by Leah Atwood
“I’ll drive you to North Carolina.”
Complete silence filled the room.
She tilted her head, staring at him with wide eyes. “Say what?”
“Roxy’s already expecting me late tonight or tomorrow morning. There’s no reason we can’t ride together.” The words kept coming even while his heart yelled at his mouth to stop talking.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
He huffed. “You’re the one who traveled all this way to renew a friendship.”
“And five minutes ago you said you hated me. Small steps, say like, meeting for coffee, would make more sense than a seven hundred mile road trip.”
The stubborn lilt to her voice made him smile. She was adorable with her mussed hair and wrinkled clothes. A playfulness came over him. “For the record, I never said I hated you.”
“Yeah, yeah.” She clucked her tongue. Her smile reached her pupils. “There’s such a difference between wanting to and actually doing it.”
“There is.” He stretched his arms, reaching to the ceiling. “What do you say?”
“Think we can survive eleven hours in a car together?”
“Truck,” he corrected. “And it’s a simple yes or no question.”
“There’s nothing simple about it.”
“Yes or no. Final offer.”
“Fine. Yes.” She looked across the room, staring out the glass of the sliding door. “What about my car?”
“I’ll call Jay or Adam. One of them can look after it.”
“Who are they?”
“Bandmates.”
A broad smile lifted her lips. “I really am proud of you.”
“Some days I wake up and still can’t believe how lucky I am.” His phone rang again. “Watch TV or whatever for a few minutes. I have to take that.”
As he walked to his room, he shook his head, mystified by the morning’s events. Man, life loved to throw him curveballs. Certain he’d regret the impulsive decision to carpool, he braced himself for the long ride. Eleven hours. In close quarters. With his ex-fiancée. It was the perfect recipe for disaster.
Chapter 8
“It was nice to meet you.” Elle gave Maisy a hug. “When you’re back in town, we’ll have you over for dinner.”
“Sounds good.” Feeling like a fraud, Maisy eased out of the embrace. Dominic’s new friends abounded with friendliness and hospitality, but they’d assumed a relationship that didn’t exist between her and Dominic.
But why wouldn’t they have? He’d asked them to park her car at their house while the two of them went to North Carolina. Together. Anyone would assume a close relationship under those circumstances.
“Have everything you need?” Dominic nodded toward her car, still loaded with her belongings.
She’d retrieved only that which was necessary for the trip. “I think so.”
“Drive safe.” Adam took the keys she held out. “You’ll be back Sunday night?”
“Yes.” Even if the issues surrounding her dad weren’t sorted yet, which she doubted they would be, she was coming back to Nashville. That is if she had money. She tried not to sigh. As much as she hated asking for help of any kind, she knew she’d accept assistance from her brother-in-law if need be. However, when she regained access to her money, she would repay every bit that she borrowed.
The keys jingled when Adam turned to Dominic. “Give me a call when you’re an hour away Sunday so I can make sure we’re home.”
“Will do.” Dominic extended his arm, shook hands with Adam. “Thanks for doing this. I owe you one.”
Adam threw a wink his way. “I’ll remember that.”
“Ready?” Dominic looked at her with little pretense that he was prepared for the road ahead.
She nodded although her mind screamed ‘no’. For weeks, her brain and heart had been at odds with each other. Her heart lurched, giving her a swift reminder of why she’d moved to Nashville. She should be grateful for the opportunity fate presented.
Dominic opened the passenger door for her and her heart did flip flops. Surely he was only being a gentleman, but there’d been a time he’d done it because he loved her. She slid onto the bench seat, and he closed the door. The seat belt was rough, reluctant to pull from its coiled position. She gave it a yank, but it wouldn’t budge.
“Let it go all the way, then try.” Dominic hopped into the truck and sat behind the steering wheel.
