Chance cut the ignition on the big pickup and jumped out of the truck. She reached for the handle but was surprised when he opened it and smiled at her.
“Mom raised us right, Lydia. Let me help you.”
His words from earlier, about having come for the sole purpose of seeing her, battled with her inner mantra that he was there temporarily. Confusion was the result as she placed her hand on his shoulder and allowed him to lift her by her waist and place her on the ground. Her heart hammered at the feel of his hands on her, and she bit her lip self-consciously.
“Careful, Chance. I don’t want you to hurt your back.”
“Baby, I routinely lift calves that weigh more than you. You’re light as a feather,” he replied, smiling as he brushed a lock of hair away that the steady, hot wind had blown in her face. His callused fingers were gentle, and she found herself mesmerized as she looked up into his eyes. Her heart hammered in her chest as she soaked up the nearness of this warm, hard-working man. It was going to hurt something fierce when she watched him drive his truck away again because she had a distinct feeling she was already past the crush stage.
A car pulled up next to the truck, and they were shaken from the moment by a motel room door shutting and the sound of laughter. Looking around, Lydia noticed the parking lot was full of cars.
“Shoot. It looks like I may be sleeping in my truck tonight.”
Making a split second decision she hoped she didn’t regret, Lydia said, “Nonsense. If there isn’t a vacancy, then you can stay with me. It’s not much, but I keep it clean.” She chuckled and said, “I’ll even let you help me move back in. Come on.” She beckoned to him as she walked past Gunther and patted his hood.
“So that’s Gunther, huh?”
“Yes. He’s never let me down.” Today was not his fault.
“Those little VWs will run forever if you take care of them.”
“He’s living proof of that. Well, I mean, I know he’s not…Ugh. You must think I’m crazy.” She was a little punchy and needed to go to sleep.
Chance laughed and said, “Not at all, baby. I understand what you mean. Vehicles develop personalities, and you’ve become attached to him. It happens.”
Her heart swelled with appreciation for his understanding, and she gazed up at him as he matched her stride on the cracked sidewalk. His hand slid around hers, and he smiled warmly at her.
As they approached the motel office, he released her hand and opened the door, allowing her to walk in first. Unfortunately, there were no vacancies there or at any other motel in the area, according to the manager. Families were even doubling up in rooms because there was nothing else available.
As they walked out of the office, the police officer who had spoken to her at the café pulled up in his cruiser and parked on the other side of Gunther.
Officer Sepeda climbed from his vehicle and smiled at her as he took a look at Gunther. “Don’t see too many of these around here.”
“No, sir.”
“Well, Mr. Cortez confessed to it all. He was blabbering before we even had him in the cruiser to take him to be processed. I don’t know if any of it will hold. They were going to take a statement from him and we’ll see what his lawyer says. You had witnesses to what he was doing in his office and the stuff lying in boxes in the back of his truck is pretty incriminating. All he kept saying was that he didn’t want you to leave him.”
Lydia shook her head vehemently. “I was nothing to him but an employee. He knew I was trying to earn enough money to leave Fort Stockton. Did you find the money he stole from me?”
He nodded and replied, “He said he put it in the office safe. The owners of the café will be in touch with you in the morning and fully intend to return it to you since he told us it was in an envelope with your initials on it. He must’ve thought that if he could keep you here by any means necessary that you’d eventually change your mind.” Gesturing at the cruiser, he added, “I have your things in the trunk.”
Chance followed her to the police car and lifted one of her boxes from it. Lydia took the lightweight laundry basket Chance handed her and the small box that contained her toiletries.
Officer Sepeda lifted the third box from the trunk, and Chance asked, “Is this everything, baby?”
Nodding easily, Lydia said, “It is. I never accumulated very much because I knew I couldn’t take it with me.”
“Well, lead on, Ms. Webster,” the officer said. “Then I’ll shoot pictures of the damage for the report and be on my way.”
Lydia led the way up the stairs to her room and unlocked it. The door creaked open, and both men placed the boxes carefully on the worn table, treating her possessions like something precious and valuable.