Chapter 277: Hitting the Road (Katelyn's POV)

(Katelyn's POV)

The steady rhythm of the tires on the asphalt was almost hypnotic as the afternoon sunlight cast a warm glow through the windows.

I leaned into Ryder, his arm wrapped loosely around my shoulders, his thumb tracing slow, absentminded circles on my upper arm. Every now and then, I’d feel him adjust slightly in his seat, and I could tell he was fighting off sleep.

The soft glow outside was beginning to fade, the daylight slowly turning to twilight.

“How did it go with your mom?” I asked, turning my attention to Jenna as I remembered that that was the last conversation we had had before I had climbed into the shower with Ryder.

Jenna shifted in her seat, turning her head slightly to glance back at me. The sunlight caught her face, and I could see the mixture of relief and sadness in her eyes as she processed the question.

“It was… hard,” she admitted softly, her voice filled with emotion. “She cried a lot. She wants to quit working for Harlan’s family, which I get, but I c