Chapter Five

Katie looked out the window as Adam drove through Denver traffic. She was already regretting her behavior earlier. She'd spent the past five minutes thinking about how this was actually the second time that Adam had stepped up and helped her, despite the fact that they didn't get along. He'd answered her call for aid to get Nick to come and talk to Mia after she'd been attacked, and Adam hadn't even hesitated to do so, because he'd had been almost as worried about Mia as Katie had been herself. Katie had asked then, Adam had said yes; Katie had been in trouble this morning, Adam had offered her a solution that totally inconvenienced him. And here she was, bitching at him about his trunk being full?

Jesus Christ. This guy is doing you this huge favor and you’re acting like the ultimate spoiled brat, and this is after he helped you with one of your best friends? Come on, now. He doesn’t deserve this.

“Hey, Adam?”

He glanced at her. “Yeah?”

“I wanted to say thanks for this. I – I know it’s a major hassle for you, and you’re really helping me out. I’m sorry I was such a total asshole earlier. I’m just… worried. I’m freaking out, actually.” She took a deep breath. “I really want to get there in time.”

He almost drove the car into a telephone pole in shock, but he recovered. “Hey, it’s OK. I know it’s scary when people we love are sick.”

Oh, I don’t love this prick, believe me. Quite the opposite.

“Have you – have you been in this position before?" she asked. "Having a family member dying like this?”

“Yeah.” He concentrated on the road. “My Mom.”

“Oh, God, Adam. I’m sorry.”

“It was a few years ago, but I still remember how panicked I was until I was there at the hospital with her.”

“Your family isn’t from Colorado?”

“Nope. Hawaii.”

She did a double-take. “Really?”

“Yeah. My Dad’s based out there.”

“Based?”

“Uh-huh. I’m a military brat.”

“You are?”

“One hundred percent. All we did when I was a kid was move around, but when I was fourteen, we settled in Hawaii and it was permanent. My Dad and three sisters are still out there.”

“Three sisters?”

“Yeah. One older, two younger.” He flashed her a smile. “So, don’t worry, Katie. I know all about… ummm… difficult and temperamental women.”

She laughed and he started. It occurred to him that he’d never heard her laugh before, and he was surprised how much it changed her face. Even with all the black makeup, her dark eyes lightened and brightened. Adam was sure that under all that crap was a good-looking woman, and he just couldn’t understand for the life of him why she’d go out of her way to hide that fact.

“So what was it like, being raised by a military guy?” she said.

He settled deeper into his seat, more relaxed now. “Lots of rules.”

“Yeah?” She found she wanted to tease him a bit. “Like, ‘my car, my rules’ kind of rules?”

His hard face broke into wide grin. “OK, yeah. You got me.”

She giggled.

“Dad’s a good man, you know. Tough, for sure, but when he cares about someone, there’s nothing he won’t do for them. When Mom died, it damn near killed him.” Adam was quiet for second. “That was the first and only time I’ve ever seen Dad cry.”

“I’m sorry, Adam.” Katie felt the urge to touch him, but she didn’t. “Was she sick?”

“Yeah. Cancer.”

“Argh,” she winced. “Awful disease.”

“You are right about that. It’ll rip your heart out.”

She nodded.

“What about you, Katie? What about your family?”

She shrugged. “Not much to tell. It’s just me and my brother Ryan and my Mom. And my stepdad.”

“Your father?”

“He died, a long time ago.”

“Sorry.”

“Me too. He was an incredible father.”

“Do you get back to Nevada much?”

She tensed up. “No. Never.”

Puzzled, he glanced over at her. “Never?”

“No.”

“Oh.” He studied her body language, saw how closed off and tight she was all of a sudden. “How come?”

“I’m just not close to my mother or stepfather. I go see Ryan in Florida every chance I get, though.”

“Holidays and stuff?

“Yeah. He’s married and has kids, and I get out there whenever I can. It’s nice to see a normal, happy family once in a while.”

“So… your family wasn’t normal or happy?”

Oh, fuck. Way to go, Katie. You need to watch what you say, alright? With your luck, the guy is probably a psychologist-turned-boxer, and he’ll climb right inside your head and analyze you within an inch of your life. Shut this down.

“It was OK.” She looked out the window again.