Midnight Heat

by Cat Johnson

  “A helpless girl like me.” Her eyes went wide at the insult.

  “Yup. One who wouldn’t know a dipstick from a Popsicle stick.”

  She couldn’t argue with him there. She didn’t know cars, but it was still insulting.

  “That why you avoiding your mother? She didn’t approve of your little field trip? She didn’t sign your permission slip?” He grinned.

  “I told you, I’m a teacher, not a student.”

  “I know. That’s why I thought my joke was extra clever.”

  She smiled in spite of herself, shaking her head as she did.

  “It’s all right, you know,” he said.

  “What’s all right?”

  “That you like me even while I annoy the hell out of you.”

  “I’m starting to see that’s just part of your charm.”

  “Exactly.” He glanced at her and then back at the road in front of him. “We’re gonna get along just fine.”

  “As long as I don’t ask you about Bonnie Martin.”

  “Oh, you can ask—I’m just not gonna answer. Unless, of course, you tell me your little secret.”

  She shook her head, not joking this time when she said, “I can’t.”

  “Then neither can I.” His gaze flicked to the cell still in her hand. “So come on. Who’s calling you?”

  Phoenix rolled her eyes. “My friend Kim. She’s probably wondering what I did about my car. I kind of have her on standby to come get me if I can’t get the car fixed.”

  “Don’t you think you should let her off the hook for now and tell her you won’t be needing a ride for at least a couple of days?”

  “Yes.”

  “And you’re not doing that because . . . Oh, I know. You don’t want to have to tell her you hitched a ride with an incredibly charming though annoying guy while I’m listening.”

  “Don’t flatter yourself.” She turned to the window to hide her smile, not wanting him to know that was exactly why she didn’t want to talk to Kim in front of him.

  “How about this? I need a break to get out and stretch my legs. There’s a truck stop coming up in a couple of miles. I’ll pull over and you can call your friend back and talk in private.”

  “I don’t have to talk in private.”

  “Maybe not, but this way you can feel free to—hell, I don’t know—tell her how cute I am and all.” Justin grinned wide.

  “Yeah, all right. I’ll make sure to do that.”

  He laughed and, slowing, flipped on the turn signal. After checking the side mirrors, he eased the truck and trailer into the right lane of the interstate.

  She could use a bathroom break after all she’d had to drink that morning at the diner where she’d had breakfast. She hadn’t wanted to ask him to stop, but between free refills on her hot tea and then all the water she’d had, she definitely was happy he’d offered. And yeah, she did want to call Kim back so her friend wouldn’t worry and wouldn’t keep calling.

  She wouldn’t admit it to Justin, but Kim would probably have something to say about her hooking up with him for the ride. Phoenix never knew with Kim. She could just as easily freak out that her best friend had gotten in a truck with a stranger who could be a murderer for all she knew as she could get jealous Phoenix was in a truck with a hot stranger.

  Either way, Justin was stopping, so she’d get a chance to pee and call, definitely in that order. Now that her bladder had heard they were stopping, that need seemed more urgent than before.

  He slowed further as they neared the sign for the exit to the rest stop. Maybe she should grab something to eat, too. It was getting near lunchtime.

  Amazing how quickly the couple of hours had passed, but there were many more to go.

  Justin pulled the truck into the extralong spaces she’d always noticed were at rest stops but had never had need to use. He stopped there and cut the engine. “So I’ll meet you back here in say fifteen minutes?”

  “Okay.” She reached for the door handle, then turned back. “If I’m late, you won’t leave without me, will you?”

  If the line at the food place was long she might not make it back in time.

  He raised one brow. “You planning on being longer than that?”

  “No, but there might be a line.”

  “I won’t leave.”

  Was he lying? She didn’t think so, but still, it made her worry. “I won’t be late.”

  He laughed. “I said I wouldn’t leave.”

  “I know.” She opened the door, realizing she really didn’t know. Not him or what he’d do. Phoenix hadn’t even called Kim yet and her friend’s unspoken doubts were already infecting her brain.

