West flicked the volume up a notch on the radio. Loud guitars and the gravelly vocals of one of his favorite heavy metal bands filled the cab of the truck.

He glanced over at Penn. She clutched her cell phone in a death grip and stared straight ahead. She hadn’t said a word since they climbed into the truck ten minutes ago.

Maybe if he told her who he was, she’d be able to relax and stop acting like she was two seconds away from diving out of the truck. She might not believe him anyway. It’s not like he had any way to prove it to her with their phones not working at the moment.

He didn’t really want to tell her, anyway. He liked this—the anonymity of it all. It had been too damn long since he’d experienced it.

The sad fact was, this situation made him realize how much he relied on his status to do the legwork in his life, even with something as simple as trying to make small talk with someone. He obviously sucked at small talk if it didn’t have something to do with hockey.

West punched down the accelerator and glanced over at Penn again. She clutched at the seatbelt and squeezed her eyes closed. Smirking, he turned his gaze back toward the road. He loved driving, and loved speed.

He appreciated her girl-next-door appeal. Soft, curly blonde hair hung to her shoulders, and golden lashes framed her huge blue eyes. A spattering of freckles over her nose and cheeks made her look fresh-faced and innocent.

"Relax, Blondie. I’ve driven this road countless times. I know how to drive. We’ll get there in one piece, I promise."

Penn didn’t reply. She just gave him a dubious look before turning her attention back toward the road.

He hid his smile. She didn’t believe him. Not one little bit.

She was cute as hell, but he wouldn't have given her a second glance on a typical day. She was nothing like the women he socialized with.

Who was he kidding? He didn’t socialize, he fucked. End of story.

As the Kingsnakes’ popularity grew, so had his. Women weren't shy about approaching him. He'd gotten into more panties than he could count over the past three years since being traded from Anaheim.

It had been a blast at first, and he took full advantage of the easy sex and beautiful women who made themselves available to him.

Now? It was just starting to get boring. He’d say a few words, flash a few smiles, and hit the sheets with the woman of his choice. There was zero challenge involved. Plus, they didn't care about getting to know him. They cared that he was a well-known athlete, rich and willing.

He had no interest in getting to know them, either, other than to find out if they could give a decent blowjob.

"Since you seem to be having trouble keeping your eyes on the road, Mr. Keller, I’d be more than happy to drive."

West laughed. "I'd like to see that. You couldn't even reach the pedals. What are you, five feet tall?"

"I'm 5'4". And for your information, I could drive this truck if I adjusted the seat. I can drive anything."

"Anything?"

"If it has four wheels and an engine, yes. I grew up around a lot of vehicles."

"Even a standard?"

She gave him a scornful look. "Obviously."

"Yet, with all this supposed car knowledge, you don't seem to like speed."

"Unlike you." She flicked a meaningful gaze toward the speedometer.

“Yeah, that’s right. I like speed."

"Do you live in Las Vegas?" she asked. "I saw your Nevada license plate."

"As I remember it, you took a photo of my plate and threatened me with physical violence." He dragged a hand through his hair and met her eyes.

Her cheeks turned pink. "Yeah, well."

"Well, what?"

"You show up in this monstrous truck, and climb out of it looking like—" she stopped, pressing her lips together.

"Like?" he prodded.

"Oh, come on. You're very tall, and the beard, and…"

"And?" He swerved quickly to the left to avoid an unidentifiable road kill carcass in the middle of the road, and she let out a tiny squeak, straightening her back and throwing her hands over her face.

"You’re going to kill me, I know it! If not by murder, it will be by rolling this monstrosity over."

West started laughing as he pulled the truck back into the right lane. "I told you, Pixie, I know how to drive. Chill the fuck out."

"That’s up for debate right now." She crossed her arms and leaned as far against the passenger door as she could.

"No, it’s not, but what were you saying before? Very tall, and my beard. And?"

"You know exactly what I was going to say. You're very well-built. Then there’s all of your tattoos." She made a sweeping gesture. "You look intimidating. Dangerous."

He ignored her last comment. "You don't like tattoos?"

Penn drummed her fingers on the arm rest. "You're missing the point. Look at me, and look at you. What line of defense do I have against someone like you, Mr. Keller?"

"No, I get the point. You’re judging a book by its cover, don’t you think?"

She shrugged. "Sorry, but most of the famous serial killers looked like perfectly nice guys. I'd judge you if you showed up in a suit dressed for a wedding. It's just the situation."

