Cash's Fight(69)

“Rachel?”

“Yes?”

“Relax.” He gave her a cocky grin as he pulled out onto the mountain road. “It isn’t like it’s your last meal.”

“It feels like it.”

Cash reached across the seat, taking her hand and rubbing his thumb over her calloused palms. Embarrassed, Rachel pulled her hand away.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught his frown.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Your hand. I just noticed something was different.”

Self-consciously, she rubbed her palms against her skirt. “I should wear gloves more often. I get caught up—”#p#分页标题#e#

“I don’t give a shit about a few calluses; it’s just that something’s different.”

“What?” Curiously, she looked over at him in the dim interior of the truck.

“They aren’t warm like they used to be. Whenever I touched them before, they were abnormally warm; now they’re cold.”

Rachel turned back to stare out the window again, avoiding his probing gaze.

“I guess the old saying is true: cold hands, cold heart,” she replied ironically.

Sadly, Rachel thought it was his hands that should have been as cold as ice.





Chapter 24



Cash wondered about Rachel’s calm façade. The only hint she was uncomfortable with the conversation was the way she was twisting her hands on her lap.

The parking lot to King’s restaurant and lounge was filled, although Cash found a parking space toward the back of the lot. Opening the door, he was going around to open Rachel’s when he saw she was already sliding out.

“I was going to open it for you.”

“Why? I can open my own.”

Cash shut the truck door. The date wasn’t exactly getting started the way he’d wanted. Every time he was making a gesture, she seemed to want to keep a distance between them.

Sighing, he took her arm, leading her into the restaurant.

After a bit of a wait, King’s hostess seated them at a booth. Cash had intended to sit down next to Rachel, but she didn’t slide over far enough, and he didn’t want to make an issue of it while the customers from the nearby tables were staring at them with curiosity.

Once the waitress took their drink order, leaving them alone, Cash noticed Rachel’s hands tremble as she opened the menu.

“Why are you so nervous?” Cash questioned.

“I’m not. I’m just not used to everyone staring at me.”

He had felt the stares but hadn’t let them bother him. He had long ago grown used to being a topic of gossip in Treepoint.

“Are you ashamed to be seen out in public with me?” His curt voice startled her into dropping her menu.

“What?” Her confused eyes met his.

Cash relaxed, sensing that wasn’t the reason. “Never mind. They’ll quit staring in a minute. I think they’re surprised to see a Porter and an Adams sitting at the same table.”

The waitress returned with their drinks, taking their food orders.

Cash’s eyes met a pair of violet ones staring at him from a stool at the bar. He nodded at King—the owner of the restaurant who had married a member of The Last Riders last summer. His rugged face and sophisticated air had been transferred to the restaurant, creating a hit in the small town. The big-city feel was popular with the younger crowd while scaring the more conservative sect who were leery of embracing anything new.

The food was good, and Cash smiled when he saw the tension finally ease as Rachel enjoyed the steak she had ordered.

“I noticed your plants in the tank are growing larger.”

Rachel looked up from her plate in surprise. “You noticed?”

“Of course. I would be blind as a bat to miss them.”

“My brothers never did. They used to gripe about the money I wasted on the tanks.”

A thought struck Cash. He knew for a fact the job she did at the church store didn’t pay because he and other members of the club pitched in to give Lily her salary. He didn’t think her brothers were giving her money since they wanted her to move home, so how was she supporting herself? She had given Mag rent money for sharing the house, even though he had heard Mag arguing about it. She also bought her own groceries and supplies. So, where was she getting her money from?#p#分页标题#e#

He didn’t think she had started her own weed business, or had she? There was no doubt she had a green thumb. He started to ask, but foreseeing that she would tell him to mind his own business, he decided to find out for himself. It shouldn’t take much to do so; Cash was a master on the computer. He would be able to see where her money was coming from and if it was legal. If there was no trail, then he would have his question answered.