Page 32 of Wrecker

One side of his mouth kicked up. “You got possessive over me?”

“Yeah.” I tugged on his cut as I went on my toes to give him a quick kiss. “Which is why Blade took pity on me and shared the story of how you got your road name.”

“You don’t need to worry about Susan.”

“I know, but I still want to come with you.” I smiled up at him. “Let me support you like you do with me.”

A long pause stretched between us, his body still but his thoughts warring behind those dark eyes. Finally, he gave a short nod. “Okay.”

The hour-long drive passed mostly in silence, but not the kind that felt awkward. We took his truck, and Reid’s fingers stayed wrapped around mine on the center console, his thumb tracing idle strokes over my skin. He didn’t speak much, and I didn’t ask him to. I was at his side, and that was enough for me.

When we pulled into a quiet neighborhood on the outskirts of Chattanooga, I was happy to see how normal the house looked. It was small but warm-looking, painted a soft blue with white shutters and flowers blooming in containers near the porch. A welcome mat sat at the bottom of a long ramp that led to the front door.

Reid cut the engine and sat there for a second, staring at the house like it held ghosts.

“Ready?” I asked gently.

His voice was rough as he answered, “More than I usually am.”

The woman who answered the door was tiny, but there was nothing hesitant in the way she moved. She rolled herself smoothly back to make room for us, smiling as though she hadn’t noticed the pain in Reid’s eyes.

“Hey, stranger,” she said softly.

Reid stepped forward and bent to wrap her in a hug. “Hey, Susan.”

The way her arms came around his shoulders made my throat tighten. There was no awkwardness between them. Just understanding.

When they pulled apart, her gaze shifted to me. “And you brought a guest for the first time ever.”

Reid slid his arm around my waist. “This is my Peyton.”

“Anyone who’s important to Reid is more than welcome in my home.” Susan offered her hand with a warm smile. “It’s nice to meet you.”

She led us into the living room, and I caught glimpses of framed photos along the walls. My eyes widened when I realized one of them was from her wedding, and she was in her wheelchair at the altar.

Susan easily transferred to the couch, her balance so natural that it was as if her chair had never been anything but a part of her life. She looked comfortable and happy, but there was still an almost tortured look in Reid’s eyes as he watched her.

I reached for his hand, lacing my fingers with his. He didn’t let go. Not even when the front door opened behind us and a tall, handsome man stepped in, carrying a grocery bag.

“Babe, they were out of the herbal tea you love, so I got the next best one. Oh, I thought I’d beat you here.”

His smile was easy, but the moment his eyes landed on Susan, something shifted. The way he looked at her—like the sun rose and set with his wife—made something ache in my chest. He walked over and kissed her forehead before lowering a hand gently to her stomach.

I saw the way Susan flushed, her hand covering his, and I gasped.

Reid went still beside me.

“We were going to wait a little longer before telling anyone,” Susan admitted with a bashful grin. “But it seems so fitting that you’re the first to know.”

“You’re pregnant?” I asked, my voice catching on a thread of emotion.

She nodded, glowing now. “Yeah. Due right around Thanksgiving.”

I glanced at Reid, but he wasn’t smiling. Not yet. The guilt was still there, carved into every line of his face. As though seeing her happy somehow deepened his remorse.

“We have even more to be thankful for this year.” Her husband shot Reid a smile. “Because of you.”

Reid looked uncomfortable with his gratitude, shrugging it off.

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