“Can you please stop doing that?” Liza asked.
I gave her a quick glance. “Stop doing what?”
“Sighing. It’s annoying.”
I rolled my eyes. “Well excuse me, princess, if I’m a little nervous. It’s not every day that the man you’ve looked up to your whole life gives you the opportunity to prove that you really do know your shit.”
I could feel her eyes on me when she asked, “You really do love my dad, don’t you?”
I was dumbfounded. “Of course I do, Liza. He’s like a second father to me.”
“Fine, you’re nervous. Keep the sighing to yourself.”
“What the hell is wrong with you?” I asked.
She shook her head. “I don’t want to be here. I thought I was going to be spending time with my father. Instead, I’m driving out to some remote-ass horse ranch with you.”
It felt like a knife in my chest. “I’m not really sure what the hell I did to you, but I’m sorry I’m making your trip miserable.”
“I didn’t say that.”
I laughed, “Uh, yeah, you did.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Yes. You. Did.”
She turned and looked at me. “No. I. Didn’t. Asshole.”
I felt heat move through my body. “What’s wrong, Jessica? Missing out on phone sex with your precious fiancé, Keith?”
She had tears in her eyes. “My name is, Liza. Not Jessica, you fucker. And I believe it’s you and Jessica who like to get nasty over the phone.” She turned her whole body toward the window.
My whole body slumped in the seat. I couldn’t believe what a dick I’d just been. “Liza, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to call you Jessica. I didn’t mean any of it.”
She threw up her hand, brushing me off. “It doesn’t matter. Please don’t talk to me.”
We rode for another hour and a half in silence. I was almost positive that I was on the wrong road. Liza was asleep with her headphones on. I pulled up the GPS on my phone.
Nothing.
I checked the gas gauge and saw that I only had twenty-six miles left on this tank. I hadn’t seen a gas station in miles. I nudged Liza and she startled, pulling off her headphones.
“What? Are we there?” she asked.
“I think I missed an exit.”
“What? How did you miss the exit?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know, Liza. I just missed it. We are in the middle of nowhere, I have no signal, and we’re about out of gas.”
“What?” She picked up her phone. “Oh my God. My GPS is disconnected!”
I rolled my eyes. “Like I said, Liza, there’s no cell coverage.”
“So you just kept driving? Like an idiot?”
I slammed on the brakes and pulled to the side of the road.