Free Promises of Mercy(Montana Promises-Book 1) by Vella Day Page B
Authors: Vella Day
the cab and started the engine. “How about delivery pizza?”
It took her a few seconds to connect the dots. She was hungry and need ed to eat. “That sounds good.” At least she wouldn’t have to put up with restaurant noise. Then the concept of “delivery” finally registered. “Where are we eating it?” Her mind refused to remain on one subject. She kept alternating between the funeral and that terrible man who accused her of killing someone.
“Your house,” he said.
She failed to figure out if that was a good or bad idea. They neared the funeral home. “Remember, I need to pick up my car.”
“No.”
“No?” Why was Stone suddenly being an ass? Okay, a nice ass, but still an ass. It was as if his roommate’s attitude had rubbed off on him. Be fair . At least he’d kept his voice soft. “Why not?” This time, she didn’t sound so challenging.
He glanced at her as he drove past the funeral home. “I don’t think you’d get home in one piece. Haven’t you noticed that you keep mentally drifting off?”
Her anger deflated. “Yes.” Maybe . Not really, but the possibility existed. Perhaps after they ate, he’d be willing to drive her back to town.
He took a right on SR25. “How do you—”
He glanced over and smiled. “Know where your house is?”
“Yes.”
“It’s called a phone book.”
Damn . Maybe she wasn’t fit to drive. Less than ten minutes later, he turned into her neighborhood. He headed down her street, and she pointed to her duplex. “You’ll have to park in front.” The place didn’t have a garage and she shared the drive with her neighbor who had parked both of his cars there already. Maybe tomorrow, she’d speak with him about what sharing meant.
Stone cut the engine, came to her side, and helped her out. The air had chilled since the funeral and she shivered. Without a word, Stone wrapped an arm around her shoulder. She was so tired that when she found herself at her own front door with Stone holding out his hand for the key, she barely remembered walking up the porch steps. She opened her purse and fumbled through it. “Damn.”
“Come on, tiger, let me look.” He lifted her purse from her fingers, quickly located the key , and with one twist opened the door. “It’s okay. You’ve had a hard day.” Had he not smiled she might have punched him.
She yearned for her demons to disappear and for someone to erase the emptiness residing in her gut, but to rely on him wasn’t right.
Once she stepped into the familiar surroundings, the tension eased a bit. She inhaled. “Do you smell how fruity it is in here?” Yuck . It was her mom’s cologne. The overpowering scent had lingered. “I’ll be right back.”
She stalked to the bathroom, picked up the room deodorizer, and returned. She spritzed the hallway and living room using a light touch, not wanting to make things worse. She inhaled and decided it was a lot better.
Without asking, Stone plopped onto the sofa and pulled out his phone. “What kind of pizza do you want?”
She’d made too many decisions today already. “You choose.”
He looked as if he was trying to contain a smile. “Oh, no you don’t. If I order pepperoni, you’ll say I didn’t give you a choice and that I was trying to tell you what to eat.”
Stone wasn’t the macho type—at least not when he was around her. He’d acted like a pit bull with the detective though, and she found it suited him. If the Cade Carter had been here instead, she bet he would have ordered without regards to what she wanted.
“How about veggie?” she suggested.
“Works for me.”
While he called the pizza place, she ducked into the kitchen and prepared coffee for Stone and hot tea for herself. She remembered he liked a lot of sugar and located a few packets in the cupboard.
When his hands touched her shoulders, she jumped.
“Easy. I just wanted to see if I can help.”
She faced him. “You don’t have to be so nice. I’m not used to
It took her a few seconds to connect the dots. She was hungry and need ed to eat. “That sounds good.” At least she wouldn’t have to put up with restaurant noise. Then the concept of “delivery” finally registered. “Where are we eating it?” Her mind refused to remain on one subject. She kept alternating between the funeral and that terrible man who accused her of killing someone.
“Your house,” he said.
She failed to figure out if that was a good or bad idea. They neared the funeral home. “Remember, I need to pick up my car.”
“No.”
“No?” Why was Stone suddenly being an ass? Okay, a nice ass, but still an ass. It was as if his roommate’s attitude had rubbed off on him. Be fair . At least he’d kept his voice soft. “Why not?” This time, she didn’t sound so challenging.
He glanced at her as he drove past the funeral home. “I don’t think you’d get home in one piece. Haven’t you noticed that you keep mentally drifting off?”
Her anger deflated. “Yes.” Maybe . Not really, but the possibility existed. Perhaps after they ate, he’d be willing to drive her back to town.
He took a right on SR25. “How do you—”
He glanced over and smiled. “Know where your house is?”
“Yes.”
“It’s called a phone book.”
Damn . Maybe she wasn’t fit to drive. Less than ten minutes later, he turned into her neighborhood. He headed down her street, and she pointed to her duplex. “You’ll have to park in front.” The place didn’t have a garage and she shared the drive with her neighbor who had parked both of his cars there already. Maybe tomorrow, she’d speak with him about what sharing meant.
Stone cut the engine, came to her side, and helped her out. The air had chilled since the funeral and she shivered. Without a word, Stone wrapped an arm around her shoulder. She was so tired that when she found herself at her own front door with Stone holding out his hand for the key, she barely remembered walking up the porch steps. She opened her purse and fumbled through it. “Damn.”
“Come on, tiger, let me look.” He lifted her purse from her fingers, quickly located the key , and with one twist opened the door. “It’s okay. You’ve had a hard day.” Had he not smiled she might have punched him.
She yearned for her demons to disappear and for someone to erase the emptiness residing in her gut, but to rely on him wasn’t right.
Once she stepped into the familiar surroundings, the tension eased a bit. She inhaled. “Do you smell how fruity it is in here?” Yuck . It was her mom’s cologne. The overpowering scent had lingered. “I’ll be right back.”
She stalked to the bathroom, picked up the room deodorizer, and returned. She spritzed the hallway and living room using a light touch, not wanting to make things worse. She inhaled and decided it was a lot better.
Without asking, Stone plopped onto the sofa and pulled out his phone. “What kind of pizza do you want?”
She’d made too many decisions today already. “You choose.”
He looked as if he was trying to contain a smile. “Oh, no you don’t. If I order pepperoni, you’ll say I didn’t give you a choice and that I was trying to tell you what to eat.”
Stone wasn’t the macho type—at least not when he was around her. He’d acted like a pit bull with the detective though, and she found it suited him. If the Cade Carter had been here instead, she bet he would have ordered without regards to what she wanted.
“How about veggie?” she suggested.
“Works for me.”
While he called the pizza place, she ducked into the kitchen and prepared coffee for Stone and hot tea for herself. She remembered he liked a lot of sugar and located a few packets in the cupboard.
When his hands touched her shoulders, she jumped.
“Easy. I just wanted to see if I can help.”
She faced him. “You don’t have to be so nice. I’m not used to