River Wolf(15)

The cash provided her with the final answer of how to put Alba behind her fully. After the bank, she drove through a Starbuck’s line, grabbed two coffees and some breakfast sandwiches. Luc hadn’t asked, but considering his mood, she thought it better to feed the beast. Then she’d driven to the street she grew up on. Her mother wouldn’t answer the door even if she knocked, so she didn’t bother. At the mailbox, she slid the envelope full of cash inside after writing a note on it. Luc hadn’t said a word during the exercise, a fact for which she remained grateful. After sliding the envelope inside, she closed the box and pulled away. Not once did she look in the rearview mirror.

Putting a period on that chapter of her life left her stomach in knots and her heart aching. Luc’s constant fiddling with the radio and grumbling complaints sheered away her grief and replaced it with annoyance. When he reached for it again, she slapped his good hand. “Enough. The reception sucks and you’re giving me a headache.” Every time he flipped the station, the feedback or whistling seemed to slice through her. “Take a nap. Pretend to sleep. Daydream. Just leave the radio alone.”

A huff of sound punched through her irritation and she squinted at him sideways. Laughter wheezed out of him and she scowled.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, sweet cheeks.” He coughed, but couldn’t quite disguise the snicker beneath the sound.

“You’re lying.” She always had a good sense about these things. “And you’re laughing at me.”

“Actually,” he grinned, almost laconic. “I’m laughing at me. Not many people talk to me the way you do—or dare to slap my hand—and it amuses me.”

“I’m really surprised.” It was her turn to shake her head.

“That it amuses me?” Humor still colored each word.

“That more people don’t smack you around. You could use a hard slap to the back of the head.” Course, she was one to talk. “I feel like I’m contributing to the delinquency of a minor.”

“Trust me, I’m definitely of legal age.” He shifted again, the tick in his jaw and faint grimace betraying his continued discomfort. “So feel free to contribute to my delinquency all you like. How long till we stop for lunch?”

“We just had breakfast.”

“That snack was no where near enough food.” Pointing at a sign for a steakhouse, he released another harsh exhale. “They probably aren’t open are they?”

“Doubtful. You’re hurting. I know they gave you something at the hospital before they released you. You can take it…”

“No.” Adamant as he might be, no one should be suffering the way he was currently. “Yes, I’m in pain, but I’ll live. Pain’s a teacher. And I need my wits about me and the drugs don’t help, they just make me not care that I’m in pain and slow down my reactions. You want me to feel better? Help me find some real food, my treat.”

Colby shook her head. “You’re crazy.” But who was crazier? Him because he put himself through hell? Or her, since she was the one who let him?

“Stubborn. Mind over matter sweet cheeks.” The growl was back in his voice, and his expression tensed. Okay, they needed to get his mind off his agony or his blood pressure would rise and that couldn’t be good. If only she could elevate his legs.

“Maybe we should get you into the backseat so you can put your legs up.” She could fold the front seat forward. Theoretically, she could even remove it, but she had a couple of suitcases and two boxes in the trunk. All her possessions in the world fit in her tiny ass trunk. Pathetic. Or living light. I’m not tied down by material things. Nothing wrong with that, right?

“Tell me about you.” Instead of responding to her suggestion, he changed the subject.

“Not really any of your business. We’re strangers. I’m taking you to your destination. You’re paying me, I’m leaving.” And going south. Key West, maybe. She could get a job serving drinks somewhere and just soak up the sun for a few months. After…well, she’d worry about after when it got there.

“We’re not strangers. You’re Colby. I’m Luc. You’re leaving the town you grew up in and I’m going back to the town I grew up in. We have a lot more in common than you think.” Every word seemed to cost him to enunciate, but despite the sweat on his face he didn’t utter a complaint.

“That’s reaching.”

“It’s called a start. I’ll even give you another detail, I was in the hospital after a car accident.”