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“So you don’t miss your food truck, Peaches?”
I shrugged, which rubbed my shoulder against his beard. “I miss parts of it. I liked working with people. It’s immensely satisfying making food with your hands, selling it, and then watching people eat it happily. But sixteen hour days just to get to that point? I don’t missthatat all.”
“Then what do you want to do when you leave here?” he asked.
“That’s the question my parents have been asking.” I poked him in the ribs, which made him grunt. “How does it feel to sound like my dad?”
“Just making conversation, Peaches.”
I closed my eyes and sighed. “My degree is in business. I guess I can do a lot with that.”
“I didn’t ask what youcando,” he pointed out. His fingers caressed through my hair in a soft scalp massage. “I asked what youwantto do.”
“I wish I knew!” I let out a frustrated laugh. “I’ve been trying not to think about it. I’ll worry about it when I get home. By then, I’ll have all the hours in the day to decide.”
I cringed at the mention of leaving Eastland and going home, and expected it to spark a discussion about how tomorrow was the end of our fling. But Jayce didn’t seem to notice.
“Nothing wrong with waiting until you’re sure,” he agreed. “Hey. Did that deposit go through?”
“Oh! Let me check.” I reached across Jayce’s nude, muscle-covered body to grab my phone. A few taps on the banking app and I groaned. The money my parents had deposited into my bank account still hadn’t arrived. Money I needed to pay my remaining motel balance, the car parking fees, and all the court fees to reinstate my driver’s license.
“How long’s it supposed to take?” Jayce asked.
“They said up to seven days. Momma said it should only take three. Tomorrow will be day four.”
“What time’s your meeting with Judge Asshole?”
“Noon, on the nose,” I said. After scraping together extra hours on the weekends, I only had three hours of community service remaining. Less than half a day, which I could knock out tomorrow morning. Then I was meeting with Judge Benjamin to verify everything and officially release me of my obligation. “Maybe the money will be deposited in the morning.”
“If not, you’re in trouble. If you give the sheriff a check that bounces, he’s gonna tack on a whole bunch of penalties. Maybe even get the judge to fuck you over with more community service. Hell,” Jayce added, “the judge might decide you haven’t been properly rehabilitated, and give you another hundred hours of community service just for shits and grins. It wouldn’t be the first time he’s fucked someone over like that.”
I shoved him playfully. “You should be comforting me, not giving me more reasons to freak out.”
“Just being honest with you, Peaches. If you want me to tell you sweet lies, I can do that too.”
I stretched out across his warm body and sighed. “As tempting as ignorance sounds, it’s best that I’m prepared. Maybe I can convince the sheriff to wait a few days before depositing my check.”
Jayce got a funny look on his face, and then kissed me on the crown of my head. “Wait here. I need to get something.”
He climbed out of bed, giving me a nice show of his legs and butt. I was pretty sure he was flexing his cheeks as he put on his jeans, but I didn’t mind one bit. “Where are you going?”
“It’s a surprise. Don’t go anywhere.” He flashed me a sexy smile before disappearing out the door.
His vague comments only made me more curious, as if it was a fun little game. I jumped out of bed, threw on my jeans and one of Jayce’s T-shirts, and hopped into my shoes on the way to the door.
It was a clear night, and the forest was filled with the sounds of animals chirping and croaking. I squinted into the darkness, scanning the trees for Jayce. There, to my right: the bright cone of a flashlight moved through the woods.
I followed quietly. The ground was still soft from the recent rain, which deadened my footsteps on the little trail. I don’t know how far into the trees he went, but I followed him for about a minute before he stopped. He crouched low, shrinking the cone of the flashlight to a small circle.
I didn’t know what I expected as I drew closer. Since it was our last night together, part of me hoped it was a going-away present. A metal wind chime he’d built in his workshop, or something to that effect. Something sweet. Whatelsewould he put in the woods outside his barn?
Jayce whirled his head when he heard me approach his little spot. He relaxed, then tensed. “Peaches. I told you to wait.”
“I wanted to see where you were skulking out to in the middle of the night.” On the ground next to him was a wooden crate buried in the dirt. He’d removed the top, revealing the hollow interior deep in the ground. “What’s going on?”
He held up a tight roll of twenty-dollar bills wrapped in a rubber band. “My retirement fund. This is to cover your expenses tomorrow if your deposit doesn’t come through. That should be a grand. You can pay me back in the bedroom once my strength returns.”
“That’s sweet,” I said. I meant it, too. Then I got a look at the interior of the crate. Inside was a single gallon-sized Ziploc bag filled with other rolls of cash. As the cone of the flashlight passed over it I saw rolls of twenties, fifties, and hundred-dollar bills.
