I roll my eyes. He’ll never get me to admit that I knew the choreography of that dance video by heart and that my best friends and I used to perform it for each other.
“Are you going to stop typecasting me anytime soon?” He lowers the volume of the music and shoots over three lanes to head up the north exit ramp.
“I’d like to survive this trip.” My knuckles whiten on the handle of the door.
“Sorry, you’re distracting.”
We follow the signs to Milwaukee. “Wisconsin?”
He nods.
“Huh, never would have thought.”
“I figured.” He eases back in his seat, his hands resting on the bottom of the steering wheel as he slows our speed down.
I’m reflecting on his musical tastes when something dawns on me. “Why were you listening to the Dave Matthews Band that morning in your house if you’re a hip-hop fan?”
He doesn’t speak for a beat, but I continue to wait out his answer. Finally he shrugs and says, “I thought something like that would be more your speed.”
That’s actually kind of sweet.
When I don’t respond right away he asks, “Do you ever listen to hip-hop?”
“If it comes on the radio maybe.”
“I figured.”
“Who’s assuming now?” I tease.
He chuckles, nodding in agreement. “Note taken. I did assume you were more of a Backstreet Boys girl.”
Damn him for hitting it on the mark.
“Sorry, or was it N’Sync? Ninety-Eight Degrees?”
I fidget in my seat. “You had it right the first time. Your PI guy must be good.”
“I only hire the best.” He smirks the usual one that makes my mind conflict on whether I want to slap it or kiss it off his face. Lately, it’s been the latter as much as I try to deny my attraction to him.
“That’s one thing we have in common, I guess.”
“Listen, I don’t want to fill this weekend with conversation about how we know each other from the past, but I just want to say…if you’d come to me before Todd, I would have happily represented you.”
“Yeah, I don’t want to talk about Todd or the circumstances that led me here.” I cross my legs and lean against the passenger window.
“I’m just saying, you have no idea how hard it was for me when I got the paperwork back from my PI guy. Your beauty and intelligence and strength radiated out of the pictures. I knew the hell he was putting you through. Then when I saw you at the first meeting.” He inhales deeply and pauses for a second. “You have no idea how hard it was for me to keep my composure. For the first time in my career, I wanted to fire my client.”
My shoulders lose all the tension from the previous mention of Todd’s name. “Why are you telling me this?” I almost whisper.
His hand reaches over, grabbing mine. “Because I’m not trying to torture you by making you do these favors. I’ve always followed my gut intuition and they’re leading me to you. Has been since the moment I saw you and especially after you opened your mouth that first time and threw a jab my way. There’s something between us worth exploring.”
He lets go of my hand and I miss the warmth of his skin immediately.
God, what is wrong with me?
“I don’t know what to say,” I admit.
“I don’t want you to say anything. I just want you to be open to the possibility that the anger you have toward me could dissolve into something else.”
A breath falls from my lips. He’s already figured out one number to the safe I’ve locked myself in since my divorce. I’m not sure I can give him the opportunity to figure out the rest.
His phone rings over the Bluetooth through the small space of the interior and I’m thankful for the interruption.
He glances at the dashboard, where I see the word ‘Mom’ on the screen. With a groan, he clicks a button on the steering wheel.
“Hey, Mom, is this important? I’m busy.”
“Roarke, your sister is in a panic and she wants to call off the wedding!”
His gaze shifts to mine. “I’m driving. Let me pull over and call her.”
“She’s hyperventilating. She swears Wyatt is cheating on her. I don’t think that’s the case. I think she’s making excuses.” His mom sounds traumatized and I feel bad for overhearing what is clearly a family matter. “I swear my own problems with men have turned both of you into a mess of adults who can’t believe someone would love you for you.”
Again, he glances quickly to me at his side. I try to keep my back straight and eyes out the window like his mom didn’t just out his vulnerability to me.
“Mom? I have Hannah in the car.”
“Oh, shoot. I’m so stupid. How did I not realize that?” She pauses. “Hello, Hannah, I’m Edie, Roarke’s mom.”
I look to Roarke for permission to talk which pisses me off the minute I realize I did it.
“Hello, Mrs. Baldwin.”
“No, don’t you proper speak to me. It’s Edie.”
I laugh. “Okay, Edie it is. Feel free to continue your conversation. Don’t mind me.”
Roarke’s hand moves to the phone, but we pass by a cop sitting in the median and he drops it back down.
A rule follower. Interesting.
“I’m looking forward to meeting you,” Edie says.
“Mom, where is Allie now?”
“I’m looking forward to meeting you, too, Edie.” I lightly slap his shoulder for interrupting.
An amused smile crosses his lips.
“She’s at Daysie’s and you know that girl is just plain trouble. She won’t help Allie see Wyatt loves her. Probably take her out to that dive bar down off the highway to get half pissed instead. Please, Roarke.”
“Okay, we’re a little over three hours away. I’ll call her now, drop Hannah at the hotel, and then go to Daysie’s if I’m not able to reach her on the phone.”
“Oh, I’m such an idiot, I forgot to tell you.”
“What?” There’s an edge that Roarke has with his mom that I recognize from my own relationship with my mother.
“Well, Wyatt’s uncle was able to get leave and we gave him one of your rooms. I hope that’s okay. I don’t understand why you and Hannah wanted different rooms anyway.”
My eyes widen and my stomach churns. Could he have concocted this entire plan?
“Then you have a houseguest for the weekend. I’ll stay with you,” he says, not sounding pleased.
I guess not.
“Really? Okay…well… I’ll have to arrange some things.” Her voice is shaky and unsure and I’m wondering who she thinks I am to her son. “I’ll wash some sheets, I’ll run to the store now and get milk and what other health foods do you eat?”
“It’s okay Mom. I’ll make do.” Roarke shifts in his seat and I’m starting to realize he does this when he’s feeling uncomfortable. “I’ll be there soon. Let me go call, Allie.”
“Okay. Bye Hannah.”
“Bye Mrs…Edie.”
“Can’t wait to meet you and see if you’re as pretty as my son says. Now Roarke, drive responsibly especially once you get past the county line. You know Sheriff Wiltaker waits for out-of-towners.”