When they stopped, she could change places with him and drive the first leg of the trip. She knew he liked to be the one in the driver’s seat, but it looked as if he could use a nap.
Maybe he’d give in just this once. “Dad. If you want, I can drive for a little bit. We can switch off later.”
“Yeah. That’s a good idea.” He’d agreed much too fast.
Riley’s brows rose but she didn’t comment. Something was definitely up. She continued to watch her father a little more closely than usual as he swung the truck into the lot of the diner, put it in park and sat without cutting the engine.
“You want me to go inside and get us both something while you wait here?”
“Yeah, you go on. Nothing to eat for me, but don’t forget those antacids.”
“A’ight.” After one more glance at him, Riley swung the passenger door wide and climbed down.
Even in the middle of the night, the lot was full. The diner must be the only place in town open. She pushed through the door and saw inside was as full as the parking lot. Spotting the overflowing table of bull riders packed shoulder to shoulder, she knew why. It looked as if she wasn’t the only one hungry after tonight’s event. A person could only eat so much arena food before it got to you.
That thought reminded her of how badly she needed food. Riley stepped up to the cash register and grabbed a roll of antacids for her father. A woman in a T-shirt displaying the diner’s name and logo came over. “Just those?”
“No, actually. Can I get something quick to take out?”
“Sure. What d’ya want?”
“Do you have something hot that’s already ready to go? Like chili or soup?” Riley needed something hot and filling in her stomach if she was going to make it all the way home. But that would also make her sleepy, so she added, “And the largest coffee you’ve got too, please.”
She might have to stop to pee sooner because of it, but she’d need the caffeine to keep her awake behind the wheel so her father could doze.
“We got both chili and soup hot in the back. Chicken noodle is the soup. And the chili was made fresh today.”
“I’ll take a chili to go, please.”
The woman turned and yelled the chili order toward the kitchen and then rang up the total. Riley paid and waited while the waitress poured coffee into a paper takeout cup.
“Cream and sugar?” she asked.
“Both please. Lots of it.” She wasn’t a diehard coffee drinker like some, but in a pinch she could make do by camouflaging the flavor. There wasn’t a fancy coffee house around here to get a gourmet flavored blend, but enough good old cream and sugar would do it.
“Hey, darlin’. You heading home or staying for the night?”
The familiar voice had Riley turning. “Mustang. Hey. We’re heading home tonight. It’s easier to just get the bulls home rather than keep them in temporary housing for another night.”
His nod dipped his cowboy hat forward a bit just as the waitress delivered a paper bag. “Here’s your chili. Spoon, napkins and crackers are in there.”
“Thank you.” As the waitress moved on to other duties, Riley turned back to see Mustang grinning.
“You order the chili here, you’re gonna need those antacids.” He tipped his chin toward the roll on the counter.
“Those are for Dad. The chili’s for me, but yeah, they might come in handy a few hours down the road.” She laughed. Maybe the chili hadn’t been a wise choice after all.
“Well, y’all have a safe trip home.”
“You too, Mustang. And tell all the rest of the guys I said get home safe too.”
“Will do.” He grinned his patented Mustang grin that had won him lots of women’s hearts, or at least some other body parts, over the years.
That was, of course, before he became a one-woman man. His traveling buddy Slade too. It seemed like all the veterans were pairing off, one by one. A few of the younger guys too, like Chase and Garret. But there were still some, the former
Maybe he’d give in just this once. “Dad. If you want, I can drive for a little bit. We can switch off later.”
“Yeah. That’s a good idea.” He’d agreed much too fast.
Riley’s brows rose but she didn’t comment. Something was definitely up. She continued to watch her father a little more closely than usual as he swung the truck into the lot of the diner, put it in park and sat without cutting the engine.
“You want me to go inside and get us both something while you wait here?”
“Yeah, you go on. Nothing to eat for me, but don’t forget those antacids.”
“A’ight.” After one more glance at him, Riley swung the passenger door wide and climbed down.
Even in the middle of the night, the lot was full. The diner must be the only place in town open. She pushed through the door and saw inside was as full as the parking lot. Spotting the overflowing table of bull riders packed shoulder to shoulder, she knew why. It looked as if she wasn’t the only one hungry after tonight’s event. A person could only eat so much arena food before it got to you.
That thought reminded her of how badly she needed food. Riley stepped up to the cash register and grabbed a roll of antacids for her father. A woman in a T-shirt displaying the diner’s name and logo came over. “Just those?”
“No, actually. Can I get something quick to take out?”
“Sure. What d’ya want?”
“Do you have something hot that’s already ready to go? Like chili or soup?” Riley needed something hot and filling in her stomach if she was going to make it all the way home. But that would also make her sleepy, so she added, “And the largest coffee you’ve got too, please.”
She might have to stop to pee sooner because of it, but she’d need the caffeine to keep her awake behind the wheel so her father could doze.
“We got both chili and soup hot in the back. Chicken noodle is the soup. And the chili was made fresh today.”
“I’ll take a chili to go, please.”
The woman turned and yelled the chili order toward the kitchen and then rang up the total. Riley paid and waited while the waitress poured coffee into a paper takeout cup.
“Cream and sugar?” she asked.
“Both please. Lots of it.” She wasn’t a diehard coffee drinker like some, but in a pinch she could make do by camouflaging the flavor. There wasn’t a fancy coffee house around here to get a gourmet flavored blend, but enough good old cream and sugar would do it.
“Hey, darlin’. You heading home or staying for the night?”
The familiar voice had Riley turning. “Mustang. Hey. We’re heading home tonight. It’s easier to just get the bulls home rather than keep them in temporary housing for another night.”
His nod dipped his cowboy hat forward a bit just as the waitress delivered a paper bag. “Here’s your chili. Spoon, napkins and crackers are in there.”
“Thank you.” As the waitress moved on to other duties, Riley turned back to see Mustang grinning.
“You order the chili here, you’re gonna need those antacids.” He tipped his chin toward the roll on the counter.
“Those are for Dad. The chili’s for me, but yeah, they might come in handy a few hours down the road.” She laughed. Maybe the chili hadn’t been a wise choice after all.
“Well, y’all have a safe trip home.”
“You too, Mustang. And tell all the rest of the guys I said get home safe too.”
“Will do.” He grinned his patented Mustang grin that had won him lots of women’s hearts, or at least some other body parts, over the years.
That was, of course, before he became a one-woman man. His traveling buddy Slade too. It seemed like all the veterans were pairing off, one by one. A few of the younger guys too, like Chase and Garret. But there were still some, the former
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