  Phoenix decided to multitask to save time. She dialed Kim as she headed toward the restrooms.

  “Hey. About time you called me back. I was worried.”

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to make you worry.”

  “Where are you?”

  “Um.” Phoenix glanced around, but she couldn’t exactly answer the question. “At a rest stop on the interstate somewhere between Arizona and Oklahoma.”

  “What?”

  She realized how much had happened in a very short time. None of which Kim knew. “I’m going to Oklahoma to meet Bonnie Martin.”

  “What made you decide to do that?”

  “The guy from Oklahoma.”

  “Guy? Do tell.”

  Phoenix rolled her eyes. “There’s nothing to tell. The fact is, Bonnie Martin is selling her house in Arizona and apparently never coming back. This guy is moving all her stuff to where she is in Oklahoma. Kim, she’s living there with her mother. Do you know what that means?”

  “No, what?”

  “I can meet both my birth mother and my grandmother.” Phoenix didn’t have any living grandparents. Even her memories of them before they’d died were vague because she’d been young when she’d lost them, one at a time. That was one thing she missed, a lot. It hit her when Kim talked about her own grandmother cooking something special. Or her grandfather saying something funny.

  “That’s wonderful about your grandmother, but let’s get back to this guy.”

  “He’s driving me there because my car is in the shop.”

  “Okay. I need details.”

  “What kind of details?”

  “Start at the top and work your way down, and don’t leave out any of the important parts in between.”

  Phoenix shook her head. Typical guy-crazy Kim question. At least it seemed she wasn’t going to be subjected to a lecture about taking rides from strangers.

  She made it to the door of the ladies’ room and said, “All right. But I have to make it quick. He gave me fifteen minutes to use the restroom, get something to eat, and get back to the truck.”

  “Ooh, a taskmaster, is he? I like a forceful man.”

  Phoenix sighed at her friend. She had some pretty strange ideas about the opposite sex.

  Unfortunately, Phoenix didn’t have all that much to report.

  Justin was adorable, yes, with his suntanned skin and his sexy cowboy hat covering his light brown hair. Then there were those hazel eyes that crinkled at the corners because, when he did smile, he smiled so wide it reached all the way to his eyes.

  And he was nice and tall and muscular, and had a bit of a swagger in his walk that only accentuated the whole cowboy-ness of his boots and jeans. But besides that, Phoenix didn’t know all that much about him.

  Only that he was kind enough to give her a ride. And he talked about animals with more enthusiasm than any other subject. And that he spoke about his boss with a reverence usually reserved for a father. And that as much as he joked and complained about his coworkers, she could tell he really did love the guys and enjoyed working with them. Tyler and who was it? Colton.

  What he didn’t mention at all was his own family. Which only made her wonder if he didn’t have anyone to call his own.

  Then there was his secrecy when she asked questions about Bonnie. But that was prob
ably her own fault. As he’d said, he’d share with her when she opened up with him.

  “Um, hello? You still there?”

  “Oh, sorry. Yeah. I’m just in the bathroom.” And she’d been distracted by thoughts of Justin.

  One of the stall doors opened and Phoenix moved to fill the vacancy.

  “Aw, jeez. I’m all for multitasking, but please just use the bathroom and then call me back.”

  Phoenix laughed. “Okay. Probably safer that way anyway.”

  All she needed to do was drop her phone in the toilet. Then she’d really be in trouble.

  “Ya think? But you’re not getting off the hook. I still want to hear about Oklahoma hottie.”

  She laughed. “All right. I’ll call you right back. ’Bye.”

  It wasn’t going to be a hardship to talk a little bit about Justin, as long as he didn’t hear her. If he did, his ego would make the trip unbearable.

  In spite of everything, she was having fun. And if the end result of her trip—meeting with Bonnie—turned out as well as the journey to get there . . . that would be amazing.

