Chapter 9
Holly
“Come on in! Oh bless, were you two on that motorcycle?” a bubbly waitress with curly brown hair hollers from behind the counter as we step in trying to shake off as much water as we can at the door.
“You poor things look like you’re freezing.
Dang cold, spring rain! I have some towels in the back.
Sit wherever you’d like. I’ll be right back. ”
I smile kindly at the sweet woman before she disappears behind the doors leading to the kitchen.
There are some really nice people still out here in the world.
Jaxon picks a booth away from the spinning fan back in the corner of the diner.
Seconds later, the waitress is bringing us towels. Actual towels. I am forever grateful.
“Oh my gosh, thank you so much,” I say quickly, accepting the towel like a warm lifeline. Jaxon’s sentiment is the same.
“You bet! I’m Allie. I’ll be taking care of you tonight.” She looks up at the nearby spinning fan blades and frowns. “I’ll shut that off for a bit too. How far away from where you’re going are you guys?”
“We’re maybe about an hour and a half out still.”
Allie sucks air in through her teeth like that’s no good.
“I hate to burst your bubble, but those storms popped up quick, and they’re now saying it will be going like this all night.
So much for a small chance of rain, huh?
What can I get you both to drink?” She pops her gum, taking in our expressions as Jaxon and I eye one another, and she waits for our drink order.
“Do you have hot chocolate by chance?” I ask.
“Sure do,” she replies while jotting it down.
“Coffee for me, please,” Jaxon adds.
“I’ll give you a minute to look over the menus, if you’d like to eat while it’s pouring.”
“Thank you,” Jaxon replies, taking the menus and passing one over to me. She smiles wide at him, clearly affected by him the way I assume anything with ovaries is. I mean, even sopping wet, he’s freaking gorgeous. It’s just not fair, because I’m pretty sure I look like a drowned rat.
When she leaves us, he smirks at me.
“I guess this is one way to get you to have dinner with me.”
“Ha!” I chuff, looking down at my menu. Oooh, they serve breakfast all day. “I’m totally getting French toast.”
“Great minds think alike. I could go for breakfast anytime. I’m getting pancakes.”
“Is she right about the storms?” I ask over the top of my menu, seeing only his green eyes staring back at me. He obviously finds it amusing because he waggles his brows at me. I giggle and cross my eyes back at him. The throaty chuckle I hear warms me more than this towel.
“I’ll check, but you saw as much as I did.”
“Shoot, I left my bag in the compartment with my wallet and phone.”
“I got it.”
“Are those compartments mostly waterproof?”
“Looks like we’ll find out.”
I eye him hard, pulling my menu down.
“Yes, Sunshine, it’s waterproof.”
I roll my eyes at him, and he titters while taking a gulp of coffee, which he’s totally doctored more to my liking than I expected.
“Why?”
“It’s a dual nickname, and I think I like it. See, most of the time, you, with your golden brown eyes and sunkissed hair, hit me like sunshine, but that snark…” He rolls his eyes to make a point, “is just full of sunshine.”
“I guess it’s better than sweetheart.”
“I could always change it. How bout Darlin’ or Hot Stuff?”
“I’ll shut my mouth now.”
“Please don’t. I like your mouth.”
I let out a little sound of frustration. After Allie takes our orders, Jaxon unlocks his phone and looks at the weather.
“Will you please message Colin that we’re at a diner so Sydney’s not worrying?”
“Already did.”
“Thank you. So, what’s it saying?” My eyes try to see the screen, but I’m not close enough.
“Nothing you’re going to like.”
“Ugh…” I groan into my hands.
“No, none of that. This is an adventure. Drink your hot chocolate.”
I look up at Jaxon incredulously through my fingertips.
“An adventure?”
“Anything I get to do with you is an adventure.”
Aww, that is actually kind of sweet.
Jaxon pulls out of his jacket, and I admire the way his wet shirt stretches against his pecs.
“You know, for someone so exasperated with me all the time, you really like checking me out.”
I glance up at his eyes filled with amusement and narrow mine for a second before remembering my manners.
“Sorry.”
“Don’t be. I’m not.”
Scoffing at his words, I take another sip of my hot chocolate and look out the window.
“Hol?”
I look back over at him tentatively, knowing that tone is more serious than my light-hearted Jaxon.
My? Shut up, brain, you know what I mean.
“Jaxon?” I ask in like.
“Will you tell me about him?”
“Who?” Even though I know.
“Michael.”
“Which one of them gave you his name?”
“Doesn’t matter. They didn’t tell me anything. They just wanted me to know that the source of your distrust and anger was more about him than me.”
I curse under my breath and look back out the window.
“Hol?”
When I don’t answer, he reaches out and grabs my empty hand. I try to ignore the way that feels. I look back toward him, and damn it, he’s not going to let this go.
“Michael’s my ex-fiancé.”
