Chapter 102

Summer’s POV

By the time we screeched to a stop in front of the Holiday Surprise Inn—because they definitely surprised me with their neon palm trees and faint eau de mildew—it was well past my bedtime. I’d made the reservation an hour ago during an epic bout of highway Googling and promptly nodded off the moment we left the last gas station’s fluorescent embrace. I woke up only when Jared’s hand landed softly on my thigh like a gentle tap from the Sleep Police. My brain scrambled: He’s driving. I’m asleep. I trust him enough for that now? Weird flex, but I’ll take it.

My stomach churned in a not-very-fun “food coma meets road trip roadside special” sort of way, but hey—I had stuck to the carry-out sushi and bland burgers I knew wouldn’t have me hugging the exit ramp. We were in the clear. Probably.

He switched off the ignition, turned toward me, and gave me a smile so tired it looked like it needed its own pillow. “We made it,” he announced, voice as victori