Page 15 of Found By You

She’s silent as we walk across the parking lot to my truck. I help her inside and jog around to jump in the driver’s seat. “You should’ve called,” I grumble for the third time, earning me a shake of her head as I turn up the heat for her. I don’t know why I keep drilling this into her; it’s annoying even from my perspective.

“I’ll keep that in mind for next time.”

My jaw tightens. There better not be a next time. “My brother, Rhett, knows a good bit about electrical heaters,” I say. “I gave him a call, but he can’t get out here for another hour or two. In the meantime, you can tag along with me until your room heats up.”

“Tag along…with you,” she repeats, confused. And I don’t blame her.

“I’m not sending you into that meat locker of a motel room, Maci,” I say, rubbing the back of my neck. It feels tighter with her in my truck wearing my hoodie under her flimsy jacket. You wouldn’t know she’s been up for hours with…morning sickness. My chest expands at the thought yet again, and I push it down. Way down. “I’ve got some errands to run and plowing to do. You’ll be safer—uh, warmer, in my truck.”

Get your shit together, man. Fuck.

“Fine.” She sighs, tugging on her seatbelt. “Can we still eat first?”

A genuine grin splits my face. “Absolutely.”

We set on the short drive down the road to Annie’s Diner, passing Cup O’ Joe on the way. I catch sight of Butch’s truck along with half a dozen other vehicles I recognize all too well parked out front. Vehicles that usually hang out at Annie’s Diner this early on a Saturday…

I slow our approach when an abandoned Buick—half in the street—sits blocking the unplowed entrance to the restaurant. Where another local plow guy is working to get the car unstuck and out of the way.

“Son of a—”

Maci leans forward to get a better look at the scene. “Should we wait?”

I mull it over for a second, but the answer is clear. I can’t make her wait to eat when I can hear her stomach growling from a few feet away. No matter how badly I don’t want to walk into Cup O’ Joe, the thought of her not eating in the next half-hour doesn’t sit right with me.

“No,” I grunt, checking the side mirror before I whip a U-turn. “We’ll just hit the coffee shop, if that’s all right with you,” I say, glancing at her.

She nods, smiling sheepishly. “I am craving a muffin.”

As irritated as I am at having to deal with Butch this morning, I can’t deny the joy I get knowing I’m giving her something she wants. Even if it is fulfilling a minor craving.

However, the second we pull into the tightly packed parking lot, Butch is walking out the front door. If I could’ve stalled another thirty seconds, we would’ve missed him. Damn.

My brother’s stern gaze locks on me like a viper eyeing his enemy. This ought to be fun.

I kill the engine and get out, standing by the front of my truck as Maci slides out.

A few long strides later and Butch is within arm’s reach. “How’s it going?”

“Good,” I huff, my breath clouding between us. Maci shuffles her way to my side, doing a light hop in an attempt to ward off the bitter cold.

Butch’s gaze catches on her, and I can only imagine what’s going through his thick skull. Beautiful girl slides out of my truck first thing in the morning wearing my hoodie from last night on our way in to grab breakfast.

I know exactly how this looks.

Maci glances between Butch and myself. “I’ll, um, find us a table,” she whispers to me, touching my arm before giving an uncomfortable, tightlipped smile to my brother and scurrying in the front door.

Butch wastes no time in asking, “Who is she?”

“A friend.”

“Friend, huh?”

I narrow my gaze into a harsh warning that could rival any Butch Montgomery scowl tenfold. “That’s what I said.”

He pushes his hands in his pockets, and I’d love nothing more than to knock the skeptical glare off his face. He can try to play ‘big bro’ all he wants, we both know I can kick his ass if it came down to it. “You still plan on showing up tonight?” he asks in a condescending tone. Prick.

“I said I would, didn’t I?”

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