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“Is everything okay?” He opened the trunk.
“She needed to vent. My dad retired late last year, and he’s driving her crazy.” A tentative smile settled on her glossed lips.
“That all you’re bringing? We’ll be gone a week, you know?”
“I have everything I need. When you schlep your own luggage as much as I do, you learn to pack light.”
Bree eschewed his offer to take her bag. She lifted the small, black bag into the trunk. The band at her waist rose, providing Wes with a glimpse of the tattoo on her lower right side. A vibrant, purple butterfly landing on a lotus blossom rendered in a deep, rich shade of pink. He’d seen dozens of glossy photos of Bree online and in magazines. That tattoo hadn’t been in a single one. He would’ve remembered. So it was a recent addition. Or maybe she’d always had it airbrushed out of her photos.
What does it mean?
Asking was out of the question. Might as well confess he’d been gawking at her. Not a good move at the outset of their strictly business road trip.
“You’re traveling light, too.” Her voice broke into his thoughts.
“I’m a simple guy.” He closed the trunk and resisted the inclination to open her car door. After her insistence on handling her own luggage, he doubted she’d welcome the action. Instead, he gestured toward the car. “Shall we?”
“Sure.” An uneasy smile curled the edges of her mouth. The bravado she’d shown earlier was gone, if only for a moment.
It was a feeling he knew well. They weren’t on the road yet, and already the tension crept up his spine.
“Have you eaten?” When she indicated that she had, he slid behind the steering wheel and secured his seat belt. She did the same. “Good. We can hit the road right away. Got a long drive to Asheville.”
“I’ve always wanted to visit there.” Her smile deepened into one that lifted her cheeks and lit her eyes from within.
There’s that smile. The one he remembered so fondly from their night together in London.
“Good, because we’re spending two days there.” Wes turned the ignition, then headed onto the road.
“I noticed.” She waved a copy of the trip itinerary he emailed her because she’d insisted on one. It was pretty vague. Just a list of the cities he planned to visit and the dates they’d be there. “You’re not a man of many details, are you?”
Wes laughed. “You’d be surprised to learn that I’m known for my attention to detail. It’s an essential skill in planning and promotions.”
“So this list is purposely vague?” She held up the sheet again.
“I was going for Man of Mystery. Apparently, I’ve failed miserably.” He smiled. “So you’ll just have to take my word for it.”
Bree’s laughter warmed his chest. “So, Man of Mystery, what will we be doing in Asheville for two whole days?”
“Everything.” He wished he could rescind the word when her shoulder stiffened and her cheeks turned crimson. “I mean, there’s a lot to do there. Two days will barely scratch the surface. Got a few activities planned, but I don’t want to ruin the surprise.”
“Fair enough.” Bree stuffed the piece of paper back into her purse, then dropped her bag on the floor. “How long until we’re there?”
“It’s nearly a six-hour drive.”
Her eyes widened in protest. For a moment, he thought she might bolt from the moving vehicle. He held back a chuckle.
“Don’t worry, we’ll stop for lunch in Raleigh. Give you a chance to stretch your legs out and sample some of the best barbecue in the state.”
“Raleigh’s in central North Carolina. So will we be having Eastern or Western-style barbecue?”
“Someone’s been doing her research.”
“You said I didn’t know enough about the state.” She shrugged. “I decided you were right.”
They were silent for a few minutes, then he asked the question that had lingered in his mind from the moment she agreed to the trip.
“So…why’d you change your mind about joining me on this trip?” Liam would accuse him of looking a gift horse in the mouth. Still, he needed to know.
