Page 11 of Chasing Honor

“She’s allowed. She says it’s her right.”

Honor laughed at Carson’s antics, then a sadness settled over her features.

“Thought you wanted something to drink?” I reminded Carson, wanting to change the subject.

“Oh, right.” She skipped to the kitchen before turning to Honor. “Are you going to rent the room?”

“I’m talking to your dad about it. Would that be all right with you?”

I may’ve swayed on my feet with the effort of picking my jaw off the floor. I couldn’t believe Honor would think to ask Carson her opinion.

“You seem nice. But Daddy says—”

“Carson!” I stopped her before she could say something that offended Honor.

“Will you teach me how to take pictures?”

“Of course I will.” Honor beamed. “I mean if your dad and I talk, and I rent the room.”

“Cool.”

“I take it you like the room?” I asked.

“I do. It’s perfect. So much better than the motel I’m staying in.”

Honor was laughing. I, however, was not. Different scenarios ran through my head about what could happen to a single woman living in a motel—all of them bad.

“Why are you living in a motel?”

She tugged at the hem of her shirt and diverted her eyes, the hair on the back of my neck prickled, and I knew she was getting ready to lie to me. Was she in some sort of trouble? And if she was, did I want to help?

“I moved here from Atlanta and didn’t have a place lined up. I’m staying at the motel while I look around.”

Hmm. A partial truth, but she’d omitted why she’d left Atlanta. My instincts were screaming at me that she was hiding something.

“What motel?”

She was quiet for a moment while she contemplated my question. Surely, she wasn’t going to tell me I was a stranger again and not tell me.

“West End.”

“The fuck?”

“What?” She looked around the room unaware it was her answer that had garnered the curse.

“That place is dangerous, Honor. I get called there at least once a week for a domestic disturbance.”

“Yeah. It can get loud. But I don’t leave my room after dark, so I don’t mind.”

Hell. To. The. No. Honor was not staying at the motel one more night. Fuck the background check, her ass would be in this house by nightfall. I checked my watch, seeing it was midafternoon. Depending on how many trips we needed to make, we could get her moved in before dark.

“Squirt?”

“Yeah, Daddy?”

“Call Gran and ask her if you can go over and play for a few hours.”

“She says, yes.”