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His laugh got louder as he stuffed his hands back into his gloves. “Let’s get this on the flatbed. We’ll get you on the road by morning.”
“I’ll hold you to that.”
“Oh, and I’d go with married as your answer when you get into town. The town is a bit particular about a woman and a man together if they’re not married.”
Shane paused with his glove half on. “Pardon?”
“The town is kind of old-fashioned. God-fearing, and most of us are of the Mormon church.”
“Well, shit. Er…shoot.”
Jasper grinned. “What you do isn’t my business, but with the church being the only place to stay…”
Shane tugged his gloves on. “I see your point.”
Getting the truck on the flatbed was easier than he expected, but the drive itself took over an hour. Jasper called the church and okayed an overnight stay. The town boasted five hundred and thirty-seven residents. He couldn’t imagine where. Main Street was a desolate stretch of open spaces and a church on either end with a single stoplight in the center.
“These are the towns in Stephen King books,” Kendall whispered.
He pressed his lips together to swallow a laugh. Finally a gas station with one pump and a one-story building behind it came into view. Jasper’s name was in red letters over the bay doors. He kept on driving till the end of the street where a pristine white and brick church was lit up with floodlights. The spire was spotlighted to show off the simple spire.
“Go on in and ask for Delinda. She’ll fix you guys up for the night. I have your phone number. I’ll call you with a figure in the morning.”
“Thank you, Jasper.”
He smiled down at Kendall, who sat between them on the seat. “You’re very welcome, Mrs. Justice.”
Her mouth dropped open, and Shane pulled her from the truck before she could say anything. He waved, holding the duffel he’d grabbed before they loaded the truck onto the flatbed. The tow truck chugged away, and still she stood with her mouth open in shock.
“Small-town life, babe. Jasper told me it was better to drop the hint we were married so we could find a place to stay tonight.”
She peered up at him. “Seriously?”
He took her hat from her and plopped it on her head, smoothing her curls behind her shoulders. “Afraid so.”
“But we live in the twenty-first century. Surely they don’t still—”
“Believe it, babe. You saw the sign as well as I did. With a town this size, how much change do you think goes on?”
“Crap.”
He slung his arm around her shoulders. “Want to play virgin and patient husband later?”
She socked him in the stomach, and he gasped out a laugh. “Tie-her-up is fine. Role-playing is a no. Got it.”
“How can you joke? We’re staying in a church basement. It’s probably blasphemy to have sex,” she whispered.
“I doubt that’s what the preacher and his five kids think.”
“How do you know he’s got five… Oh.”
There was a photo beside the door with the community bulletins. A pretty blonde woman stood with a baby in her arms and four in varying ages around her.
Shane linked their hands and went up to the door at the side of the building. He pressed the doorbell and took her bag, slinging it over his shoulder.
“I can carry my own stuff—”
“Let me play the doting husband, will ya?”
