Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 78721 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78721 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
“To ask me to get his jacket for him. You only asked me out when I kind of cornered you into it.”
“No one corners me into doing anything I don’t want to do.”
T.A. shook her head, disagreeing with him. “You left the Road Slayers when you weren’t ready to.”
“Not because I had to; it was my decision when Grace asked.”
Eating her burger, she watched him as he ate his. Her nervousness was abating after their back-and-forth banter, allowing herself just to enjoy his company.
“Lily told Dax you’ve been friends with your group for a long time.”
She used her napkin to wipe her mouth before answering.
“Yes, we’re more like sisters than friends.” Happily, she answered his question, thrilled he was trying to get to know her better.
“Are you close to all of them?”
Uninhibitedly, she easily answered as she wiped her hands on a napkin.
“Yes, I’m close to them all.”
He reached across the table to take one of her fries. “You didn’t seem that close to Killyama the short time I saw you in her hospital room.”
Hearing the probing infliction in his question, T.A. looked up from her burger.
“Why do you say it like that?”
“She didn’t seem like she was anxious for you to visit her the next day.” She felt his eyes searching hers. “You’re not very good at hiding your emotions when your feelings are hurt.”
She waved away the misleading impression he had been given at the encounter.
“Killyama was angry that I drove my car to Treepoint despite Stud telling me not to. It wasn’t in the best shape, and the road from Jamestown to Treepoint can be dangerous to break down on. There’s no gas stations for thirty miles, and with the winding roads, another could tank you before you could get it off the road.”
“She was angry because you drove it just to see her?”
“Yes,” she admitted.
“Then I don’t blame her.”
She rolled her eyes at him. “Quit being so judgmental. First Killyama. Now the car I drive. I hated to give it up. Do you know how many junky cars there are just taking space in the environment?”
“No. How many?”
“I don’t know, but lots and lots. My poor baby is now sitting in a junkyard, just like thousands and thousands of other ones.”
“I’m good with that as long and you’re not driving it.”
“That’s what Killyama said. For a person I don’t think you like, you sound a lot like her.”
“I do like her; I like her more now than when I first sat down at the table with you. So, you bought another car? I hope it’s a safer than the one you had.”
Taking a sip of her soda, she saw that he was staring at her lips.
“I do. It’s a classic.”
“That doesn’t mean it’s in good shape.”
“It’s in great shape. Train had it restored for Killyama.”
“You bought it off her?”
“No, she gave it to me for taking Crazy Bitch’s cat.”
“She gave you a car because she wanted you to take a cat?”
“Yeah… it sucks. I get suckered into stuff all the time.”
His face crinkled in a smile. T.A. felt her breath catch, starstruck. She still couldn’t believe she was sitting at the same table with Dalton Andrews.
“Like sending pictures of your breasts?”
T.A. buried her face in her hands. “We were joking around.”
“It didn’t sound like they were joking.”
“Of course, they were. You just have to get to know us better to be able to understand our sense of humor.”
Bunching the paper wrapping that had been around her burger, she placed it on the tray, then began clearing the table.
“Charlie wants to close. We better be going; the snow is starting to get worse.” Scooting out of the booth, she started to take the tray, but Dalton beat her to it, carrying it to the trash can and leaving it on top with the others.
Putting on her jacket, she waved toward Charlie as they left. Usually, the restaurant was packed, but she and Dalton had been the only customers. As they came out, she could see why.
“Damn, I should have called and told you we shouldn’t go out.”
Worriedly, she got into the luxury rental car when Dalton held the door out for her.
“I thought they would have the snow plows out by now,” he remarked once he was inside.
“Welcome to small town USA.” Shivering, she folded her arms around her as Dalton started the car. “This is a secondary road. They won’t even try to clean this street until the main access roads are cleared.”
Dalton waited until she had buckled her seat belt before he started driving. Biting her lips, she mentally yelled at herself for not calling the date off. It was a good distance from the restaurant to her apartment, then it would be another three miles to Sex Piston’s home.
His driving skills kept them from sliding several times.