Letting go, Maisy watched the belt retreat. When it stopped, she tugged on the metal latch and the webbings came out smoothly. The buckle clicked and she was secure. She looked down and in the middle of the seat, there was a hole in the bench’s fabric. Other than that, the truck was in decent shape for its age. In a year-to-year comparison, it could probably give Dominic’s couch a run for its money. “I can’t believe you still have this old truck.”
His hands clenched the steering wheel and his jaw tensed, showing off its strong angle. “Not everyone needs the best and newest of everything. Some of us take what we can get.”
Good grief. “I didn’t mean anything by it, Dom, just making a statement.”
“You called me Dom.” His Adam’s apple bobbed.
“Are you trying to be contrary?” They came to a stop at the end of the driveway. “If so, this is going to be one long drive.”
The muscles on his face loosened and he didn’t look as harsh. “It threw me off. You’re the only one I ever allowed to call me that.” A car passed, then he made a left onto the road.
“If it bothers you, I’ll try to make myself not use it again.” She licked her lips. Two minutes into this and the tension was already uncomfortable.
“Nah, it's fine.”
Whatever. It if was, he wouldn’t have gone weird about it, but pointing that out wouldn’t help the situation so she let the subject drop. “Baby Ethan is cute. Thanks for taking me to the hospital with you earlier.”
A hint of a smile appeared. “Yeah, he is. Thanks for helping me pick out a gift to take.”
Shopping for baby clothes hadn’t been awkward whatsoever—especially not when she imagined what their babies would have looked like had they married and started a family. Yeah, and she was the queen of England. “Glad to be of assistance.”
Their conversation faded away. In twenty-four hours they’d exchanged more words than they had in the last four years and she, for one, needed a respite from talking. As the day progressed, they’d become testy, reading too much into what the other said, and it was exhausting.
Three hours into the trip, Dominic pulled off the road, into a travel plaza outside Knoxville. “Might as well fill up now.” He drove up to a diesel pump and parked. “There’s a restaurant inside. Are you hungry yet?”
“I’m fine unless you want to eat now.”
“We can keep going after I get fuel.”
“I’m going inside. Need anything?” She gathered her purse from the floor.
He pulled a ten from his wallet. “Some kind of energy drink and a pack of peanut butter cups.”
“I’ll be right back. Don’t leave without me.” Her jest came out airy and desperate. Mortified, she jumped out and ran inside before taking his money. She’d have to use the precious little cash she had.
Once inside, she found the restroom. After waiting her turn, she washed her hands and noticed a sticker on the paper towel dispenser. It advertised a chapel service held at the truck stop. Interesting. She didn’t know such a thing existed.
Back in the retail area, she went to the coolers and grabbed Dominic’s drink and a bottled tea for herself. She went to the candy aisle and realized he hadn’t specified which type of peanut butter cups. Both the miniatures and regular size had always been his favorites so she grabbed a pack of each. She took her items to the register, paid for them, then returned to the truck.
Dominic was replacing the fuel cap. “We’ll have to stop somewhere else later. All that time and I only got a half tank.”
“You always did m
anage to find the slow pumps.” She got into the truck, and Dominic hung up the pump and grabbed the receipt.
“My luck, right?” He gave a half-grin and slipped into the driver’s seat.
Maisy set the bag in the middle. “Here’s your stuff.”
“Thanks.” He shoved the ten dollar bill at her. “You forgot this.”
“I got this round.”
His eyebrows rose and his face twisted, telling her Yeah, right, I know you don’t have the money to spare. “Dinner’s on me then.”
“Deal.”
She buckled the seatbelt and settled in her spot. Dominic drove out of the lot, onto the ramp and then the interstate. In the hours of quiet, they’d found a neutral ground. The tension inside the cab wasn’t so thick anymore and had faded to a mild haze.
“Hey, did you know there are church services held at truck stops?” She propped a foot on the dash.
“Nope.” He darted a glance her way. “That was random.”
“Not really. I saw an advertisement for one in the store.” Buildings whirled by as they sped along the highway and she studied them with feigned interest. “Do you think anyone actually attends?”
