Page 65 of Don't Burn Bridges
Seth barely gave him a second thought.
Motels always had people coming and going, and plenty of guests stepped outside to smoke or take a call.
His thoughts drifted back to Shylo instead.
She'd sounded more like herself than she had the night before. The headache was gone, and she'd even laughed when he teased her about trying to work herself to death.
Still...
Something about last night kept nagging at him.
He could still picture the way she'd frozen in the middle of the conversation, staring toward the bar. Then came the forced smile. The vague explanation. The headache that had conveniently appeared not long afterward.
She'd never given him much reason to think she was hiding something. Aside from being a little skittish when they'd first met, she'd been open, funny, and easy to be around. Last night was the first time she'd seemed genuinely rattled.
He should've asked more questions.
The realization surprised him.
Normally, he never got invested with a woman enough to want to ask tough personal questions. Attraction had always been enough.
But not with Shylo.
Instead of putting distance between them, he wanted to understand what was bothering her. To make sure she knew she didn't have to carry it alone.
Before he could reach her door, it swung open.
Shylo stepped outside, locking the door behind her before turning to him with an apologetic smile.
“Sorry. I didn't want to keep you waiting.”
Seth returned the smile, though something about her struck him as... hurried. Not nervous exactly. More like she wanted to be anywhere except standing in the motel parking lot.
“You ready?”
“Yep.” She adjusted the strap of her purse on her shoulder. “I know we're already running a little late. I don't want everyone waiting on us for dinner.”
“They're family.” He reached for the passenger door and pulled it open. “They'll survive another five minutes.”
“Maybe.” She laughed softly as she climbed in. “I'd still rather not be the reason dinner gets cold.”
By the time he rounded the front of the truck and slid behind the wheel, she'd already fastened her seat belt.
“I'll look at your truck tomorrow after work. Sometimes it's something simple. If it isn't, we'll have Harlan tow it over to his shop.”
She smiled. “Thanks.”
“We'll get you back on the road one way or another.”
They pulled onto Main Street, weaving through the light Sunday afternoon traffic. Seth tried a few times to draw her into conversation, but her answers stayed short, and she seemed distracted, every so often glancing out the passenger window or over her shoulder as though expecting to see someone.
He caught himself checking the rear and side mirrors more than once.
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
Maybe he should ask if everything was okay.
Wasn't that what a boyfriend would do?
