A Cry in the Dark (Carly Moore #1) - Denise Grover Swank Page 0,108
garage, he said, “You’re feedin’ me again.”
“Well, you are workin’ on a car for me to use,” I said, putting the plate on a shelf since his hands were dirty. “It’s the least I can do.” I gestured to the exposed engine. “How’s it looking? Think I’ll be able to drive it to work?”
A frown creased his forehead. “Hopefully tomorrow. The source who gave me the information about the dealer from Atlanta wants to meet with me in Ewing this afternoon. I plan to pick up a few parts while I’m there.”
I suppressed a gasp. “Do you think your source has information about Seth’s murderer?”
“I don’t know. After last night, I hate to leave you, but I think it’s worth going. I don’t want to leave you up here without a car, and since I’m your ride, Junior’s wife is comin’ by to stay with Hank so I can get you back into town. In fact,” he said slowly, as though unsure if he should suggest it, “I was wondering if you’d like to come to Ewing with me.”
I narrowed my eyes. “How’d you work all that out without a phone?”
Instead of taking offense, he laughed. “I used the radio in my tow truck. Ginger should be here in about a half hour. I was just about to come up to the house and tell you.” He grimaced looking pointedly at the sandwich. “I was also gonna ask if you wanted to grab lunch, but you beat me to it.”
While the thought of spending the afternoon with him appealed to me far too much, I already had plans. “I appreciate the offer, but can I take a rain check? Every time I feed Hank, I feel like I’m killing him with food. I really want to see if there are any diabetic cookbooks in the library.”
“Yeah,” he said softly. “Good idea.”
Something lurched in my stomach. Should I tell him my other reason for going? I hesitated, although I wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was because I was still worried he’d betray me, or it could be the opposite—maybe I knew it would twine us even closer together.
By the time Ginger showed up, I was ready to go. I gave her a few instructions on how to care for Hank and then gathered my bag. At the last minute I grabbed the gun Max had given me from Seth’s room, where I’d stowed it in a nightstand drawer, and tucked it back into my purse. I could get in serious trouble for carrying a gun without a concealed carry permit, but it seemed worth the risk.
Wyatt was waiting for me at the bottom of the steps. Appreciation filled his eyes when he saw me. I’d taken a quick shower and blow-dried my hair, adding a bit of a wave to the short ends. I’d gone to the trouble of applying makeup, not enough to look done up, but enough so that I didn’t look so washed out and tired. I’d tucked my work shirt into my purse and was wearing a white eyelet peasant-style shirt with my jeans, a pair of black ankle boots, and a gray cardigan since my freshly washed jacket was hanging on the clothesline along with my other pair of jeans.
“You look beautiful,” he said, and then his eyes widened slightly in surprise as though he hadn’t meant to say it out loud.
“Thanks,” I said, descending the steps, suddenly feeling unbalanced.
He walked alongside me as we made our way to the truck, and to my surprise, he opened the passenger door for me. My body was humming with anticipation as he came around and slid behind the wheel. When he turned over the key, he snuck a glance at me before looking back at the windshield.
“I must have looked pretty rough before,” I teased.
Wyatt shook his head. “No. You were beautiful before too.” He pulled onto the road and headed down the mountain. “I just never told you.”
We rode in silence, my longing fighting with reason. I’d waited my whole life to feel something like this with a man. Why did he have to live in this godforsaken town?
I knew it didn’t matter, that we couldn’t have any sort of future together, what with our dual vendettas against our fathers—his need to face his, my need to flee mine. But I couldn’t stop myself from trying to learn more about him.
“How did you end up in prison, Wyatt?” I blurted out.