Billie had been driving for 13 hours straight. She had managed to make it to Utah and finally stopped in a town called Wendover for a motel and to sleep. The keep was still driving like a charm and she was thankful for it. She pulled into a small motel across the street from a casino. She walked into the lobby and asked for a room, and the clerk said there was only one left. The small, desert town was crowded more than usual due to a speed racing event at the Salt Flats. She had seen it on the drive in. White salt covering the ground for miles. Engine building enthusiasts had used the vast, open land for setting land speed records for years.
"I'll take it." She said. The clerk nodded and took her money, grateful for a place to sleep. She checked into the room on the main floor and sat down on the bed, happy to just sit in silence. She plugged her cell in and walked out though a slider door and onto the small patio outside of her room, overlooking the pool.
"Hey there." Two men said, walking by. She put her head down and walked back inside her room, closing and locking the door. She wasn't in the mood to talk to strangers, especially male ones. She laid back on the bed and fell asleep almost instantly.
A few hours later, she was startled awake by people talking outside of her room. She sat up and listened to them talking about their day, about their cars and motorcycles and how well or bad they did. She heard women talking with them so she felt a little safer. She walked out onto the patio and saw they were next door, and they waved hello and offered her a beer. She took it and smiled. She needed one.
"Here for the event?" One of the men asked. She shook her head.
"Yeah. Me neither." A woman with them said.
"Ah stop it, Carla. You know you love having a racing man." One of the men said.
"I'm just here for the casino food." She said back.
"I'm Carla. Nice to meet you." She said to Billie, offering her hand to shake.
"Jane." Billie said.
"You should come to the flats with us tomorrow. I would love a female to hang with. Bill's wife is passed out. She's usually hammered before noon and not much fun." Carla said.
"Alright. Maybe I will." Billie said.
"Cool." Carla said. Billie knew she needed to fit in a little and if her ex was on her trail, making friends was key to blending in and having protection.
"Seriously though, you got a fella here or do you race?" Another man asked.
"I'm actually on my way to Reno, but I like passing through here this time of year and seeing the races." Billie said, lying through her teeth.
"Wow that's pretty cool. Most women wouldn't like seeing this, I'd imagine. They would prefer shopping or a massage or something when they are on vacation." He said.
"We all can't love comparing penis sizes and engine revs." Carla said, rolling her eyes.
"Whatever, Carla." Her man said.
"This is Tim, my husband. And this is Bill and this is Travis." Carla said. Bill was older, maybe in his late fifties. Carla and Tim seemed to be in their early forties maybe. And Travis was definitely younger, late twenties at the most. He seemed shy and was actually pretty attractive. He still had his racing suit on, halfway, a white tee on top and the leather suit rolled down to his waist.
"Did you do well today?" Billie asked him.
"I did. I'm in the impound after making the trial run." He said.
"In a car?" She asked.
"No. Motorcycle. 650cc. Turbo." He said. Billie had no idea what that meant but wanted to sound as interested as possible.
"Cool man. How fast?" She asked.
"170 today. Hoping for 180 tomorrow." He said. She nodded and smiled.
"Well, good luck to you." She said.
He smiled and raised his beer to her. "Thanks." He said.
She smiled and nodded. This was going to be ok. She could lay low here for a few days and feel safe and surrounded by a bunch of good people. She exhaled and felt a small amount of peace, if only for a few days.