She swings over, and I wrap my big arms around her, settling her back against my chest while I encase her with my thighs.
“Nope, I have a better idea. Give me that back.”
I snag the coat and slide it back on, then tug her back against my chest again, doing my best to wrap the coat around us. Yes, that’s much better.
“Better?”
“Yes,” she answers drowsily, as if this newfound warmth, my warmth, could lull her to sleep.
I pull my phone back out and light it up in front of us.
“So, the good news is we might get a little lull. Just enough for us to get into town. It may still be raining lightly, but it won’t be like a few minutes ago.”
We look at all the greens, yellows, and oranges on the radar growing behind the blip that is going over us. That is a lot of rain coming our way.
“Maybe the other stuff will break up and let us continue. We’ll just have to get somewhere and see,” I say quietly, surely echoing her mind’s thoughts on how the heck the rest of this trip is going to happen.
Chapter 9
Holly
It’s still raining, but it let up enough that we were able to find this little 24/7 diner not far into town.
“Come on in! Oh bless, were you two on that motorcycle?” a bubbly waitress with curly brown hair hollers from behind the counter as we step in trying to shake off as much water as we can at the door. “You poor things look like you’re freezing. Dang cold, spring rain! I have some towels in the back. Sit wherever you’d like. I’ll be right back.”
I smile kindly at the sweet woman before she disappears behind the doors leading to the kitchen. There are some really nice people still out here in the world. Jaxon picks a booth away from the spinning fan back in the corner of the diner. Seconds later, the waitress is bringing us towels. Actual towels. I am forever grateful.
“Oh my gosh, thank you so much,” I say quickly, accepting the towel like a warm lifeline. Jaxon’s sentiment is the same.
“You bet! I’m Allie. I’ll be taking care of you tonight.” She looks up at the nearby spinning fan blades and frowns. “I’ll shutthat off for a bit too. How far away from where you’re going are you guys?”
“We’re maybe about an hour and a half out still.”
Allie sucks air in through her teeth like that’s no good.
“I hate to burst your bubble, but those storms popped up quick, and they’re now saying it will be going like this all night. So much for a small chance of rain, huh? What can I get you both to drink?” She pops her gum, taking in our expressions as Jaxon and I eye one another, and she waits for our drink order.
“Do you have hot chocolate by chance?” I ask.
“Sure do,” she replies while jotting it down.
“Coffee for me, please,” Jaxon adds.
“I’ll give you a minute to look over the menus, if you’d like to eat while it’s pouring.”
“Thank you,” Jaxon replies, taking the menus and passing one over to me. She smiles wide at him, clearly affected by him the way I assume anything with ovaries is. I mean, even sopping wet, he’s freaking gorgeous. It’s just not fair, because I’m pretty sure I look like a drowned rat.
When she leaves us, he smirks at me.
“I guess this is one way to get you to have dinner with me.”
“Ha!” I chuff, looking down at my menu. Oooh, they serve breakfast all day. “I’m totally getting French toast.”
“Great minds think alike. I could go for breakfast anytime. I’m getting pancakes.”
“Is she right about the storms?” I ask over the top of my menu, seeing only his green eyes staring back at me. He obviously finds it amusing because he waggles his brows at me. I giggle and cross my eyes back at him. The throaty chuckle I hear warms me more than this towel.
“I’ll check, but you saw as much as I did.”
