Page 50 of Raggedy Dan
“Thanks, Kathleen.I can’t wait to read the other books in the series.Safe travels to you and Stephen.”
“Thanks, lovely girl.Same back to you.”
She and Dan walked the perimeter of the room, hand in hand, Dan carrying all her bags full of books.
“I understand now why Mad Dawg insisted on all of us driving over,” Dan said, waiting for a crew of people to go past them.“Why don’t we go back to the room for a bit.Drop off the bags and then come down again?”
“Sounds good.There’s a lotta people here.I forget about the noise level when there’s so many in one space.”
“I heard that a few years ago they had it outside.”
“And it rained and rained,” came from behind a table at the end of the row.“Was a memorable time, for sure.”
Riley looked at the banner behind the woman and her mouth dropped open.“Nicole James.”She didn’t recognize her own voice.“You’re Nicole James.You write the Evil Dead MC books.”
The lady smiled and nodded, saying, “Yes I do.Have you read any of them?”
“Onlyallof them.”
“Here we go again,” Dan said softly.“I’m going to run these bags upstairs.Do you need more money?”
Riley nodded, keeping her gaze fixed on Nicole James.
“Okay, baby.”He raised his voice.“How much if she buys the whole set?”
“I’ll cut a deal for a fan.We’ll call it a hundred even.”
He flipped out his chain-drive wallet, and pulled out a single bill, then a second one.“Here’s some extra, just in case.Text me and let me know where in the melee you are, yeah?”Riley took the money from his hand, rising on tiptoes to press a kiss against the hinge of his jaw.
“Will do.”She turned back to Nicole James.“Nicole fucking James, this makes me so happy.”
“Just Nicole will do, who do I make these books out to?”
“Riley, with one ‘Y’.Thank you.”
“Riley, you are most welcome.”
When she finally made it back to their room after finishing downstairs, having fielded half a dozen texts from Dan, she’d expected to find him pacing the floor, anxiously waiting for her return.
Instead what she got was a Dan who was laid back on the bed, shirtless, eating peanuts with some bad reality show on the TV.
She loved it.
***
Dan
He watched Riley enter the hotel room, one hand full of bags, the other holding her key.She dropped the bags to the floor, flexing her fingers.“Next time we bring one of those trundle things.That way I get to keep you with me and don’t potentially damage my tattooing hand.”She came over to the bed and flopped down.Dan offered her a peanut, and she took it with her teeth, grinning at him.
“Did you have a good time today, baby?”He grinned at her looking at the TV, an appalled line between her brows as she heard the hated antagonist talking bad about the sweet girl character on the show.
“Uh huh.Why’s he gotta be that way towards her?She’s so innocent.Why’s he gotta be that way?Oh, no, do you think they’re going to show her his confessional tape?That would be the worst, to find out someone you thought was interested was really just trying to play you.”Riley glanced at him, her red hair flaring out behind her in escaping strands.“Gimme another peanut, babe.”She opened her mouth like a baby chick, and he obliged by holding out another shelled peanut.“Thanks,” she said, muffled, already turning back to the TV.
Dan grabbed her around the waist and drew her up beside him so her head rested on his shoulder.He ran the fingers of one hand through her hair, picking at the tangles left from the bun she’d worn most of the day.When her hair was smooth and tangle-free, he glanced at her face to find out she’d fallen asleep on him.
“Best way to end the day,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
