My Brother's Best Friend

thirty five

L A S V E G A S D A Y O N E

We stuffed our last suitcase into the back of Garrett's truck so we could finally hit the road for one of the best trips of our lives. Surprisingly, everyone wanted to drive separately, I guess in case someone wanted to come back home early.

"Hey baby, are you ready to go?" Garrett asked, coming and hugging me from behind. I smiled, wrapping my hands around his.

"Yeah, let me just go say goodbye to my little man quickly." I jogged back into the house and gave Boomer one last kiss and belly rub, "We will be back soon okay bud? The neighbor is gonna get you later and you're gonna have a blast with your friend Beau!" Yes, I'm talking to my dog. He is my kid, he has to know what is going on or he's gonna think we just left him.

I locked the door and jogged back to the truck, "Okay I'm ready!" I pecked Garrett's cheek and then put my seatbelt on.

He roared the engine of his F-150 to life, waiting a second for it to warm up. He turned to look at me and smiled. "What?" I asked, feeling embarrassed that he was still staring at me.

He cocked his eyebrow, "What? I can't look at my beautiful girlfriend?" I placed my face into my hands, not letting him see me, "Oh baby, don't be like that!" He leaned over towards me, wrapping his arms around me, and pulled my hands from my eyes.

I giggled leaning into the back of him, "Stop!" He rolled his eyes, putting his seat belt on and grabbing my hand before he backed out of the driveway.

We were finally on our way to Las Vegas, Nevada. It was going to be about a four-and-a-half-hour drive. We would have just flown, but we decided a road trip would be more fun. Garrett and I decided we would take turns driving each hour. Seems fair enough.

"Okay turn left here and go straight for two hundred miles," I told Garrett.

"Wow, only two hundred?"

I laughed at his sarcasm, "Yeah, it looks like it's a pretty straight shot. Maybe we won't get lost."

"Maybe." He mumbled, turning up the radio. Immediately I smiled at the song that started playing.

"You're a drive real slow, down a no lane road

To a house on a hill where the wild things grow"

I started singing along and only thought about Garrett during it. I did bring him home, he was worth taking to my hometown.

"You're wake up in pajamas, not a trace of makeup on ya

You're a help her fix it, having breakfast with my momma"

I turned to the left and watched Garrett sing along with his fingers tapping on the steering wheel. God, he was so cute when he sang. Well, he's cute all the time.

I swear we have the most diverse taste in music, we go from country to rap to classic rock. But I like the diversity, we don't settle on one thing I like having more than one option on the radio.

He turned the radio back down after the song finished, "We need to get gas, I'm gonna pull off at the next exit."

"Okay! I'll drive after." Since I didn't want to make him drive the whole way to Nevada.

He nodded his head and steered toward the exit ramp so we could head to the nearest gas station. He pulled swiftly into the gas station, placing the truck into park. Garrett got out and started pumping the gas while I got out of the and started adjusting the driver's seat to my liking.

"Babe," Garrett said, poking his head in the door, "Do you want anything inside the store? I'm gonna grab some snacks."

"Mm, grab me some beef jerky!"