Chasing the Skip (19 page)

“Sure, Mom,” I said.

She didn’t catch my sarcasm.

“Okay. You take care of yourself.”

“Right. Bye.” When I hung up, I realized I hadn’t even told her that I loved her.

I sat there for a few minutes, hugging my arms to my chest. A breeze blew by, raising goose bumps on my skin.

Mom wasn’t hurt. She just didn’t want me. And I ought to have felt awful about that, to have hated her for it. But my chest felt empty, as if my body was running on fumes—no emotion left.

There was only Dad now. He wasn’t perfect, but at least he was trying. That’s what he’d been telling me all along.

When I came back, Dad was sitting in the cab of the truck, out of the snow. Who ate doughnuts in the snow, anyway? We were both a couple of crazy people.

When I climbed into the cab beside him, he handed me a doughnut. “So,” Dad asked, “you okay?”

The seat squeaked as I settled onto it. “I don’t know,” I said.

“You need a ride to California?”

“No,” I said.

He was quiet for a moment. We both knew what that meant.

“She all right?”

“She doesn’t want me.”

“Ricki—”

“No, it’s true. It’s really stupid, but it’s true.”

“So are you going to stay with me?”

“Why would you want me to do that?”

“Maybe so we can both have that second chance we were talking about.”

I wrapped my arms around my waist, squeezing tight. We were never going to get through this if I couldn’t bring myself to ask those unaskable questions.

“What if you find something you’d rather be doing than living with me?” I asked. “What happens the day I come home and you’ve gone off chasing some bounty and left me a note?” My insides trembled just thinking about it.

Dad paused for a moment. “I won’t do that.”

“What’s changed?”

“What’s changed is you need me.”

“Maybe I always needed you.”

“Maybe I didn’t understand that until now. And I don’t deserve forgiveness for that, but I am sorry. You have my word, though. I won’t walk away. I’ll give you a place to stay for as long as you need. That’s a promise.”

I leaned back, looking up at the torn cloth ceiling. I didn’t want to believe him. Believing him would set me up to be hurt again. But running away would turn me into someone I didn’t want to be—into a skip, even if I never broke the law. Taking that risk might be the only way to build a life that was real.

“Won’t be so bad, being in Denver. When we find a place, we can get you into a real school. We can even head back to Utah now and again, so you can see your friends.”

I stared at him. He still didn’t act much like a dad. And there was no guarantee that he wouldn’t dump me off somewhere as soon as he realized I wasn’t going to morph into some ideal daughter, even if I wanted to. But if I didn’t believe him now, I’d never know if what he said might have been true. I’d never know if he was ready to stick around. I’d have to run off, and where would that land me? I’d be like Ian—always running.

“I’m still not sure how to trust you,” I said.

Dad actually laughed. “I’m not sure how to trust you either, after the last few days. I imagine that comes with time. You try to stay out of trouble, and I’ll try not to get you into any for a change.”

“Okay,” I said. “But you better let me help you look for an apartment,” I said. “Because I’m not going to live in some dump.”

Dad laughed again, and I couldn’t help but smile myself. I’m not sure which one of us moved first, but we both leaned across the bench seat, and he wrapped his arms around my shoulders, squeezing. Our jackets squished together, and my face pressed against the melted snow on his shoulder.

“You won’t regret this, Ricki,” he said into my hair.

And for the first time, I really believed he was right.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thanks to Eddie, agent extraordinaire, for the sharp and diligent work on this book and, most especially, for putting up with my many neuroses. In addition, thanks are due to the whole team at JABberwocky—the best agents in the business.

Thanks also to Christy and the team at Henry Holt for helping to shape this book into what it is now.

In addition, thanks to the many people who read my early drafts and offered feedback: the Rats with Swords—Eric, Dan, Brandon, Emily, Isaac, Karla, Rachel, and Ben. Also the wonderful people of the BYU MA program, especially Chris and the best writing class ever—James, Erin, Ryan, Carol, Tessa, Shayne, and Lesley—who read the book earliest of all and were still encouraging. And to my beta readers, Sandra and Jillena. And thanks, most recently, to the Seizure Ninjas—Heidi, Cavan, Alex, and Lee Ann—for their support over the last few years.

Special thanks are due to Kristy, who never lost enthusiasm for my work, despite having read more undeveloped drafts than anyone. Without her excellent feedback, all my books would be much, much worse. Also to Brandon, for telling me I could do this, and then teaching me how. His continued support has been too critical to describe in brief.

Thanks to Big Mike, for the use of his name. And to Bob Burton, for writing the best manual on bounty hunting around.

And last of all, thanks to my husband, Drew, without whom I would never have thought to write about bounty hunting in the first place. Thanks for the hours of brainstorming, the feedback on multiple drafts, and, most important, for believing in me even when I’d lost faith in myself. Working with you is an honor; living with you is a celebration. I love you.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Janci Patterson lives in Orem, Utah, with her husband, Drew, and daughter, Cortana. Janci received her Master of Arts degree in creative writing at Brigham Young University. When she’s not writing, she manages Drew’s painting business, and plays geek games of all kinds.
Chasing the Skip
is her first novel.

Text copyright © 2012 by Janci Patterson

Henry Holt and Company, LLC

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Christy Ottaviano Books

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The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:

Patterson, Janci.

Chasing the skip / Janci Patterson.

p.    cm.

Summary: When fifteen-year-old Ricki’s mother finally leaves for good, Ricki’s absentee father steps in, taking Ricki with him as he chases bail “skips” across the country, but their fledgling relationship is tested as they pursue attractive, manipulative seventeen-year-old Ian Burnham.

ISBN 978-0-8050-9391-9 (hardback)

ISBN 978-0-8050-9637-8 (e-book)

[1.  Fathers and daughters—Fiction.   2.  Fugitives from justice—Fiction.   3.  Bounty hunters—Fiction.   4.  Automobile travel—Fiction.]   I.  Title.

PZ7.P276535Ch 2012      [Fic]        2012006164

eISBN 9780805096378

First hardcover edition 2012

eBook edition October 2012