Ray glanced at the hat on the chair and found some of his smile again.“Thanks.”
“You fancy yourself somewhat of a cowboy?”
“Something like that, sweetheart.”He leaned back farther.“You want me to whisk you off your feet?”
"No."Selena tucked the notebook into her jacket."But you'll understand when I say that, don't leave town."
The smile fell away.
Selena walked back toward the bar.
Roy met her eyes as she passed.“Everything all right?”
“Nice seeing you, Roy.”
Outside, afternoon light struck hard enough to make her squint.The heat inside the car had built while she was in the bar, trapping itself against the seats and steering wheel.Selena opened the door and leaned in, then flinched when her hand touched the wheel.
“Great.”
She started the engine and tried to lower the driver’s window.The glass moved down three inches, caught, and stuttered in place.
Selena pressed the switch again.
Nothing.
Of course.
She shook her head, put the air conditioning on, and sat for a moment while warm air blasted from the vents before beginning to cool.
The radio stayed silent.
Her phone sat in the cup holder.She picked it up and called Connor.
He answered on the fourth ring.“Chase.”
“It’s Selena.”
A pause.“What’s up?”
“How did it go with Carl?”
“Eh...You know.Fine.I guess.”
Selena closed her eyes for a second.She knew that sound.Years ago, Connor had used the same voice when she asked where he had been.The same careful emptiness.The same space where the truth had been folded away before it could be seen.
Back then, he had told her he was not having an affair.
Deep down, she had wanted to believe him.But there were anonymous calls.Late nights where he rushed off somewhere and seemed on edge.The smell of perfume on him.And then finally, the woman.The woman who came to Selena’s father’s home to see her.To tell her something.But she had been run down by a driver who was never caught.Selena had watched her die in the street.Whatever secret she had about Connor had seemed to die with her.
The vents buzzed harder.
“You didn’t do anything you’ll regret, did you?”she asked.
“No.”
“Connor.”
"I'm not a hot-headed kid anymore, Selena."
