile. "You're reading my mind. Yes to both." I expect him to resume driving, but he keeps his foot on the brake and lifts up his sunglasses so he can lock eyes with me. "Are you up for going out? I know I was all about it before, but we can do a Starbucks run and then take it easy if you'd like to."

"I'm good right now," I assure him. "I'm making sure I don't fade out later if we're gone for a few hours. You'd think I was up all night or something." I reach over and gently squeeze his arm. "Not that I'm complaining."

After a quick side trip to a Starbucks a few blocks away, Phoenix navigates us to a freeway on-ramp, with the requested high-energy sounds of Y2K dance music as our soundtrack. It's a departure from the love songs and random playlist reveals of our recent outings, and it's also a huge and almost cheesy throwback, but it helps to shake me awake.

The scenery of our drive is about as opposite to the Strip as it gets. My other Vegas expeditions have only been for a night or two and normally involved a concert or other performance, a casino, or a nightclub. I've strolled through the Grand Canal shops at the Venetian plenty of times, and I've been on the High Roller. I even did the LINQ zip line once on a dare. But I haven't ventured much outside of that area of the city, except for Torin's house, and now the neighborhood where Phoenix is staying. What I didn't know is how scenic Nevada can be, or what lies outside the city and beyond the only thing I know, which is the stretch of Interstate 15 between the Las Vegas Strip and California. Phoenix seems familiar with it all, navigating roads without the help of a GPS. I sit back and watch the landscape around us, until the road signs we pass clue me in that we're headed toward Arizona.

"Are we fleeing the state?" I inquire.

"Temporarily." He offers me no more than this and an enigmatic twitch of his eyebrows.