"I'm scruffy because I spent the past month in California visiting a friend. Then I went to Vancouver for some fishing. No need to shave and get all fancy when you're relaxing in a hot tub or out on a boat."

"A friend or a girlfriend?"

He snorted. "Not a girlfriend."

A tiny smile crossed her face.

"What's with the look?" he asked, irritated.

She glanced out of the passenger window. "I figured it was just a friend. You don't seem like the kind of guy to have a girlfriend."

"What the hell does that mean? I could have a wife and three kids for all you know."

"No way." Penn waved her hand dismissively. "No wife and kids. When was the last time you had a girlfriend?"

West narrowed his gaze and punched his foot down on the accelerator, causing her to grab for the door handle.

"Jesus Christ," he muttered. "Will you relax?" He tossed his cell phone down onto the seat. "It probably has a signal by now. Call my mother. Her number is in there. She'll assure you I'm not a fucking serial killer."

Penn picked up the phone and studied it. "Nope. You don’t have a signal yet."

The gesture worked. She visibly relaxed, but she didn't put his phone down, either.

"To answer your question, I haven't had a girlfriend since I was nineteen and in college. There's nothing wrong with playing the field." He turned the volume down on the radio. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

He studied her for a moment. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

Penn shook her head. "No. No boyfriend."

"See, I would have guessed the exact opposite."

"Why?"

"You seem like the type to have a boyfriend." He looked over at her and grinned. "A steady, long-term boyfriend."

"Nope."

"Then maybe we should stop judging each other, huh?"

She shrugged.

After suffering through a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, she turned in her seat to face him, those big blue eyes fixated on his face. "Listen, Mr. Keller, I know you didn't have to stop. I don't want to even think about what could have happened if you hadn’t. With no traffic around, and my low supply of water and food…" She shivered. "I do appreciate it, even if I appear ungrateful. I'm not. I'm just completely stressed out. So, thank you."

He dropped his gaze to her lush, pink mouth. She had a sexy mouth. Full lips, but not too full. "You're welcome."

Rolling up on the little desert town an hour later, West pulled into a gas station.

"I'm going to wash my windows off. They’re grimy as fuck."

"Do you always swear so much?" she asked, frowning.

West grinned. "Fuck yeah, I do."

Penn opened the passenger door and hopped out. She turned toward him, a smirk on her face. "Okay, then. I'm going to find the fucking restroom."

West laughed. "That wasn’t so hard, was it?"

Penn turned and walked off. "See you in a few."

He plucked the squeegee from the holder and watched as she headed inside the station. She had a cute, perky ass. The denim skirt showed it off to perfection, along with toned, sexy legs.

He'd never had to work to impress a woman, at least not since he'd started playing hockey professionally. Today was a different story. Penn Foster wasn’t impressed with him at all.

He wasn't sure why he cared what she thought of him, anyway. Tomorrow, he'd drop her off in Vegas and that would be the end of it.

He placed the squeegee back into the holder and went into the tiny station to pay. He grabbed two chocolate bars, a bag of chips, and two bottles of soda.

Penn stood next to his truck, looking smaller than ever. It made him grin. She really was a tiny little thing.

He handed her the soda, chips and chocolate bar. "Thought you could use an energy boost."

"Mr. Keller, you didn't have to do that. Thank you."

"What's with this Mr. Keller stuff? West, okay?"

"Well, thank you, West." He watched as she unscrewed the cap and took a long swallow of cola from the frosty bottle. Her tongue swept along her bottom lip, and she let out a tiny sigh. "Oh, that's delicious. I was so thirsty."

West forced his gaze away from her pink tongue and gestured to the front of the station. "The hotel is down this street. Let's go get settled in."

He opened the passenger door for her. She placed her soda and chocolate bar on the seat and turned toward him, reaching for the handle on the door frame to pull herself inside.

West slid his hands around her waist. "How about a boost? Might be easier."

Startled, she lost her footing and fell forward into his chest. Letting out a tiny cry, she grabbed his biceps to steady herself.

"Whoa, easy there." He stared down at her, and she stilled in his arms.

"Sorry." Her voice wavered, and her face had gone bright red.

"A blushing damsel in distress, now," he teased, trying to make her feel more at ease. Her lashes fluttered down as she stared at her feet.

"I'm not usually this clumsy. You just startled me."

