I glanced at him, but he wasn’t looking at me. His hands were clenched on the steering wheel.
“Poet?”
“I already knew,” I said softly. “About your . . . time there.”
He finally pulled his eyes from the road to look at me. “You did?”
“Salem mentioned it when she sent the photos of you and Archer. I didn’t remember right away,” I explained. “But your name sounded familiar . . .”
“Oh.” He paused and turned his attention back to the road. “Most people treat me different as soon as they find out. It’s why I haven’t . . .”
“Told the townsfolk?” I guessed.
“Yeah.”
I nodded in understanding. It explained why Richard andGracie treated him so . . . normally. Like he didn’t have a seasoned past. Like he was just a quiet, well-mannered cowboy.
“You didn’t treat me different,” he pointed out. “Why not?”
“I panicked for a moment when I realized who you were. I did.” I swallowed. “But then I thought about two things.”
“What?”
“Muddy never would’ve hired you if she was worried about her family’s safety.”
I was quiet for a moment. Long enough for him to press, “And the second thing?”
“I feel safe with you.” I shrugged, trying to downplay it. “You’re . . .”
“Not like an ex-con?” he finished for me.
“Not what I expected,” I corrected.
He paused. “You let me sleep in bed next to you. Even after you knew.”
“Yes.”
The truck filled with silence, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was just two people who had stripped away the veneer of platitudes. I didn’t know what he’d done to land himself in prison. Despite my weakening resolve to keep him at arm’s length, I was hungry for knowledge, but I refused to ask. Maybe I was being respectful. Maybe I was safeguarding the image I had of him.
Maybe I was protecting myself from getting in any deeper.
I was starting to worry I had no self-preservation instinct where Brooks was concerned.
We were in desperate need of a new subject.
“So where are you taking me?” I asked.
“Elk Ridge. You just talked to Salem, and I’m guessing she’s already called her grandmother to tell her you’re intown. So if I don’t bring you to see her, I’m going to get shit for it, and I’d prefer not to get shit for it.”
“Fair enough,” I said. “What about you?”
“What about me?” he replied.
“Well, I know about Archer, but I don’t know anything else about your family.”
Brooks pulled into the driveway of the ranch house and parked. “Sorry, that’ll have to wait for another time.”
“But you’ll tell me?” I pushed.
