still asleep. When she'd awakened, they'd fought for about an hour at which point Travis threw up his hands and went back to work. Now he was with Kristen and he didn't want to think about anything else.
She looked up at him and they kissed again. He pulled her up against him and broke off the kiss. He grinned. "We're liable to have to go back for another round."
She beamed up at him. "If we do, let's find a bed. I'm getting too old for this back seat business."
He sighed. "I'd love to go back to your place, but I hate to leave Dustin alone with Tonya."
Kristen shrugged. "You don't have to stay the night. You can just come over for a little while."
Travis looked at her for a few seconds. Then he burst out laughing. "What are we even talking about. Of course I'm going to come over. Like I'd ever say no to more sex."
Kristen laughed. She gave him a warm side-hug and then they got back in Travis's car and went to her apartment. Travis meant to go home later that night, but he fell asleep in Kristen's arms.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The memorial service for June and Rory was set for the next morning. It had taken a while to gather family members from out of town. Arden had asked for a sub for the morning so she could attend. She didn't know the Raymers that well, but she felt somehow partly responsible for what happened to them. It had never before occurred to her to ask if there were people in her own town who were hungry and homeless. That was something that happened in third world countries. Not in little Splitlog, Missouri.
Arden had asked Nick to come with her, but he was busy at work and he didn't know the Raymers well enough to care. She'd tried to appeal to his sense of compassion, but that had resulted in the eye-opening realization that compassion wasn't one of Nick's stronger character traits. So she sought out Travis.
She drove to the garage to ask if he would be going. When she got there, he was in his office, dressed in a black suit and tie, clean-shaven and with his hair combed. He was standing at his desk typing something into his computer when she walked in. She stopped dead when she saw him, amazed at the transformation. He smiled up at her.
"Pretty dress," he said.
She'd put on a simple, black calf-length dress with a merlot colored sweater. He would look amazing next to her dressed like that. "Nice suit," she said, looking him up and down. All she could think was...wow.
He quirked a half-grin at her and then looked back down at his computer. "What are you doing here, Princess?"
She sighed. Same old Travis. Funny she would think of him like that already, not even knowing him two weeks. "I thought we could drive over to the funeral together."
Travis nodded. "Sure. No Nick?"
"Nope."
He frowned in thought, put the computer in standby and then grabbed his keys. They didn't speak on the way over. Arden kept some distance when they went in the church together, but Travis kept opening doors for her and ushering her in and out of them, so anyone looking would know they were together.
People were milling around in the foyer. Arden tried to break away from Travis's side to say hello to Emma, but Travis kept with her. She gave Emma a hug and kissed her on the cheek. That damn girl had a couple of tears trickling sedately down her cheeks. Emma was the picturesque perfect female, always displaying just the right amount of emotion at just the right times. And with Dustin at her side, tall, handsome and oozing masculinity, she looked mature...complete.
Arden stood taller and linked her arm in Travis's. He looked down in surprise. She smiled up at him as though nothing unusual were going on. They sat in Travis's usual pew towards the front. Dustin sat with Emma. Arden was pleased to be sitting with Travis alone. But then Kristen showed up and sat on the other side of Travis.
"Hi, Arden," Kristen said softly, leaning forward to see past Travis. She offered her hand.
Arden gave her a tight-lipped smile and shook her hand.
Travis leaned back and put his arms around both women. Kristen leaned into him and rested her hand on his thigh. Arden sat stiff and glared up at him.
"Relax," he said to her. "I'm never going to be wedged