3:00PM: Isabel stretched and just ‘accidentally’ ran her hand down the back of Alex’s neck. He turned and smiled at her and was just about to say something when his stomach growled so loud that Isabel had to laugh. “Oh dear, we’ll have to get some food into you soon.” She thought it was much nicer letting him drive while she sat back and enjoyed the scenery. Him that is.

For his part, Alex was enjoying the drive. It wasn’t often that he got to have Izzy to himself. He felt grand driving beside the most beautiful girl in the world. Now if they could just stop and eat, he wouldn’t get interrupted by his stomach when he was about to say something endearing and clever.

Isabel pointed to the right. “That looks like a restaurant row type of place. What do you feel like? Italian? Mexican?”

“I’ma theenk I’ma wanna some spaget.” Alex quipped. “How about you?”

“Spaget it is!” Isabel laughed. “Lead on Alexi!”

They enjoyed a quiet ‘linner’ as Alex called it. A lunch-dinner. Isabel tried to enjoy it without worrying over how far ahead Max might be, or where. Alex was doing his best to keep her laughing and she was lapping it up. ‘You know, I could do a lot worse than Alex.’ She thought.

“So.” She said as she chased the last of her spaghetti around the plate. “I think we should stay here in Flagstaff until we know for sure which way to go.”

“Uh, that would mean staying at a… motel?”

“Alex, I’m not contemplating sleeping in the car for the next couple of days. Yes. A motel.” Isabel shook her head in amusement. Alex was such a dear. But a little old fashioned. She’d have to work on that.

***

Max pulled into a motel and parked. Maria woke up and looked up at Michael. ‘He’s so cute when he’s asleep. Like a little boy.’ She thought. ‘I wish he would hold me like this when he’s awake.’ Michael opened his eyes at that moment and looked into her eyes. For an instant, just for an instant, she saw the tenderness she always looked for. Then he yawned and stretched and used that as an excuse to take his arm from around her. “So. Where are we? Have we found Liz or what?”

Max smiled at him in the rear view mirror. “Or what.” He answered. “I think we should try to get a hold of Isabel and see if she has heard anything. And maybe get something to eat.”

Maria looked around. “A motel? This is not a restaurant. No one said anything about a motel Max.”

Michael gave her an irritated smile. “So. What. You were expecting to camp out in the car maybe?” Then he wiggled his eyebrows at her. “Afraid to be alone with us two hunks?”

“Michael, your head is altogether tooo big if you’d think I can’t handle being in a motel with you. Ahem… So Max, what’s with the motel?” Maria hoped she wasn’t blushing too hard.

Max got out of the jeep and leaned in on the window. “I’m getting us a room. We can freshen up and then find a place to eat.” He looked Maria right in the eye. “You’re okay with this. Right?”

Maria pushed her bangs aside and nodded her head. “Yeah sure, whatever.”

***

Isabel drove down the street looking at motels. “Hey how about that one?” Alex suggested.

“Water beds and adult T.V.? I think not! God, this is so sleezy, looking for a motel. At least we should find one that won’t have a leering manager, or cameras in the bedroom.” Isabel decided they had gotten into the wrong part of town, and took a ‘U’ turn. There had been a donut shop just a block back, and she headed for it.

Sure as sun means daylight, there was a cop car sitting in the parking lot. Isabel pulled up beside it and gave her best brilliant smile. The cop looked over then really looked. He straightened up and smiled back. “May I help you?”

In no time at all they were headed toward the better side of town and looking for the motel the cop had recommended. “Wait! We should go to this one!” Alex cried as they passed a Lazy Eight motel.

“And why should we pick that one instead of the one that cute little cop told us about?” Isabel asked sweetly.

“Oh no reason.” Alex said casually as Isabel drove another block down the street. “I just thought that since Max’s jeep was parked in the parking lot…”

“What!” Isabel swung the car around and headed back. She passed an irritated look at Alex. “You might have said so sooner.”