Running Wild

Running Wild by Susan Andersen

Book: Running Wild by Susan Andersen Read Free Book Online
Authors: Susan Andersen
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Pan-American?”
    “You’re the one who’s been studying the map. How far do you estimate it is to a city of decent size, supposing such a thing even exists on this road?”
    “If the legend is accurate, it looks like there’s a...well, not a city, exactly. But quite possibly a good-sized town in maybe sixty, seventy miles.”
    “Okay, then.” He gave her a brisk nod. “If it were me I’d probably risk betting on there being a place where we can turn this heap in for something newer and more reliable. But you’re the one responsible for the rental. So, what do you think?”
    “That you probably have a better grasp on this kind of thing than I do.” She shrugged, because she really didn’t have a clue what was the best thing to do. “It’s all a crapshoot,” she admitted. “So let’s go with your idea. At least you have one—it’s more than I do.”
    He gave her a slight smile, popped the last bite in his mouth, chewed it up and swallowed it down. Then he killed off the remainder of his beer and rolled easily to his feet. “Let me start up the car and see how she sounds. Then if your offer is still good, I will take you up on the driving thing and grab myself another brew. Because, you’re right. The last however many hours feel more like a couple of weeks.”
    They took off a few minutes later. Slumped in the passenger seat next to her, Finn finished his second beer before they were five miles down the road. Seconds after tucking the bottle out of the way, he was asleep.
    It didn’t take long for the silence to grate on Mags’s nerves. With no love of spending time by herself, she’d made a habit of surrounding herself with people.
    But she tried to be smart about it. She’d figured out a long time ago that it wasn’t wise to fully open herself up to anyone. Relationships didn’t last and she’d discovered the hard way that the instant she forgot that and tried to know someone on a deeper level, they were more likely than not to disappear on her.
    If that meant she had more acquaintances than actual friends...well, that was okay. It was preferable, actually. She could talk to just about anyone, and no matter how superficial the connection, she possessed a genuine talent for making people feel like they were good friends for whatever space of time they spent together.
    Yet here she was, captive in a soundless bubble, her only company dead to the world. And she’d admit it—that scratched at her last good nerve.
    By the time Finn finally stirred over in his corner, she was downright antsy. Generally she excelled at finessing a conversation. Around Finn, however, that skill seemed to slip-slide away with frightening ease.
    Now was no exception. She barely allowed the poor guy to stretch and blink the sleep from his eyes before she demanded, “So, why are you on vacation all by yourself?”
    “Huh?” He turned his head to look at her through heavy-lidded eyes.
    “Aren’t hikers supposed to do the buddy-system thing? It seems dangerous to be in the wild in a foreign country all by yourself.”
And why the hell would anyone
choose
to be alone anyway?
    “It’s kind of a moot point, don’t you think?” he said, giving her a level look out of dark eyes that had grown considerably more alert. “Since as it turns out I’m not in the wild.”
    “Yeah, I suppose so, but I’m curious.”
    “My plans with another hiker fell through.”
    Several beats went by as she waited for him to continue. Apparently, however, he’d said everything he planned to. Men were such a different species when it came to conversation. Would offering a few details kill them? “Why? What happened?”
    He exhaled a gusty put-upon breath. But he said, “My brother Bren and I had this trip in the works for two years, then early last year he was diagnosed with cancer.”
    Her heart clutched. “Omigawd, Finn, I am so sorry. I hope he beat it.”
    “Yeah, he’s now cancer-free. But his oncologist wasn’t overjoyed with

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