He walked to his truck, and Brooke watched him go, her hand still warm from where he’d held it.
She got into her SUV and sat there as Tyler’s truck pulled out of the parking lot.
Then she put her head on the steering wheel and tried to figure out what she was supposed to do next.
Chapter 26
Tyler
Thirty miles separated Elkridge from Irma—far enough, Tyler hoped, that they wouldn’t run into anyone who knew them.
He glanced across the truck cab at Brooke. She’d dressed up for dinner—dark jeans and a blue sweater that made her eyes stand out. Her hair was down instead of pulled back in the ponytail she usually wore for work or running.
“You look nice,” Tyler said.
“Thanks.” A faint blush crept across her cheeks as she smiled at him. “You clean up pretty good yourself.”
Tyler felt heat rise in his face. He’d worn khakis and a button-down shirt, wanting to make an effort for their first real date in public, even if they’d driven to another town to do it.
The past few weeks, since their walk around the lake, they had been careful and quiet. They saw each other at his place or hers, but never out where people might notice.
He had thought about going to the Wednesday night runs with the group, but Brooke was still only walking. The temptation to walk with her, to hold her hand and be the couple they were in his mind and heart, would be too strong.
She said she was ready to start running again. Once she did, joining the club might make more sense. He would still see her, but he’d keep his distance.
He was protecting her reputation. At least, that’s what Tyler told himself. But maybe he was protecting himself too—from the judgment, from the whispers, from Adam Boverman’s constant surveillance.
He never knew when Boverman would show up. More than once, Tyler left for work in the morning to find him parked on the street, either in his patrol car or his personal vehicle. Or he’d be parked near the auto shop when Tyler got off.
A few days ago, when Tyler went to Brooke’s place, Adam was in front of the neighbor’s place. Tyler kept on driving, calling Brooke after he got down the street to a place he could park.
Brooke said she’d had enough. Tyler didn’t know exactly what she’d done, but he hadn’t seen Adam since. Not even in his regular course of duty. It was almost as if the man had simply disappeared. It’d only been a couple of days, but it was a nice feeling and spurred their date tonight.
Without Boverman lurking around, they felt more confident in seeing each other. Not confident enough to go out to dinner in Irma, but still. Tyler had to admit, even the drive down felt special. Romantic, even. They took his truck, their hands finding each other’s whenever they could.
The restaurant was on Elkridge’s Main Street, a steakhouse that had been there since the seventies. It was already dark when they arrived, and the restaurant was lit up with white lights along the eaves and woven through the trees. The outdoor patio was closed, but it still looked inviting.
Tyler wondered why he’d never eaten here before. Thirty miles wasn’t much of a drive as far as Wyomingdistances were concerned, and Elkridge was still part of Basin County. He’d always heard the food was good. If the reviews were accurate, maybe this could be a special place for him and Brooke. Maybe it could become “their place.”
Tyler parked and went around to open Brooke’s door.
“Such a gentleman,” she said, smiling.
“My mama raised me right.”
Inside, the restaurant was busy, probably what would be expected on a Saturday night. The hostess led them to a table for two near the back. It was the perfect private spot.
They ordered—salmon for him and steak for her. She ordered a glass of red wine, while Tyler stuck with soda. The waitress brought bread and water and left them alone.
“This is nice,” Brooke said. “Being out somewhere together. Like normal people.”
“We are normal people.”
“You know what I mean.”
Tyler did know.
The meal was good, but the conversation was better. Brooke told him about a difficult customer at the coffee shop who’d demanded a refund because her latte wasn’t hot enough. Tyler shared a story about a car that had come in making a noise Robert swore was possessed.
