“I’ll call, see how you’re doing. I’ll stay in touch this time.” Even if it would be taking a risk. Bending over, she pressed a kiss on Lisa’s forehead, turned, slung the strap of her purse over her shoulder, and walked out of the hospital room.
In the hall outside, Josh waited beside the door. Was he everything he seemed? She had no reason to doubt him, and yet, after Damon, it was hard to trust her instincts the way she had before.
“You ready to go?” Josh asked.
“I’m ready to go home.”
“Home? You mean Texas?”
“Yes.”
Josh actually grinned, making him look so handsome her stomach fluttered.
“Home sounds good to me,” he said. “I’ll start making arrangements as soon as we get back to the room.”
The afternoon was gone by the time they left the hospital, the sun sitting low on the vast desert horizon. The hot orange ball silhouetted the tall, spiny cactus thrusting up from the landscape, and the temperature hovered in the nineties. The air was dry and hot as they crossed the parking lot and climbed into the shiny black rented Jeep. Josh buckled his seat belt, waited for Tory to buckle hers, then cranked the engine.
“How about a burger or something before we call it a night?”
Tory hadn’t been hungry since she had left Texas, but Josh was a big, strapping man. He needed to eat. “Burger King or Carl’s?”
“There’s a Sonic Drive-In a few blocks down the road. It’s on the way.”
“Good enough,” she said.
Josh turned the Jeep in that direction. The vehicle rolled along with the traffic, the radio playing country music, Josh’s favorite and fast becoming hers, too. As the SUV continued down the street, Tory noticed him glancing in the rearview mirror.
“What is it?”
“I’m not sure. There’s a brown Buick behind us. I saw that car in the hospital parking lot this morning. The guy sitting inside never got out. As warm as it was, it seemed kind of odd, but I didn’t think much about it at the time. When we walked out just now, the Buick was in a different location, but the guy was still sitting behind the wheel.”
“Maybe he’s waiting for someone.”
“Yeah, maybe.” But Josh kept an eye on the mirror as they continued down the road. The Jeep turned into the drive-in and pulled into a space next to an automated menu. As they placed their order, the Buick drove on past, rolling leisurely down the road.
“He kept going,” Tory said. “Must be just a coincidence.”
“Could be.” But Josh still seemed wary.
The burgers, fries, and chocolate shakes they ordered arrived, and Tory discovered she was ravenously hungry. Maybe it was relief that nothing had happened while they were in Phoenix. Maybe it was knowing they were on their way home. Whatever it was, she dug into her burger.
“Linc said he’d send the jet back whenever we’re ready.” Josh munched a handful of golden brown fries. “I need to call him.”
“I’ll really be glad to get back. Do you think we’ll be leaving tonight?”
“Probably need to give him a little notice.” Josh’s amazing blue eyes swung toward her and she didn’t miss the hot gleam there. “Might as well get a good night’s sleep and leave first thing in the morning.”
Her breath hitched. Just thinking about another night in bed with Josh Cain was enough to send her temperature into the danger zone. “That’s sounds . . . sensible.”
Even if they left tonight, by the time they got back, Ivy would be in bed. Better to let the little girl get a good night’s sleep and pick her up in the morning.
They finished their burgers. Josh started the engine, and the Jeep pulled out of the lot, heading down the street toward the hotel. She noticed him checking the rearview mirror.
“The Buick’s back. It just pulled in behind a Toyota pickup. Looks like we’re being followed.”
Alarm shot through her. “You don’t think it’s Damon? Did you get a look at the driver?”
“Guy had thinning brown hair and wore glasses. It wasn’t Damon.”