"Ready for that boost?" His hands had slid beneath her thin shirt when she fell, but he hadn't bothered to move them. Anyone watching this scene from a distance would think they were lovers.

Their gazes met and held for a bit too long before she stepped from his grasp. The faint scent of coconut tickled his nostrils, and he wondered if it was her perfume or shampoo.

"I'm okay, West." She grabbed the handle and hoisted herself into the truck. "Thanks."

"Then we're off." He closed the door and headed back around to the driver’s side, unable to deny the spark of awareness that had passed between them.

Shoving the thought to the back of his mind, he climbed in and glanced over at Penn. She stared down at her phone, avoiding his gaze.

Yeah. He had no doubt she’d felt it, too.

---

Penn leaned forward, taking in the sights of the town as they rolled down the main street. She breathed a sigh of relief as West swung the truck into the parking lot of a modest-looking L-shaped motel.

"I stay here a few times a year. It's quiet, and the people are nice. Think it will meet your standards?"

"If it has clean sheets and hot water, it works for me. I’m not fussy."

"Office is through there." He pointed to a wooden door at the end of the building. "I'll wait."

She entered the rustic office and approached an older, gray-haired woman standing behind a mahogany desk.

Penn placed her purse down on the desk. "I'd like a room for the night, please."

"No vacancies, hon. In fact, there’s probably no vacancies anywhere. Big event going on in town this week."

Panic tried to rear its ugly head again, and she swallowed it down. "Then I’m screwed."

The woman peered over her glasses at Penn and slid a paper across the desk. "That's a list of three other hotels in the area. You’re welcome to use the guest phone and check if they have any rooms available." The woman pointed to the corner of the room at a phone on the wall.

"Thanks."

Five minutes later, Penn hung up the phone. Not one damn vacancy.

The woman pulled her glasses off and perched them on top of her head. "By the look on your face, I'm guessing everyone is booked. Just passing through, I take it?"

"My car stalled on the highway. The guy who stopped to help me is staying here. He suggested this place."

The woman peered out of the window. "I assume you’re talking about Mr. Keller?"

"Yes. Do you know him?"

"I’m guessing you don't." The woman gave her a kind smile. "Not many people like him left in this world."

"What do you mean?" asked Penn.

"We had a family of six here in town that lost their home in a fire last summer. Mr. Keller found out about it during his stay, and paid for their lodging at the nicest hotel in town until they were able to get back on their feet. He also paid for all of their meals, and leased them a car so they could get around. It took a few months for them to find a new place to live and deal with the insurance." The woman leaned closer and lowered her voice. "He wanted to remain anonymous, but my friend helped organize their stay. She let it slip that he was the one paying their bill."

Penn blinked. "That had to cost a pretty penny." He must make a decent living for that kind of philanthropy. She wondered what he did for work.

"He’s a good egg, that one. Isn’t hard on the old eyes either, is he?"

Penn gave her an amused glance before turning to look out of the window. West stood in front of the truck, drinking his soda.

"Well, thanks for the information."

"No problem. I hope you figure something out."

A buzzer sounded as West stepped into the tiny office. "Hey, Alice."

"Mr. Keller," the woman said, smoothing her hair. "How are you doing, honey?" She handed him a key. "Your regular room was available."

"I’m great. Any luck for my friend here?"

"No vacancies anywhere, I'm afraid."

"Hmm. Well, we will figure something out."

"I put a few of those chocolate candies you like in the room." She patted his hand.

He flashed her a grin. "That’s my girl. It’s why I always stay here, Alice. Your attention to detail."

Alice blushed. "Anything you need for your stay, you just let me know, sugar."

Penn smothered a laugh as she followed West back outside. The old woman had a crush on him, no doubt.

She glanced down the main road and back up at him. "Well, now what? I’m pretty much screwed."

---

West rubbed his chin. "It really isn’t your day, is it, Pixie?"

"You think? I shouldn't have gotten out of bed this morning."

"It's not the end of the world. You can stay with me. Problem solved."

Penn sighed. "Right. Problem solved. How did I get myself into this mess?"

"What are your plans when you get to Vegas?" He needed to change the subject. Everything about her body language-crossed arms, pursed lips, brows drawn together-silently broadcasted her stress.

"Relaxing. I wanted to have a vacation before I have to job hunt and join the real world." She dropped her gaze and kicked at a patch of dirt next to the sidewalk. "The past nine months have been...rough."

That didn't sound good. He was curious, but decided against asking. She was already aggravated.

