taking the frame back and placing it gently on the bed. “I knew I had a box of her things around here somewhere.” He pulled out some clothes and a pair of red cowboy boots and placed them on the bed. “She was shorter than you, but I’m sure some of this will fit,” he added.
He left me alone to get dressed and I pulled out a pair of jeans. He was right, she was shorter than me. I ruled out the few pairs of jeans in the pile, which left only a dress. I quickly pulled it and the boots on, thankful that either Bethany had large feet, or mine were small.
I dipped into the bathroom and studied my reflection. Despite the lack of effort with my hair, it had reverted to the flicked out style which should have taken hours and several cans of hairspray to pull off. My skin was back to its natural pink color and my face no longer looked skeletal. Joshua was right – I did look better. Aware that Joshua had to leave soon, I grabbed his toothbrush, hoping he wouldn’t mind me borrowing it.
I walked into the living room and found Joshua already dressed and pouring some coffee into a travel mug. “You ready, darlin’?” he asked, turning. His eyes looked me up and down, and although I could see the sadness pass through them, he didn’t comment. Instead he handed me a second mug. I took it, nodding, and followed him outside.
The storm had temporarily relieved the air of the usual humidity and the rising temperature hinted that the rain would soon be a distant memory. The car, parked in direct sunlight, was already steaming up. I heard Joshua sigh audibly as we drew near. Wordlessly, he opened the trunk and pulled out a couple of blankets. “So you don’t have to sit on wet seats,” he explained as he handed it over to me.
I took the offered blanket, placing the coffee mug on the roof while I spread the blanket out. I was grateful for the protection. We had been soaking last night and never bothered to think about his car. Judging from the expression on Joshua’s face, he was regretting that now. “It’ll dry,” I assured him as we set off.
We drove in silence, listening to Joshua’s country music radio station of choice. It wasn’t until after Joshua had stopped at a gas station to fill the tank up that we actually spoke. “About last night,” Joshua started.
I could feel my face heating up and there was no reason for it. We were both adults. There was nothing wrong with us kissing. Well, there was , but not that it should have me turning beet red.
“I’m not going to report what happened,” Joshua continued.
I closed my eyes and winced. Of course he wasn’t talking about our kiss. That had happened in a dream. He was talking about the fact we had been held at gunpoint. “You’re not?” I opened my eyes, and found Joshua alternating between watching the road and glancing at me.
“On a scale of one to unbelievable, where do you think this sits?” he asked me. “I messed up and had my gun and phone taken off me by a known drug addict, but retrieved it when I was saved by an angel who survived being shot?”
“Won’t you get into trouble by lying?” I asked him.
Joshua sighed. “I thought about it, but the only person who got hurt was you. Unless you want to press charges?”
“I’m fine,” I told him. “The bullet wounds have completely gone.” That was true: I had checked after brushing my teeth. “Besides, my job is to protect you. If reporting this will get you in trouble, I’m hardly doing my job. It’s just…” I frowned.
“What?” Joshua asked, sparing me a glance before he maneuvered through the traffic.
“What if he does something to hurt someone else?” I asked.
“I’m going to have to risk it,” he admitted, though he looked less than pleased at that thought. “He’s still an informant: I will track him down again.”
I stared at the back of the truck in front of us, chewing at the inside of my mouth. I didn’t particularly want Karl to get away with what he
He left me alone to get dressed and I pulled out a pair of jeans. He was right, she was shorter than me. I ruled out the few pairs of jeans in the pile, which left only a dress. I quickly pulled it and the boots on, thankful that either Bethany had large feet, or mine were small.
I dipped into the bathroom and studied my reflection. Despite the lack of effort with my hair, it had reverted to the flicked out style which should have taken hours and several cans of hairspray to pull off. My skin was back to its natural pink color and my face no longer looked skeletal. Joshua was right – I did look better. Aware that Joshua had to leave soon, I grabbed his toothbrush, hoping he wouldn’t mind me borrowing it.
I walked into the living room and found Joshua already dressed and pouring some coffee into a travel mug. “You ready, darlin’?” he asked, turning. His eyes looked me up and down, and although I could see the sadness pass through them, he didn’t comment. Instead he handed me a second mug. I took it, nodding, and followed him outside.
The storm had temporarily relieved the air of the usual humidity and the rising temperature hinted that the rain would soon be a distant memory. The car, parked in direct sunlight, was already steaming up. I heard Joshua sigh audibly as we drew near. Wordlessly, he opened the trunk and pulled out a couple of blankets. “So you don’t have to sit on wet seats,” he explained as he handed it over to me.
I took the offered blanket, placing the coffee mug on the roof while I spread the blanket out. I was grateful for the protection. We had been soaking last night and never bothered to think about his car. Judging from the expression on Joshua’s face, he was regretting that now. “It’ll dry,” I assured him as we set off.
We drove in silence, listening to Joshua’s country music radio station of choice. It wasn’t until after Joshua had stopped at a gas station to fill the tank up that we actually spoke. “About last night,” Joshua started.
I could feel my face heating up and there was no reason for it. We were both adults. There was nothing wrong with us kissing. Well, there was , but not that it should have me turning beet red.
“I’m not going to report what happened,” Joshua continued.
I closed my eyes and winced. Of course he wasn’t talking about our kiss. That had happened in a dream. He was talking about the fact we had been held at gunpoint. “You’re not?” I opened my eyes, and found Joshua alternating between watching the road and glancing at me.
“On a scale of one to unbelievable, where do you think this sits?” he asked me. “I messed up and had my gun and phone taken off me by a known drug addict, but retrieved it when I was saved by an angel who survived being shot?”
“Won’t you get into trouble by lying?” I asked him.
Joshua sighed. “I thought about it, but the only person who got hurt was you. Unless you want to press charges?”
“I’m fine,” I told him. “The bullet wounds have completely gone.” That was true: I had checked after brushing my teeth. “Besides, my job is to protect you. If reporting this will get you in trouble, I’m hardly doing my job. It’s just…” I frowned.
“What?” Joshua asked, sparing me a glance before he maneuvered through the traffic.
“What if he does something to hurt someone else?” I asked.
“I’m going to have to risk it,” he admitted, though he looked less than pleased at that thought. “He’s still an informant: I will track him down again.”
I stared at the back of the truck in front of us, chewing at the inside of my mouth. I didn’t particularly want Karl to get away with what he
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