“Here’s your food. Smells good. I’ll bring back some syrup. Can you think of anything else you’d like me to bring back? Need refills? Water?” Allie rambles as she sets the food down for us. She can probably feel the tension between us. Jaxon lets go of my hand.
“I think the syrup and two waters should be sufficient. Thanks, Allie,” he replies smoothly, and Allie’s got stars in her eyes.
“I’ll be right back with that.”
She all but skips away, and I feel the insane urge to yank on her ponytail. Petty. I know. He’s not even mine. When my eyes turn back to the table, I notice he’s gazing at me intently as if he could literally see my thoughts.
“Are you feeling territorial?”
“No,” I sputter a little too quickly.
“Don’t worry, Darlin’, I’m not interested in anyone except for the woman I’m sharing a meal with.”
I bite down hard on my lip, and he chuckles because he’s pushing me with the nicknames.
“Okay, no Darlin’.” He points his fork back at me, then pauses while Allie sets down the syrup and waters. He smiles in thanks. I don’t look at her. “But back to Michael.”
“I don’t want to talk about Michael. Michael’s not ruining my French toast.”
Jaxon raises his hands in surrender.
“Okay.”
I sigh with exasperation.
“They were right though. It’s more about my past than you.”
“So you don’t hate me?”
“I don’t hate you, Jaxon.”
“Do you have a crush on me?” He toys with me, a hint of dimple distracting me as he tries not to smile too wide while he chews.
“Don’t push your luck.”
He muffles his chuckle with more pancakes.
You soooo have a crush on him.
???
Jaxon
The rain’s not going to let up. I text Colin that we’ll be there tomorrow morning at a decent hour. Allie comes back with our check, and I grab it from her.
“Allie, where can we hole up around here for the night that’s decent?” I ask, watching Holly’s eyes widen like she didn’t expect us to really have to find a different place to stay.
“That’ll be the small motel about a quarter-mile down on your right. It’s the only one in town. Next town over is another ten miles, and they’re smaller than us. I don’t think they have a motel.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
“You bet, hun.”
I look over and see Holly eyeing Allie hard again, like the last time, as she walks away to process the payment. It’s cute. I like jealous on her. Especially when it comes to me.
“Think she’ll write her number on the back of my receipt?”
“Do you want me to just ask her for it for you?”
Oh shit, too far.
“No. I was just teasing.”
We wait for a few more minutes as we watch for another lull in the rain before making a run for it.
True to her word, the motel is in fact just a little down the road.
It doesn’t look like it’s in complete disrepair, so I’m hopeful.
The ‘vacancy’ light is lit up by the neon sign.
We park as close as possible and hustle into the office area.
A woman probably in her late forties is at the desk. She looks up and smiles.
“Hi there! I’m Peggy. You guys need a place for the night?”
“Yes, please. It’s not exactly motorcycle-friendly out there this evening,” I say with an annoyed chuff.
“Oh my gosh, that definitely explains why you’re soaked to the bone.”
“I’ll be right back. I’m gonna call Sydney,” Holly says before turning, then turning right back around toward me with a grimace. “Can I use your phone? Mine’s still locked up in the bike.” I unlock my screen and hand it to her, watching her step out under the awning.
“Two rooms close together if you have them.”
“Oh, um…I only have one left.”
Ha. Just our luck.
“That’ll have to work. Is it one bed or two?” I ask, handing over my information and card to put on file. She clears her throat politely, and I look up from signing the document.
“One bed. I hope that will be okay.”
“No worries, Peggy. Thank you.”
Peggy hands over the key and bids me good night. I turn the knob and push out into the tempest, ready to face the inevitable freakout when I tell her.
“So, where are our rooms at?”
“About that.”
“Don’t tell me the vacancy sign was a mistake when she looked at her books.”
“No, we got a room.”
Holly sighs with relief, but then the words sink in, and her body stiffens.
“A room?” Holly’s eyes widen. “As in one room? Uno?”
“Uno. The last room.”
Holly looks up at the awning keeping us from getting even more wet than we already are.
“Here’s the key. You go on up, and I’ll grab our things.”
I hand her the little key attached to a purple circle with the room number on it, jingling it so that she looks back down and takes it. She hasn’t heard the other part of the news yet. While I am actually thrilled to share a bed with her, I know she’s going to be less than excited.
“I’ll hit the vending on the way up to grab some drinks and a couple snacks.”
“I’ll pay you back my half. I promise.”
“Hey, it’s no big deal.”
She turns around, and I hear her mutter, “One stinking room.” I press my lips together, trying not to laugh. It’s not funny. It’s totally funny.
I manage to get all of our things without dropping anything in a puddle and score the last few good snacks along with two sodas and the last bottle of water out of the vending machines.
When I get to our cracked door, I find Holly sitting at the table staring at the one, very empty, out- of-any-other-options bed in this motel.