"You’ve graduated from school then?"

Penn pulled a hair tie from the front pocket of her skirt and gathered her wild, wavy hair back into a ponytail. "Yeah. I'm a veterinary technician. Well, I will be, once I find a job. I graduated a month ago. I plan on being a vet, but I'm taking a year off to get some experience in a practice before I take the next step with school."

The woman was obviously smart. Becoming a vet required years of education. She also didn’t seem like the type who was afraid to get dirty, which made him like her even more.

West pulled his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans and flipped it open. "That's Bo. My golden retriever. I got him when I moved to Vegas."

Her face lit up at the photo. "Wow, he's big. Cute, too. Golden’s are a fantastic breed."

"Yeah, he's super friendly. Loves everyone he meets."

"Where is he now?"

"I keep him at a big doggie hotel called The Puptastic Ranch. It’s right outside of the city, and he loves it there. I wanted a big place where he could play and hang out with other dogs. I know the owner. She's dedicated to the business and is fantastic with all of the dogs."

Penn looked impressed, and he continued.

"I figure if he's busy, he has less time to miss me when I'm away."

"That's very true. So, you travel a lot? What line of work are you in? Alice mentioned your generous philanthropy for the family who lost their home in the fire. You must be quite successful."

Fuck.

Thankfully, Alice hadn't blabbed anything else. The sweet old lady loved to gossip, and he didn't want Penn knowing about his hockey career.

Not yet.

He smiled. "A bit of this and that."

"How does your this pay for that, Mr. Keller?" she asked, gesturing to his truck.

So much for being evasive. "I have money in the bank. Don't you worry about me."

"Is there a reason you're dodging my question? Are you a drug dealer or something?" A panicked look crossed her face.

"Hell no," he declared. "I hate that shit. My money is clean. C’mon. Let's go get settled."

"It's a simple question, West. I told you what I do."

"I work in the legal field," he lied. "And I travel a lot."

Penn eyed his tattoos skeptically. "The legal field? With all of those tattoos?"

He stared her down. "Yes. Ever hear of dress shirts and suits?" His old man was a divorce lawyer, and he knew enough legalese to make this work. He had to do something to get her to relax. If she thought he was on the right side of the law, maybe she’d unclench her fists.

"If it's all the same to you, Mr. Keller, I think I'll get a ride to the next town and stay there."

Or maybe not.

"Well, one town is two hours away, and the other has about two hundred people and no hotels. And this town doesn't have a taxi service."

Penn took a deep breath and blew a lock of hair out of her eyes. "Dammit. This is unbelievable."

West took her soft, small hand in his. She was so damn feminine.

"Penn, I’m not going to hurt you. I didn't leave you stranded in the desert. I brought you here and tried to get you your own room. Doesn't that count for something?"

They stood like that for a moment before she answered, "Yeah. I guess so."

"I know it’s not an ideal situation, but you have no choice but to roll with it. Besides, you have cell service now, right? Call who you want. Let them know you're here."

He gave her hand a squeeze before letting it go. "Think of this as an adventure. Let's go check out the room and get settled, okay?"

Penn hung her head and took a deep breath. "Okay. Lead the way."

---

The motel room was modest, but clean. A large queen-sized bed took up most of the space. The carpets were a bit threadbare, and the comforter a little worn, but he knew Alice took pride in keeping things comfortable for her guests.

Penn set her purse down on the bed. "Who is sleeping here?" She gestured to the bed.

He shrugged. "Stay on your side, and I'll stay on mine."

She rolled her eyes. "Wonderful. Problem solved."

He started laughing. "That’s right."

She bent over to take off her sandals and his gaze strayed to her sexy ass. She had a damn fine ass. He resisted the urge to reach out and cup it.

He forced his eyes away from her backside and threw his keys and wallet down on the nightstand. Hell, it hadn't even been that long since he’d gotten laid. A few days, tops. What was her name again? Jana? Jemma? Whatever her name was, she had been more than willing.

Unfortunately, she'd also been forgettable.

"Who are you meeting in Vegas?" he asked.

"A friend, who I’m going to call now."

West flopped back on the bed and ran a hand down over his face. Her friend probably had no idea who he was either, so he wasn’t worried about her finding out. "I'm going to catch up on some sleep. I've been driving for hours. Wake me in an hour and a half, would you? Then we can see about grabbing some dinner."

"Okay." She grabbed her cell phone and left the room.

