Page 49 of Throttle Therapy

“Come on, let’s go feed you.”He loosened his hold so she could move to his side, but he kept his arm around her all the way to the door, which he opened and motioned for her to go inside then followed her in.

“What looks good to you?”Roadkill asked after they’d been seated and had the menus for a few minutes.They sat on adjoining sides of a square table.

“I don’t know.I don’t see anything that looks healthy.”

“There are a few things, but tell me what you’re thinking for healthy,” Roadkill said.

“I was thinking a salad, but the only salad like thing I see is coleslaw and that’s usually smothered in dressing.”

“Do you like coleslaw?”

“Sure,” she lifted one shoulder, “who doesn’t?”

“Darlin’.”He pinned her with a look that she’d learned meant he was serious and about to get bluntly honest.“I already told you that you look amazing to me.Order what you want.If you’re wanting something more healthy, go for one of the steamed meals instead of something fried.But I would rather you eat what you want than you worry about your weight.”He leaned over and kissed her hard.

It didn’t last long but Jenna only blinked, stunned when he broke the kiss and leaned back into his seat.

She was still staring, unseeing, at her menu when a teenage boy appeared by the table.

“Hi, I’m Logan.Can I start you off with something to drink?”

Jenna blinked at him, then at the menu again.

“Iced tea, please,” she said after a moment.

“I’ll take the same,” Roadkill said beside her.

“Great.Do you know what you want yet or do you need a couple of minutes?”

Jenna felt their eyes on her, but a lump formed in her throat and she couldn’t say anything.She glanced at Roadkill and he looked up at Logan.

“Give us just a couple of minutes.”

“No problem.I’ll just go get your drinks.”The boy walked away and Roadkill turned his attention back to her.

“Are you all right?”

“Yeah.”Her voice sounded dry and strained, even to her.

He kept watching her, but she ignored him as she looked over the menu.When Logan came back with their drinks, he set them on the table, and she immediately picked hers up and took a long pull before setting it back down.

“Are you ready to order?”the kid asked.

She glanced at Roadkill to see if he was ready.He nodded at her to go ahead.She placed her order, getting one of the steamed shrimp dinners, the corn on the cob and potatoes looked so good with the seasoned shrimp she had a hard time resisting.

“What was that all about?”Roadkill asked after Logan had gone.

Jenan shook her head.“I’m not entirely sure.I had a lump in my throat, then it was so dry I had to have a drink before I could get anything out.”

“But you’re okay now?”

“I am.”

“Good.”He watched her for a few seconds, then picked up his glass and took a drink.He shifted his chair, as if he was getting more comfortable.“Have you ever been out of Wilmer?”

“I’ve been to Mobile.And down to the beach outside of Gulf Shores.And this isn’t my first time in Mississippi, but I don’t have reason to come over that often.”

He nodded without saying anything for a moment.“So, would it be fair to say you’ve never been more than a couple hours from Wilmer?”