Chapter 27

Where was the scenery? The ocean? The mountains?

But Xavier didn’t want to take the scenic route, insisting they make good time and arrive in Florida later tonight. He yearned to see the sun rise in Daytona Beach.

Billy wasn’t even quite sure where that city was. Xavier said it was somewhere in the middle of Florida and that his father had taken him there once, at age ten or eleven. Xavier had fond memories of the place. The thought of seeing the Atlantic sea, of walking barefoot in the sand, and of being two days away from home, was exhilarating.

Now Billy’s heart started to race again. He’d never felt so free. So close to true happiness.

But he really needed to call his mother. They hadn’t spoken since last month, and if his moving to the city had worried her—well, thiswas going to be a tough sell for sure. How was he going to break this news to her? She hadn’t even met Xavier. This was so wild.