Christ. That little skirt she wore pushed every one of his buttons. He forced his eyes closed and imagined what she looked like out of it.

---

Penn sat on a picnic bench outside of the hotel room and stretched. The sun sank low in the sky, but the heat hadn’t eased much at all. She picked up her phone and dialed Holly’s number. Her best friend was going to shit a brick when she found out what was going on.

"Where the hell have you been, Penn? I've been calling you for two hours! You were supposed to check in every hour. I kept getting some weird robotic message saying you were unreachable."

"I was unreachable, Hol. You won't believe it when I tell you." Penn lowered her voice and filled her friend in on the situation.

"What are you going to do?" Holly asked. "This guy is that gorgeous, huh?"

"Yeah. It actually borders on ridiculous."

"He could be a murderer. Or a rapist. Or—"

Penn sighed. "Trust me. I get it. I've gone over everything a hundred times. He says he works in the legal field. Really, what choice do I have? Besides, if he was a creep he wouldn't have tried to get me my own room, or let me call you, right?"

"I guess," Holly said, sounding doubtful. "God this connection sucks. You keep dropping out."

"Yeah, I’m not surprised. The cell phone service is horrendous out here. Anyway, he hasn't done anything but help me out, even if he does think he's God's gift to women. Plus, he has a dog. He showed me a picture of it."

"Great, Penn. Maybe you can help him find it in the park while he gives you a bag of candy and leads you to his creepy van with curtained windows."

Penn laughed. "I know, I know."

"Keep your phone on, and give me his license plate and the hotel information. I want details in case you go missing. What's this guy's name?"

A blast of static came over the line. "Hol? Are you there?" Penn asked.

"I’m here. For how long, I don’t know. Stupid phone."

Penn tried to give her the hotel information, but static kept buzzing in her ear.

"I'll call you tomorrow," Penn shouted. "Love you."

After ending the call, she tried texting the room number and hotel name to Holly.

Her cell phone screen flashed with the now familiar words "NO SERVICE."

Sighing, she set the phone on the picnic table. She'd try again later.

Leaning over, she peeked through the window. West was sprawled out on the bed, fast asleep. Attractive wasn’t even an adequate word to describe him. Every time he looked at her with those smoky gray eyes, her stomach flipped wildly.

Maybe tonight wouldn't be so bad after all. She still had a great vacation ahead, even if the start of it had been lousy.

So far, it sure as hell hadn't been boring.

---

West jolted awake, covered in a fine sheen of sweat and sporting a raging hard-on. Penn's mini-skirt and sexy legs had figured into his fitful sleep. He sat up and scrubbed a hand over his face.

"Hello?" he called.

When there was no answer, he went into the bathroom and splashed some cold water on his face. It was still blazing hot in the room.

West checked the aging air conditioner and frowned. He could afford a better hotel to stay in during his road trips, but he liked this place.

Plus, Alice would be broken-hearted and personally offended if he went to one of the other hotels in town.

He’d stayed in places like this as a kid when his family went on vacations. He'd always shared a room with his brother, Drew, and they'd find all kinds of ways to get into trouble. The vacations were usually shitty, with their parents fighting ninety percent of the time, but he and Drew had always managed to have fun.

He opened the screen door and found Penn sitting on a picnic bench, staring out at the road while the evening sun sank over the horizon.

He sat next to her. "That was longer than an hour and a half, kid."

"What?" she asked. "Oh, sorry. I lost track of time." Her gaze strayed to his shirtless chest, and her cheeks turned pink.

West tried to hide his smile. Her face showed every emotion and betrayed her attempt at playing things cool.

"Did you talk to your friend?"

"Yeah, but the phone service out here isn't the greatest."

"Never is." He stretched. "You want to order some pizza or something? I'm starving."

"Okay. We can place separate orders."

"Nah. It’s my treat. You've had a hell of a day."

"Thank you." She knit her brows together. "I can't place your accent and it’s driving me crazy."

"I didn't know I had one."

"Where are you from? Or is that question too invasive?"

"I was born in New York. We moved around a lot before my family settled back there again when I was a teenager."

"You don’t have a New York accent at all, though. Did your family settle in Manhattan?"

"Yeah." He hated talking about his past. His family life hadn’t been sunshine and roses growing up. Sooner or later, he’d have to redirect this conversation.

"How did you manage to find your way to Vegas?"

"I'm a traveling man. I thought that much was obvious?"

