Find Her, Keep Her (CFTM Sequel)

Chapter 27 (Part 2)

*Note: Click the Youtube link above to listen to the Audiobook Version of this chapter voiced by Kristen Maglonzo featuring music by Tommy Lee (Ft. Andrew McMahon), The Used, and Paramore.

Elias

The flash of red and blue sirens light up the rearview mirror right as a patrol car pulls up behind us. He signals us off the freeway, and my hands are shaking so badly, I can barely hold the wheel straight as we exit.

Jersey tries to calm me down once I park the car, but I'm scared shitless. We're in someone else's ride in the middle of some quiet rich suburb a couple miles outside of San Diego, and I have a fucking record.

It'd be different if I had a sparkly clean driving history like Tanner's,--but I don't.

I have an accident everybody in San Diego remembers, and I don't need anymore reminders .

I reach for my wallet, but my hands are so unsteady it slips right out of my grip and tumbles to the floor.

I check the rearview and spot a cop with a shaved head sauntering over towards the car.

"Can you do me a favor, Jersey?"

My voice comes out broken and hollow, and I can't stand the sound.

"Whatever you need."

"C-Could you grab my wallet for me? I-I don't want this guy thinking that I'm--"

She reaches down and hands me my wallet before I have to explain myself.

"Everything's gonna be fine. Cops are assholes, but maybe we'll get lucky with this one. Just have a little faith."

I wanna take her words to heart, but my pulse is picking up the closer the cop gets. I fumble through my wallet, find my license, and make a last minute scramble to open the small coin pocket full of anxiety pills Dan gave me for emergencies. My hand slips, and my pills go flying all over the place like confetti.

Shaved Head taps on my window, and I totally freeze up. I know I should clean up my mess, that I should do the smart thing and pick the pills off my pant legs or brush them to the floor. But I don't move. I don't do a fucking thing but sit there waiting for the world to cave in.

Jersey grabs onto my hand outta the blue and runs her thumb along the rough edges of my fingers. I don't know why she even wants to be anywhere near a guy who's this small, this weak, or this fucking pathetic, but she's still trying to calm me down.

She's still trying for me.

"Open up!"

Buzz Cut bangs his fist against the side of Indigo's car hard enough to rattle the glass. I roll down the window as fast as the piece of shit handle will let me only to have him shine a flashlight right in my eyes when I look his way.

"Evening, compadre--"

Strike one.

"--do you have any idea how dangerously you were driving on the freeway? You could've hurt somebody, son. License and registration please."

I hand over my license while Jersey pops open Indigo's glove compartment. He eyes the hell outta my ID and then stares me down with a crooked smile on his military-chiseled face.

I just wanna get to where we're going. I wanna nod and smile this asshole out of my business and get back on the road. But this guy doesn't look like he wants to be anywhere else but here.