Valene moved closer, wondering how Diesel got to the truck stop so fast. Hadn’t he been thirty minutes away when she came upstairs? How long had she cried on Nova’s shoulder about Wyatt and Daphne Charlene’s intimate knowledge about his appendix scar?
“I have some information about Sheriff Wyatt Campbell.”
“Don’t believe anything she says, Diesel,” Valene said, joining their conversation.
Diesel frowned at Valene and looked over her shoulder at the charming man she’d helped, who was now purchasing the stuffed Maxwell the Martian she’d helped select for his ten-year-old niece.
The man waved at her and Valene grinned and waved back.
Daphne Charlene said casually, “I just thought you should know that Wyatt told me something very interesting about your little truck stop operation last night when we were together.”
Valene straightened like she’d been hit by a bolt of lightning. “You were not with him last night.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I was.”
“You weren’t with him the whole night, were you?” Daphne Charlene looked smug.
“Yes. In fact, I was. He was right beside me in his king-sized bed. All night long.” Valene turned to Diesel and realized what she’d just admitted.
Diesel’s eyebrows lifted, but he remained silent.
Daphne Charlene smiled like a cat with canary feathers poking out of its mouth. “Well, I was with him in his kitchen for over thirty minutes very late last night. I didn’t see you there. Then again, we didn’t take the time to go all the way to the bedroom. Right after our intimacy, though, he told me the most interesting story about aliens living in plain sight at this very truck stop.” She grinned as if she’d won some sort of trophy for whateverintimacythey’d shared and ensuring Valene knew about it.
She started to make a vulgar remark, but then something unnerving from the night before materialized in her mind.
Valene froze in place as an elusive memory drifted up from her dreamy memories of the night spent with the man she loved beyond reason. She’d woken in Wyatt’s bed all alone. She reached an arm out to feel for him, but didn’t find him there and the space where he’d been was cold.
When she’d forced her lids open, she’d seen three twenty-three in red numbers on the digital bedside clock. She sat up and called out Wyatt’s name in the darkness. Twice. He’d strolled in a few moments later, climbed into bed and snuggled up to her, mumbling something about the barking dogs next door.
“You’re lying.” Valene gave the other woman her best death stare, but Daphne Charlene wasn’t cowed.
She turned to Diesel. “I have something to tell you. However, I don’t think your sister should listen in. Don’t want to hurt herdelicatefeelings.”
“Diesel, don’t listen to her. She’s a liar.”
Valene couldn’t read Diesel’s expression. He put a hand on her shoulder and said, “Let me handle this. Cam wants to talk to you in his office.”
“Cam? Why?”
“Don’t know. Why don’t you go see him and find out?” Diesel’s tone was the Fearless Leader one that brooked no nonsense.
Valene huffed. “You’re just trying to get rid of me.”
Diesel gave her a half smile and squeezed her shoulder. “Go on now.”
Daphne Charlene cast her a triumphant look, but Valene knew the lying woman was about to be coaxed through theEmployees Onlyhallway, back to Diesel’s office and blasted with a Defender no matter what lies she told.
She gave Daphne Charlene a rather smug look in return and shuffled slowly toward the back. She looked over her shoulder twice to see Diesel watching until she was gone before engaging Daphne Charlene in conversation.
Once she made it downstairs, Valene headed for Cam’s office. She knocked and Wyatt answered. He was all alone in the room.
“Where’s Cam?”
“He left me alone so we could chat.” Valene’s spirits lifted at the idea of alone time with Wyatt. She moved closer for a hug until his expression stopped her dead in her tracks.
“What’s wrong?”
