Chapter 6: She's Not a Fan - Or Is She?
1060 Words
The roads were icy, and the snow continued to fall, blocking Andrea’s view out the window. She didn’t know how Case was able to see where he was going. Many cars were off in the ditches. She was forgetting to breathe, she was so frightened. He took his time, driving carefully, steering around icy patches. They were out on a country road she didn’t know.
“How long does your phone say it will take to get to my mom’s house?” Andrea asked.
“It says four hours.” Case glanced at her. His green eyes were narrow with tension. He looked right back at the road.
Andrea settled in her seat, praying that Grandpa Jack’s surgery would go well. “Thank you for talking to my grandpa. He is a big fan of yours.”
Case raised an eyebrow. “You’re welcome. He seems nice.”
“He is. He has always watched NASCAR racing and was a fan of Walt Hanson’s when he drove the ten car. When he retired and you took over, my grandpa became a fan of yours. He always cheers for you.”
“Really?” Case’s face turned slightly pink. “I’m glad to hear it. Do you ever watch racing?”
“I used to watch it a lot more, when I was younger,” she admitted. “Grandpa and I used to watch it together. Now, I watch sometimes when I’m home with him, but I don’t usually have time to watch much TV at all.”
Case nodded. His hands gripped the wheel so tightly, his knuckles were white. He made it look easy, but this was a dangerous situation. “Who do you cheer for?”
Andrea wasn’t going to tell him the truth, that she’d cheered for him. She picked another drive. “I usually cheer for Gordon Jones.”
His nose scrunched up. “Gordo? Really?”
Andrea knew that Gordon drove for a different team and that he and Case had tangled on the racetrack a few times. She shouldn’t have been so mean to pick someone he didn’t get along with. “He’s a good driver. Hasn’t he won the championship a few times?”
“So? That was a long time ago.” Case didn’t seem angry, just annoyed. “I think he’s all washed up now.”
“Well, I don’t have time to watch racing now anyway,” she reminded him.
“That’s right. Because you are a big time movie star.” Case snorted.
Andrea felt her eyes widen. “What does that mean?”
“Nothing. I was just saying, you’ve gotten a lot of roles lately, that’s all.”
“Yes, but you said it like you were being sarcastic.”
“No, I didn’t mean it that way.”
She didn’t know what to think. He sure seemed to be taunting her with the comment. Andrea decided to be quiet and look out the window. All she could see what white, and the sun was starting to go down. Soon, it would be black outside. Then, it would be really hard for Case to drive.
Silence filled the SUV except for the sound of the engine and the radio playing softly. Andrea didn’t want to argue with him. He was so nice to talk her grandfather into the surgery and for driving her. She hated that she’d been rude to him first but couldn’t think of a way to fix it.
“What movie are you working on next?” Case asked still staring at the road.
“I’m starting a new drama in January. It’s called Captured by the Rogue. It’s a pirate movie.” Even thinking about the script had Andrea excited.
“You don’t say?” he asked. “Are you the lead actress?”
“Yes, I am.” She wondered if that would surprise him. She had played several lead roles recently, and the movies she was taking were bigger with more money for budgets, too. Her pay was also going up with every movie she made.
“That’s cool. Who else is in the movie?”
“They’ve only cast the male lead and some of the villains so far,” she said. “I know Lance Arteaga will be in it, and also Howard Brown.”
“Those are some big names. You’re really doing well for yourself, Andrea.”
“Thank you.” She wondered if he had any idea how true that was. She had come a very long way since she lived in a small house with her mom and sister, struggling to have enough to eat. If only her father hadn’t walked out on them....
When the sun went down, it was pitch black outside. Case had to drive even slower. It was so hard to see anything, even the road.
After a little while, Andrea saw a town in the distance. About the same time, Case's phone chirped, "Road closed ahead."
Andrea's eyes bulged. "Road closed?"
Case slowed to look at his phone. "Yes. It shows there's a big wreck up ahead." In the distance, they could see the red and blue lights flashing. "I think we should stop for the night, Andrea. Tomorrow morning, the road might be open again."
“But... we need to get home.”
“I know. But I don’t want to put you in danger by turning back. It might take hours to go around."
Andrea felt tears in her eyes again as she thought about having to wait until the next day to see her grandpa, but she didn’t have a choice. Case steered the car toward the town. With any luck, they could get some sleep and then make a fresh start the next day after the road reopened, but her heart was heavy with fear for her poor Grandpa Jack.
- Writer
