Page 5 of Denim & Diamonds

“Why do you have to sneak out? I thought you said the place was voluntary?”

“It is. But if you leave, they discharge you from the program. And if I get kicked out, I’m screwed.”

“How are you screwed?”

“It’s a long story. But I have a board of directors at my company, and there’s this dumb morality clause in my contract and… Let’s just say this is my punishment for doing something stupid.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. But it sounds like you’re in deep shit.”

I laughed. Maybe I needed the mental health timeout more than I wanted to admit. “How far away from Sierra are we?”

“About a mile.”

“Oh good.” I gulped back the rest of my coffee. “I should get going.”

“I’ll give you a ride.”

“It’s okay. I can walk if you just point me in the right direction.”

He looked down at the boots I’d slept in—the cute, knee-high leather ones with chunky four-inch heels. “I’ll drive you.”

Okay then.

Brock’s apartment was on the second floor. When we got down to street level and stepped outside, I realized where we were. “You live above the bar?”

“Yep.”

“Well, that’s convenient to get to work.”

There were two pickup trucks parked in the driveway on the side of the brick building. Both had decals that readHawkins Log Cabins. Brock opened the passenger door on the bigger of the two trucks and offered a hand to help me get in.

“Thank you.”

The temperature had really dropped overnight, and I only had on a flimsy silk dress. Brock got in, started the truck, and noticed me shivering. He peeled off his flannel and held it out to me. “Truck’s diesel. Takes a minute for the heat to warm when it first starts.”

I waved him off. “It’s okay.”

“Lean forward.”

Not sure why, but I followed his instruction. Brock wrapped his flannel around my shoulders. It was warm from his body heat and felt good, so I slipped my arms into it. “Thank you.”

“Yep.”

“Do you work for a company that builds log cabins during the day?”

He shifted the truck into reverse and backed out of the driveway. “Own it.”

“I thought you said you owned the bar?”

“I do. Also own the grocery store in town and the laundromat.”

“That’s a weird combination of businesses.”

He shrugged. “Economy went to shit a few years back, so the logging mill in town closed down. Nowork meant no cash to spend in the grocery store or laundromat, so those closed down, too. I had a little bit of money I didn’t need from an inheritance, so I bought what I could to help people get back to work.”

“That was very noble.”

“It’s a small town. Everyone helps each other.”

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