“Any of these will work,” Jennifer said, glancing out the window to direct his attention to the fast food places he drove past.
The idea of taking her through a fast food drive-thru for a coffee left him a little sick to his stomach. They probably brewed it next to the fryers, and it would taste like French fry grease. This was not how a man treated a lady the first time they went somewhere together. His ma would lock him in his room for a month if she found out. Sure, he was hundreds of years old and a man, but warlocks still knew not to cross their elders.
However, since this wasn’t a date and he was already failing miserably at conversation, Rory turned into the next restaurant. He pulled into line behind a minivan. Someone had affixed stickers of a mom, dad, and three children to the back window. The normality of it made him jealous.
Jennifer dug into her apron. “Can you order me a number two with a large coffee and cream, please?”
She pulled her hand from her apron and tried to give him money to pay for it.
“I got this,” he said.
“No, it’s—”
“I insist,” he cut her off.
“Thank you.” Jennifer sighed and looked out the passenger window. She clutched her money in her hand.
The car again fell into silence. He made his way through the drive-thru, talking only to order her number two and a couple of coffees. After he received their order, he handed the bag of food to her.
“Thanks.” Jennifer was careful not to touch his hand when she took the food from him. She didn’t open it to check the contents as she placed it on her lap with the apron.
Rory took an obligatory sip of the hot coffee and hid his grimace. Just as he expected, the bitter flavor had the underlying taste of a deep-fat fryer.
“Which way?” he asked, coming to a stop sign.
“You can drop me off at the Crimson Tavern. I’ll make my way from there.” Jennifer fingered the plastic lid on her cup, tapping a light rhythm on the top.
“I can take ya home.” Rory wanted to be a gentleman, but she made it damn hard.
“I…” The tapping stopped.
Rory inhaled a deep breath and slowly nodded, understanding her hesitance. “You’re worried about me seeing where ya live? ’Cause I’m a stranger?”
Jennifer nodded.
“If it makes ya feel any better, this is a small town. I can probably figure it out by asking around. I’m pretty sure Mrs. Callister, the local busybody, keeps a record of everyone.” He smiled, hoping to make her at least chuckle once on this drive.
“You’ve seen it?” Jennifer grimaced. “What she says about Kay and me is a lie. We just waitress. We’re not prostitutes. Honestly, my job is hard enough without her blog posts making guys think they can get lucky in the back room between appetizers and the main course for ten bucks. If you think I’m going to blow you for a couple of bucks, you’re mistaken.”
Rory’s hand tightened on the coffee cup and the lid popped off, spilling hot liquid on his hand and leg. “Ow, damn it!”
The car swerved before he managed to apply the brakes a little too hard.
“Oh!” Jennifer braced a hand on the dashboard and lifted her cup in the air to keep it from sloshing around.
Luckily, the coffee mainly landed on his kilt and not the bare legs underneath, even though he could feel the heat of it against his crotch.
“Oh, ouch,” Jennifer acknowledged as she set her cup on the floor and dug into her food bag to pull out napkins. She handed them over. “Did it burn?”
“I’ll be fine.” He took the napkins and blotted the kilt. “Though I can’t say the same for Mrs. Callister. That nuisance has to be stopped. By calling respectable women whores, she’s gone too far this time.”
“More inferred,” Jennifer said as if trying to downplay the seriousness.
“And I never thought that about ya,” he said.
“She’s said worse about others. She tried to imply my boss is in witness protection from the mafia and running drugs out of the back room. I don’t think anyone believes her. I actually kind of feel sorry for her. She must be lacking something inside to feel the need to lie about her neighbors like she does.”
“That’s very understanding of ya,” he said. “Still, something needs to be done.”
A car passed, and she stared at the driver through the window, turning her head to watch the vehicle. “Turn toward the Crimson Tavern, then keep going. My place is pretty much a straight shot from there,” she said.
Rory smiled to himself. She might be relaxing around him. Though he couldn’t fault her for being cautious. Women living on their own needed to take extra precautions. He had to remind himself that humans were not like warlocks. As a human, she would have been very shaken at having woken up in a motel with no idea of how she arrived there. In contrast, when Rory woke up tied to a tree with no memory of his abduction, he had felt like it was another family prank.
Whoever had bespelled her might try again. He needed to protect her.
He turned the corner and drove past the tavern. “Maybe ya should stay at my family home for a while or the motel if you’re more comfortable.”
“That’s a…” She frowned, studying him. “Either a very inappropriately strange or a very kind offer. Either way, no thank you. I have a home.”
“I don’t seem to be articulating myself very well this morning.” He gave a small laugh. “Maybe I shouldn’t have spilled that coffee since it sounds like I need it. What I meant to say is, if ya don’t remember what happened, it might be a case of better safe than sorry. My sister won’t charge ya for the room. I can drive ya back there after ya pick up some of your belongings if ya like.”
“I appreciate the kind