  Chapter Fifteen

  It was late in the day, but he hadn’t checked in with his mother yet today.

  Though he’d never admit it to Phoenix, he had to be honest with himself—her company, uninvited though she had been, was making the hours pass more quickly than he’d ever imagined.

  That was one reason why the day had gotten away from him and he hadn’t thought to call until now.

  It was late afternoon, and though Phoenix hadn’t asked, he figured it was time to make another pit stop even though it had only been a couple of hours since the last one. He didn’t mind stopping.

  Driving long distance, not to mention hauling a trailer with a full load, was tough, and he could use a break himself.

  Besides, it would be a good opportunity to make the call in private. He didn’t want an audience for this.

  It was a risk to call at all. He knew that one phone call could ruin his relaxation and his good mood, but that wasn’t going to stop him.

  Even if he had taken this trip to get some much needed time away from the overwhelming crush of responsibility that weighed on him at home, he still needed to check in. It was the responsible thing to do, and for better or worse, with his father and older brother gone, his mother was his responsibility now.

  While Phoenix was in the bathroom, he hit the button on his cell phone to dial the house. He waited through the series of rings, but no one answered the phone. Finally, the automated message came on.

  “Dammit.” He said the word aloud and received a stare from the man pushing past him into the men’s room.

  Now he had to worry about his mother because she wasn’t answering the phone. Why wasn’t anyone answering? Where was his aunt? His mother’s sister was supposed to be there keeping an eye on things in his absence. He’d asked her before he’d left, and she’d agreed. She knew as well as he how his mother could swing from good to very bad on a second’s notice. One thing, a single memory, could trigger her descent.

  Pissed now that he couldn’t even trust family to be responsible, he ended the call and tried his mother’s cell phone.

  No answer.

  Heart pounding, he scrolled to his aunt’s number and placed one more call. Again, it went to voice mail. In a panic now, he considered what to do.

  He was still hours away. There wasn’t much he could do. He could call the sheriff’s department and ask them to stop over and check out the house.

  That seemed extreme. He’d hate to embarrass his mother like that. He knew everything might be fine. Or all hell could have broken loose. He could call Rohn and ask him to take a ride over.

  Drawing in a breath to calm the panic riding him, Justin did his best to think things through. He glanced at the readout on the phone. He’d leave messages for his mom and aunt to call him right away, and if they didn’t get back to him in half an hour, he’d consider calling . . . somebody.

  Shit.

  He made the calls and then headed back to the truck, intent on getting closer to Oklahoma.

  His stride was fast, his boots hitting the pavement hard, as he headed for the truck. He found Phoenix already there, waiting next to the passenger door for him, a to-go cup in her hand.

  “Hey. I beat you.” She smiled.

  “Yup. Sorry. I locked it.”

  “It’s all right. I wasn’t here long.”

  He dug in his pocket for his brother’s keys and then clicked to unlock the doors so she could get in.

  He strode around the truck, trying his best to ignore how closely she seemed to be watching him, as if she’d picked up on his changed mood. Of course there was a good chance he was being paranoid and imagining it. In any case, he didn’t feel like talking, so he hoped her soda pop would keep her mouth busy.

  He hoisted himself into the driver’s seat and shoved the key into the ignition.

  She didn’t try to make conversation as he pulled onto the interstate and punched the accelerator.

  It didn’t matter how fast he sped, he wasn’t getting home any time soon. Still, it made him feel better.

  The miles passed and the truck’s cab remained silent. He was grateful for that as he kept one eye on the clock on the dashboard.

  She glanced sideways at him. “Can I turn on the radio?”

  He’d had it turned off since she’d gotten in this morning, knowing from the trip out that he got nothing but static on the station it was set to. But they’d been on the road for hours and they might be in the zone to start picking up the station. It was syndicated, so it spanned a couple of states.

  “All right. Sure.”

  She reached out and hit the Power button. The song playing was barely audible above the static. She reached her hand out again, and Justin panicked. “No. Don’t touch that.”