Dominic shrugged. “Probably. I assume there are churchgoers on the road just like anywhere else.”
“I guess you’re right. It seems odd to me since my family never went to church except when Dad wanted to make a statement.” Minutes passed with neither of them speaking. They were on the opposite end of Knoxville when she shifted her gaze to him. “Do you ever wonder if God really exists?”
“You too?”
“What do you mean?”
“I spent my whole life never hearing about God, and now it seems I can’t escape talk of Him.” He appeared to scowl, but she couldn’t tell for sure because he was looking in the side mirror.
“You don’t think He’s real?”
“I didn’t say that.” He steered the truck into the left lane and passed a slow-moving van. “Until recently, I never gave God much thought because I assumed if He existed, He’d never done me any favors so why should I care?”
“That’s how I’ve always felt.” She lowered her foot and sat in a normal riding position. “I prayed and prayed for my mom to be healed. She died anyway. Then Dad became insufferable. Nothing I ever did measured up to his expectations. And I lost you when I prayed I wouldn’t.”
“Coincidentally, I had dinner with Jay last night and we talked about this.” Dominic palmed the steering wheel. He opened and closed his mouth twice before speaking. “He said some things that made me think.”
“Like what?” She didn’t have anyone else to talk to, not who might understand.
“He said God wants our brokenness. That He can take that and give us peace in return.”
“Sounds like a fantasy.” Looking out the window, she watched the sunset reflect in the side mirror. She was so tired of strife in her everyday life, but did hope really exist?
“It does, but I can’t shake the feeling that it’s true.” He scratched his neck and moved his hand back to the steering wheel. “Jay told me his story, and it’s not pretty. Yet he’s happy and doesn’t allow the past to weigh him down. That has to mean something.”
“All the guys—Bryce, Adam, Jay—they seem like really great friends, and I’m glad you found them. I never would have guessed you’ve only known them weeks.” The lump of emotion returned. “Not just because of the band gig and all, but you deserve good people in your life.”
Long suppressed feelings passed between them. The connection they’d once shared had returned, if only for a short time. She was positive it wasn’t one-sided, especially when he looked at her and whispered, “So do you.”
Traffic came to a standstill from an accident ahead. The sudden stop put a roadblock on their conversation. Maybe it was better that way, for now. A sign over the interstate flashed a message announcing a fifteen-mile-long backup.
“There’s an exit a quarter mile ahead that has a hotel and restaurant. The food’s not too bad, but I’ve never tried the hotel.” His head moved as he surveyed the traffic. “Considering how far back the delay is, do you want to stop for the night?”
“That’s fine.” Frayed nerves sent pulsating shivers through her. She’d known they would stop for the night but had tried not to think about it. A shyness overcame her every time she thought to broach the subject of separate rooms. Since she was at his financial mercy, she couldn’t very well ask him to pay for two rooms, but the intimacy involved in sharing a room wreaked havoc on her already fragile sanity. Even on the definite assumption nothing improper would happen, the scenario conjured too many memories.
“I’ll run into the hotel first to make a reservation in case others have the same idea.” He flipped up the turn signal. Ten minutes later someone let him over and after another twenty minutes, they reached the exit.
The hotel’s sign was faded, but the grounds were trash-free and the landscaping tidy. As long as it was clean inside, she could deal with the outdated accommodations. Granted, she didn’t exactly have a choice in the matter.
Dominic parked under a brick canopy. “I’ll be right back.”
Say something, Maisy. Tell him to get two rooms. Truthfully, she didn’t know if he could even afford the two rooms. It hadn’t been long since he’d taken the job, and realistically, he might not have received any pay yet. Maybe she was borrowing trouble. She eyed him inside at the reception desk, wishing she had a clearer view, but the fading light of day into twilight, plus shaded blinds on the hotel’s windows, prevented clarity. Forever passed before he returned.
