Promised To The Alpha Twins – Chapter 39

Although the bus trip had been somewhat uncomfortable, George’s presence was a welcome distraction. Anything to keep my mind away from what I was leaving behind calmed my nerves. At that late hour, there were few flight options. My alternatives were New York, Texas, and Iowa.

While New York was an intriguing option, my money would be spent much faster there. The flight to Texas didn’t depart until the early morning hours. Waiting until the sun surpassed the tree line and remained above the clouds wasn’t an option. The wait alone would undo me, my nerves would turn me into an anxiety wreck.

Iowa was the chosen one.

. Mild humidity from the bright sun, warm but not as scorching as Texas.

a plane ticket; my canvas bag served as carry-on luggage. Every dollar I spent weighed on my mind. Instead of counting every individual purchase, I pushed the number out of my thoughts.

nt since our last conversation, buried deep

mach had b

I released a sigh that I hadn’t realized I

and snuggled as close to the window as possible.

t into the darkness of the sky. I could have enjoyed this flight during the day. The thick clouds hanging in the sky resembled large tufts of cotton. At night, it was difficult to distin

nknowingly been creeping over me since I first got into the taxi. The adrenaline of sneaking out of the house had long faded. With my canvas bag tucked on the floor against the plane’s wall, I succumbed to the encroaching darkness.

Perfume.

lightly nudging my shoulder.

in a way that brought me a hint of comfort.

had used this woman as a pillow for the past few hours, and she had kindly allowed it.

was filled with warmth, and even at that early hour of the morning, taxi drivers and other drivers lingered outside the airport. Most of them leaned against their cars, smoking or chatting.

at the airport, I overheard two elderly women talking about a town called Pella. I

’s radio. I had asked him to drop me off at the nearest motel, one located downtown.

blue light blinked cautiously, and ivy and vines made their way across most of the building. A rusty blue railing ext

e same deep blue shade as the railing. Some doors looked fresh, as if they had been recently painted. The motel room smelled much like the hotel office, a fact I forced myself to push out of my mind, while the bed smelled like someone’s dusty attic. I nestled into it happily.

parents, talks about my future, or psycho ex-girlfriends. For just a fraction of a second, before two irresistibly beautiful faces appeared in my mind, I was truly happy.

slept well into the afternoon.

one of those horror stories they tell on TV? The ones about serial killers, missing women, and acts of violence.

e motel. After drinking a bottle of water and two granola bars, I changed clothes and left the roo

dded to the beauty. Lush trees and shrubs danced throughout the town, clustered on the streets and behind the buildings. The downtown area had that old-world charm, a multitude of colorful shops lining the streets. For once, hope filled my lungs and mixed with the lingering oxygen.

name as little as possible, working under the table was a preference, not a necessity.

to someone in each store, asking if they were looking for new employees. Many said no, while others asked for a phone number to contact me. Many of their faces dropped when I informed them that I didn’t have a phone, a weary look crossing their face as if they had many transient travelers looking for money. As my heart sank with each rejection, I took my time to check out each store.

e, begging for a small fraction of the money I had brought.

e heavenly smell. White and a light pink tone lined the bakery, with padded seats in each of the booths inside. Large round cakes an

a bit exhausted. Even from my place next to the door, I could see the tiny beads of sweat sticking to their foreheads. Their sandy blonde hair clung to their faces, but they continued moving as if they hadn’t noticed. The sidewalks were filled with people. I couldn’t tell if they all lived here or if most were tourists coming from the city. A small crowd