She had just checked in so most of her things were still packed. Once we were sure that we had gathered everything, we slipped out in the hall and made our way to my room. My things were still packed, other than my swim trunks and flip flops. I threw them into my bag and sank down onto the bed.

“What’s wrong?” She asked as she stood over me.

I looked up at Rose, hating that I had to ask her to do this to be with me.

“There’s stationary on the table beside the bed. Write Jimmy a note.” I looked up at her as she smiled. “You can’t tell him about me or where we are going.”

“I know,” she replied happily as she grabbed the paper and pen from beside the bed.

She wrote out a short note letting him know that she had received a call from an ailing aunt in South Dakota. She regretted not having a chance to say goodbye, but he was not in his room and the situation was dire.

I took the note to her room and left it on the bed before grabbing our bags and leaving by the stairs so we wouldn’t run into anyone in the elevator.

As soon as we reached the outside, I led her across the parking lot to my car, which I had parked in the lot a few days ago. I never planned on going back to my apartment. After our bags were in the trunk and Rose by my side, I sent Drake a text letting him know I still didn’t feel well and I was heading back to my place. If I didn’t see him before I left for Paris I would look him up next time I made it to town.

“It will take us almost five hours to get there, Rose.” I smiled at her. She turned to me, beaming, and slipped her fingers in mine.

“Actually, it’s Ruby now.” She winked playfully.

“I like that. It suits you. Ruby and Cameron.” She gave me a funny look when she heard my name before laughing hysterically. I joined in; her happiness was contagious.

We rode toward the unknown, not caring what the future held for us as long as we faced it together. If another storm approached us, we would be each other’s shelter.