She smiled. A real, honest, genuine smile. It lit up her entire face, and made her eyes sparkle in the dimming light.

"I’m pretty sure nothing about you is obvious, West. Unless you want it to be."

"So, where are you from?" The fewer questions he needed to answer, the better. He liked her, and didn’t want to have to dig himself deeper with more lies, even if he wasn’t going to see her again after tomorrow. He’d always been a terrible liar.

"Lakensville, Washington. Born and raised. Farm girl."

"Farm girl who drives a classic Super Beetle. How did that happen?"

"My brother, Danny, used to fix up cars in our old horse barn. I've always wanted a Bug. I was obsessed with Herbie the Lovebug movies as a kid. He never forgot that. He gave me the car for my birthday last year. It was the last one he rebuilt."

"He doesn't rebuild them anymore? That’s a shame. He’s pretty talented. That car is sharp."

She looked down at her feet. "He doesn’t build them anymore because he died. Nine months ago."

Fuck.

When she'd mentioned she'd had a rough nine months, he attributed it to a hard year at school or breaking up with a boyfriend. Nothing this tragic.

"That really sucks, Penn."

She lifted her head, a surprised look on her face. "Yeah, it does. It totally sucks."

"Damn right it does. People say 'I'm sorry', and it drives me nuts. Of course they are. But they rarely ever say the truth, and the truth is that it fucking sucks."

Penn studied him for a long moment before placing her hand on his forearm. Her gentle touch warmed his skin. "Who was it for you?"

West hesitated. He didn't expect her to read anything into what he'd said, other than commiseration. This girl was as intuitive as she was smart.

The temptation to lie was strong, but her blue eyes held nothing but sympathy and understanding. "My older brother, Drew. Three years ago. What happened to Danny, if you don't mind me asking?"

Her hands clenched, and she took a gulp of air. "He shot himself."

West’s heart thudded in his chest, and he struggled to take a breath. He looked over at her, and for a moment, it was exactly like staring into a mirror. The same pain and horror he'd experienced when Drew had taken his own life reflected back at him from her eyes.

Penn glanced back out at the road. "I-I found him. It was awful."

"Jesus Christ." He closed his eyes and reached for her hand, so soft and small and warm in his own. Thankfully, he'd been spared the trauma of discovering Drew.

"Danny struggled with depression on and off for years. He’d been seeing a therapist. No one expected this, though. He was a really good person, you know? My best friend. We were a year apart in age, so we were very close."

She gripped the edge of the picnic table bench hard, turning her knuckles white. "The last few years, he was really unhappy. I did everything I could to try and help him through it. He was my older brother, and I looked up to him, you know?"

"Yeah, I know how you feel." Drew had been the person closest to him in the world. He had idolized his brother in every way.

"What happened to Drew?"

Still holding her hand in his, he lifted his head and met her eyes, which didn't hold any judgment. His mouth had gone dry, and he struggled to find his words. He never talked about his brother, because he hated the pity he saw on people's faces. But with Penn, he felt an instantaneous, deep connection.

"I'm sorry, West. I shouldn’t have asked. I know you don't like talking about yourself."

"He died from a very purposeful overdose of heroin." The words came out in a rush, and he couldn’t stop them. "He left a note, apologizing for not being able to go on. Like Danny, he was depressed. He'd been in and out of rehab for a few years. He'd been clean for over a year, and I thought things were going well. Then, just like that, he was gone."

Penn squeezed his hand. The expression on her face said it all.

She knew. Knew what it was like to lose the one person in the universe you could trust. Her world would never be the same.

Neither would his.

"I'm still angry at him." Her voice was barely a whisper. "I love him more than anything, but I'm still angry. I'd always bring him his coffee in the morning when he'd get up early to work on the cars in the barn after his chores were done. He had to know I’d be the one to find him."

West brushed a tear from her cheek with his thumb. "I doubt he even realized that, Penn. He was probably in so much emotional pain at that moment he didn’t consider it at all."

"He didn't leave a note, so I guess I'll never know."

"I'm afraid we have membership to a club no one wants to belong to, Pixie."

The pain in her eyes tugged at his heart. "Does it ever get any better?"

"It's been a few years for me, and I’m still struggling."

Penn ran her hands down her face and sighed. "I feel like I've been living in a nightmare. I keep waiting to wake up."

He draped his arm around her shoulders. "How about we order that pizza? Forget about this shit for a while?"

"Sounds good to me."