Page 48 of Side Trip

She wiped her face, sniffled. “Mark’s a good guy. You’d like him if you got to know him. I love him, and I love the ring he gave me.”

“No, Joy, don’t.” He crouched until they were eye level. “You don’t have to defend him, or the ring. You’re right. I’m a jerk, and I’m sure he’s an awesome guy. He’d have to be if he’s with you. You’re amazing, and maybe I’m a little jealous that he knows you better than me.”

She sniffled again. She didn’t look at him but he saw the corner of her mouth twitch at his compliment.

He covered her hand where she tightly gripped the steering wheel. “Look at me. Please, Joy,” he begged when she didn’t at first. She turned her face to him and he grazed a thumb across her cheek. “I’m sorry. I’d understand if you didn’t want me to ride along with you anymore, but I’d like to, if you’ll let me. Am I still welcome?”

Joy chewed her lower lip. She unlocked the doors.

That’s a yes!

He dashed to the passenger side and got into the car. He smiled at her, settling into his seat. She stared straight ahead, and his smile faltered. What could he say to her without making more of a mess than he already had?

He watched her, uncertain what to do next, when he noticed that her tears still fell.

“Please don’t cry,” he whispered. He found a clean napkin in the dash compartment and gave it to her.

“Some of the things you said ... ,” she started, then angled her face away.

“I was wrong,” he admitted. He’d been totally off base, hadn’t he? Or maybe, he thought, watching a tear cling to her chin and her lower lip quiver, he’d hit closer to the truth than she cared to admit. Not to him, but to herself.

She wiped her face. “You hurt me.”

“I know. I’m sorry.” He reached over and caressed her hair. “I’m tired and cranky and my gig in Albuquerque was a joke. I’ve got another one tonight, and I don’t want to do it.”

She looked at him. “Why are you?”

Dylan sighed. He bounced a fist on his thigh. What to tell her? He knew Joy wouldn’t scoop him with the media, but for now he wanted to keep the specifics in the small circle of Jack’s attorney, Billie, and Chase. Only they knew why he had to make this trip.

“Let’s just say I have an obligation to fulfill.”

Joy nodded. “Maybe you’ll trust me enough someday to tell me.”

Maybe. But that was as unlikely as Joy sharing with him about what happened with Judy.

Dylan cupped her cheek. “Forgive me?”

She nodded. “Forgiven and forgotten.”

He wished he could say the same. Doubtful he’d ever forget the look of hurt on Joy’s face before she’d stormed from the café.

Damn. She was weaseling her way under his skin and he wasn’t sure that he wanted to stop her.

CHAPTER 15

BEFORE

Joy

Amarillo, Texas

Joy walked to the Wagon Wheel, a dive bar three blocks from the roadside motel they’d checked into. Dylan hadn’t invited her to watch him play; he hadn’t even told her where he was playing. She hadn’t asked either, nor did she take offense, not after what he’d told her earlier in the car. He had some sort of obligation. Knowing that, she felt more empathetic, but it didn’t stop her from following him when he left the motel.

Dylan had been quiet during the last leg of their drive to Amarillo. He clearly felt awful about how he’d acted. He’d look at her when he thought she wouldn’t notice. He also didn’t argue over the music. In fact, he put on Connie Francis without any prompting from her. He listened to the entireConnie’s Greatest Hitsalbum without one complaint.

But Dylan wasn’t the only one brooding.

Joy hadn’t been in the mood to strike up conversation either, treading through her own murky puddle of thoughts. Dylan’s accusation about her reluctance to discuss Mark with him had hurt because he’d been right. She’d been in Dylan’s company for over forty-eight hours and she’d hardly breathed a word about her fiancé to him.

---