  She glanced at him, her hand still heading for the dial. “It’s all static. I can find a station that’s clear.”

  He reached out and intercepted her, hitting the Power button and turning the radio off. “No.”

  “I’m sure there’s some station—”

  “Just . . . leave it off.”

  This had been a bad idea. All of it. Taking his brother’s truck to begin with. Picking up a passenger. Trying to drive while his mind was miles away in Oklahoma as he worried about where his mother was, what she was doing, why she hadn’t answered the phone.

  Just as he thought that, his cell lit up. There was a text. It was dangerous to check the text, but he couldn’t stop himself. He opened it and saw a message from his aunt.

  We’re fine. Will call in a bit.

  Taking a deep breath of relief, he tossed the cell back in the console. The worrying had exhausted him. He was still shaking a bit. Time for a break.

  “I’m going to pull off at the next town and stop for the night.”

  She turned to frown at him. “I can take a turn at the wheel if you’re tired.”

  “No.”

  “Why not? Because I’m a woman?”

  “No. Not because you’re a woman.” Great. He’d insulted her.

  “Then why not?”

  Thank goodness there were plenty of reasons for Justin to cite without his having to admit to her that he hadn’t let another person behind the wheel since Jeremy had died.

  “Because you’re used to driving a car small enough to fit in the bed of this truck, that’s why. No way you can handle a full-sized pickup hauling an overloaded trailer. That’s for one. For another, it’s Rohn’s trailer and Bonnie and her mother’s stuff and I’m responsible for it, so no.”

  “I could handle it.”

  “Well, you don’t have to. There’s an exit up ahead and the sign says there’s lodging and food and fuel. We can gas up the truck, get dinner, and a good night’s sleep and start fresh in the morning.”

  She let out a breath but didn’t voice her displeasure, even though it was clear to him that she was unhappy.

  I
f she’d just listened to him and left the damn radio station alone, they probably wouldn’t be having this debate.

  Even so, he felt bad. He was in no state of mind to argue with the girl right now, but he didn’t want to hurt her feelings. “I’m sorry. I’m not trying to insult you or anything. I just don’t feel comfortable turning over the wheel.”

  Enough said. There really was no more need for explanation.

  “It’s not that. I was just hoping we wouldn’t have to stop.”

  He shook his head. “Nah. We got a late start. If we drove straight through, we wouldn’t get there till after midnight.”

  She sighed again. “All right. Can we try to find someplace on the cheaper side?”

  “Uh, I’ll try.”

  “Okay, thanks.”

  She must be worried about money. He supposed she had incurred a few unexpected expenses over the past twenty-four hours. The repairs to her car, for one. The cost of getting back from Oklahoma to Arizona for another.

  He could offer to let her stay in his room. He doubted she’d say yes, but at least he’d feel better about making them stop if he offered.

  “If cost is a problem, I guess you could share with me. Nothing, you know, inappropriate. I’m just saying if you don’t have the money for a room.” He glanced at her. “I’ll get one with two beds. When the guys and I are on the road competing or hauling stock, we cram three or four guys in a hotel room, so it’s no big deal.”

  “That would be fine. Thank you.”

  He lifted his brows, surprised she’d agreed so readily. “You sure? It’s not gonna be a problem?”

  “Yeah, I’m sure. You’re giving me—a perfect stranger—a ride when you don’t have to. I trust you.”

  He snorted. “Well, you probably shouldn’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “A woman trusting a man is a good way for her to get herself into trouble.” And now that the offer had been made and she’d accepted it, he had to think this was one of the dumbest ideas he’d ever come up with.

  First, he still had to talk to his mother. He supposed he could step outside to make that phone call. But more than that, this sexy-as-hell woman was going to be sleeping just a few feet from him. Looking all soft and warm under the covers. Smelling all sweet and girlie, just how he liked. Taking a shower in the same bathroom so he’d have to picture her wet and soapy and naked.