The metal of the aged truck bellowed when Dominic opened the driver’s door. “Good thing we stopped here first. I got us the last two rooms.”
All she heard was ‘two rooms.’ Thank goodness one crisis of mountain-from-a-molehill proportions had been avoided. Her melodramatic anxiety eased off, but the incident made her second-guess every decision she’d made in the last week. She wasn’t sure anymore if she could handle Dominic’s presence in her life, not in this way.
Naïve and lofty ideas had led her astray. It wasn’t that she’d romanticized a reunion with Dominic—she knew perfectly well a relationship with him in any form would be strained—but she’d underestimated the depths of her own feelings. There was no sense debating who’d suffered the most when she left, but she couldn’t help wondering. She’d hurt him, and he’d used that to hate her and put it behind him the best he could. She’d had nothing, except the knowledge she’d walked away from the best thing in her life.
“Earth to Maisy.” Dominic looked at her through squinted eyes.
“Sorry. I’m here.”
“I asked if you wanted to drop our bags off in the rooms before eating.” He pointed to two rooms in front of them. “We’re in those two.”
When had he moved the truck? During her mind’s wandering, they’d moved from the outside lobby area to the side of the hotel. “That’s fine.”
“Even or odd.”
“Even.”
“Here’s your key. Room one-eighteen.” He handed her a plastic card tucked in a paper holder that advertised a menu for a local pizza joint.
“Thanks.” She gripped the key and opened her door.
Dominic was already out, grabbing their bags from the truck bed. He didn’t give her the option of carrying hers and walked directly to her room door. Taking long strides, she followed and slid the card into the mechanism. A green light flashed and she lowered the handle, pushing the door open.
A musty smell greeted her. She gulped. Not off to a good start. The pale tan paint on the walls was chipped in many areas and the wallpaper border peeled at the corners. She twisted her gaze to the beds. The linens were old and faded, but they looked freshly laundered. Discreetly, she situated herself closer and sniffed. She could smell the fabric softener on them. A sigh came before she could stop it from escaping. No matter the hotel’s condition, she was in no position to complain.
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nbsp; “We can eat and hope the traffic clears if you want to go up the road further.” Hands in his pockets, Dominic’s face looked strained. “I didn’t know the rooms would be like this.”
The offer was for her sake only because she knew for a fact he’d spent nights in far worse conditions. Dominic didn’t have it in him to be fussy about where he slept, but he thought she did, thanks to her sigh. “They’re fine.”
His stance loosened and he dropped her bag on the bed nearest to him. “I’m in room one-nineteen. Come on over whenever you’re ready.”
“Give me ten minutes to freshen up.”
He nodded and left. She sat on the bed, pleased to discover the mattress was firm and to her liking. After last night, anything would feel comfortable, but she was surprised the mattress didn’t appear to sag at all, considering the age of everything else in the room. She dug her hygiene kit from the duffel bag and went to the bathroom.
Nine minutes later, she was knocking on Dominic’s door, one minute shy of the ten she’d told him. When he opened the door, the fresh, piney smell of soap teased her senses. Small beads of water clung to his neck, and the strands of hair framing his face were damp.
“Have your phone and purse?” He looked at her, then the shoulder where her purse usually hung. “I wouldn’t leave any valuables behind.”
“Right here.” She patted the bag. “Anyone who tried to steal it would be sorely disappointed.” A self-deprecating laugh fell flat.
Concern crinkled his forehead. “You’ll get through this. For the better, I imagine.”
Her heart flopped in her chest. Why was he so thoughtful and chivalrous all of a sudden? It’s what she’d missed about him, what she wanted to experience again, but it unnerved her. “I’m hungry. I hope the food’s as good as you say.”
“Would I lie about food?” He flashed a wink, paired with a grin.
“Absolutely.” She matched his smile and held up two fingers. “Two words—shepherd’s pie.”
“I didn’t want to hurt your feelings.” His hand went to her back and guided her to the truck.
