Shaking, she slowly got to her feet, grabbed the pink washcloth from the table and held it to her head. Hoping Ben would believe the lies she was about to tell him.
Hoyt got out of sight and Annie pushed open the door to her trailer.
“You all right?” Ben asked, looking worried. He wore the familiar clean white shirt, pristinely ironed. He’d been sick recently, and he’d lost weight. No matter how tough he’d been years ago, now he was frail and he was old.
And he could not help her.
“Fine,” she lied with a smile. “There was a snake and I screamed and jumped and smacked my head on the cupboard.”
“I get those king snakes all the time,” he said. “You want me…”
She got in his way as he leaned to the side as if to see into the trailer, or, worse, try to come in. “I’m fine.”
That lie didn’t sound at all convincing, and he pointed up to his own eye. “You smack your eye, too? Your lip?”
“Please,” she breathed, unable to pretend anymore. “Please, Ben, just go.”
“Annie—”
“For fuck’s sake, old man. I’m fine. I’m exhausted and I just want to get to sleep. Leave me alone.”
His dark eyes missed nothing and she had no idea what he was thinking, but in the end he surrendered, holding up his hands and going back to his trailer. Taking all hope of rescue with him.
Annie was going to have to do this herself.