“Okay.” She swallowed, her blue eyes staring back at his. “Just let me close out.”
Minutes later, he felt like a winner as she walked out beside him and away from every other man in the room. Any man would feel like that with a woman like Paige at his side. Not a woman like her, but her.
“I can still take the bus, you know. Or I could walk. It’s not that far.”
Was she serious? “You’re not taking the bus. And you’re sure as hell not walking. Really, Paige, it’s no big deal.”
She sent him a quick grateful smile. “Okay. Thank you.”
They reached his truck and he opened the passenger door, offering his hand for a step up. She hesitated, and when she took it, he felt it tremble in his.
Was she afraid? As in, woman gets in car with man never to be seen again? Shit. He hadn’t thought of that. He rounded the hood and got in but didn’t start the engine. “I have a sister,” he blurted and she looked over at him as surprised as he was.
“Five brothers and one sister. I don’t know….” He wrapped his fingers around the steering wheel and looked straight ahead. “I thought it might put you at ease.”
“Thank you.” She sent him a grateful smile that was pure gold. “I appreciate that. I’m okay, though. Jenny knows where I am and she knows where you work.”
“Okay.” Of course. He turned the key and pulled out. “Hot? Cold?” He reached for the controls to turn down the air he’d had blasting earlier.
“I’m fine.”
“Hungry? We can stop if you want.” He’d like to stop. This ride was going to be too damn short.
“I’m fine,” she said again, and he caught a cute grin before she turned to the window.
She told him the first few turns and they rode a ways in silence. He managed to keep his eyes on the road. Not easy with Paige sitting so close beside him, her feminine scent filling the space. Light and subtle, but it made him imagine getting closer, less subtle.
“You were really good tonight. The singing,” he clarified.
“Thanks.” Her teeth scraped over her bottom lip and he just managed not to run them into the gutter.
“You sure you don’t want to be a singer?”
“Ugh. No.” She scrunched up her nose. “I like to sing. I do not like to sing in front of people.”
“But you did it.”
“Yeah, well. Sometimes you have to do things you don’t want to do.”
He glanced at her profile. She didn’t sound bitter when she said it, or sad, and he wondered how often she had to do things she didn’t want to do.
“So you’re the youngest of seven? That’s crazy. Do they live around here?”
“No,” he said, stopping at a light. “None of them do. They all live in Virginia.”
She gave him a long, considering look. “And you live here.”
“Yes.” From one ocean to another. From his past to his present.
“Do they have kids? I only ask because you’re so good with Casey.”
He rolled his palms over the wheel. “Yeah. They all have several. It’s kind of a zoo when we’re all together.”
“Sounds fun,” she said, a wistfulness to her voice.
They all thought so, had all wanted that life. What was wrong with him that when given the opportunity he hadn’t wanted the same?
“What about your family?”
“Just Jenny and Casey. My mom lives in Texas. Turn at the next left, then the first right.”
She didn’t mention her father. More important, she didn’t mention Casey’s.
“It’s the next left, then the second-to-last trailer on the left.”
The main road into the mobile home park was gravel, and his wheels crunched as he slowed.
“This is it.”
The trailer she directed him to was similar to all the others. White with streaks of rust running down in places like brown tears. He’d never thought of a structure as literally being tired, but Paige’s mobile home appeared beyond exhaustion.
Her faded blue hatchback blocked the space in front, so he pulled to the side and stopped behind a white Chevy. He barely had it in park before she was getting out, not giving him a chance to open her door.
“Thanks for the ride.”
He cut the engine and followed her. She’d just rounded his hood when the trailer door opened and Jenny came out and down the steps.
“Hey, handsome. Casey’s asleep.” She gave an exaggerated wink to Paige. “You’re welcome.”
“Thanks, Jenny. I really appreciate it. Though there’s one little thing we’ll have to talk about later.”
“Really?” Jenny smiled in Jake’s direction. “I can’t imagine what. Oh, Guy came over and jumped your battery. Good as new,” she said, gesturing to the hatchback.
“Thanks.”