Shay chewed on her bottom lip for a second, then said, “Must be because of the reunion.”
“What reunion?”
“High school. Twentieth.”
He stared at her. “That why you here?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“The local high school?”
“Yes. Manning Grove High.”
“You grew up around here?”
She turned back to the computer. “What do I need to do to program this card?”
“Insert it in the slot there. Then hit that green—” Before he could even finish telling her how to do it, it was done. “You work the front desk before?”
“No. But this program is really simple.”
Sure, for someone who was good with computers, like Ry and Josie. And, apparently, Shay.
“You need a second card?” He might have held his breath while waiting for her answer.
“No.”
“Didn’t bring a girlfriend along or nothin’?”
“No. I came alone.”
He hid his grin by rubbing his hand over his mouth.
“Is there anything else I need to do? I’m exhausted and would love to go rest.”
Yeah, you need to sit on my face.
Thank fuck that wasn’t what he said. He glanced at the screen to check to make sure everything was saved, then slipped his glasses off, hiding them back under the counter. “Nah, you’re good. Room’s to the right of the office. Maybe later once everyone else checks out, and before everyone else checks in, I can move you to a quieter room. Not sure how much sleep you’re gonna get in there durin’ the day once the office gets busy.”
“Right now I could sleep through a fire alarm.”
She tucked her credit card and license back into her wallet, took her keycard and slowly moved around to the customer side of the counter, glancing around as she did so. She was looking anywhere but at him.
He had no idea what she was checking out because the office wasn’t much to look at. It was pretty damn basic, unlike the lobby of the hotel on the town’s square that had all the fucking bells and whistles for their guests.
The Grove Inn offered them a clean room, hot water, and a comfortable bed. That was it. If someone was around to make it, they sometimes had coffee available in the office for the guests. If they wanted something fancy, they could pay twice as much at the hotel.
When Shay finally turned back to him, she wore a soft smile. “I remember this motel, but it’s a lot nicer than I remember.”
“Did a lot of work to it. How long since you’ve been back?”
She glanced around again, her gaze pausing at the big picture window next to the door. “Twenty years. I left right after I graduated and never came back.”
“Why?”
She hesitated and just when he thought she wasn’t going to answer, she said, “My mom was waiting for me to finish high school since by then my dad was gone. I was heading off to college and she wanted a smaller place in a warmer locale. She wasn’t a fan of the snow or frigid temps.”
“Where’d you end up?”
“She ended up in South Carolina. Near North Myrtle Beach.”
She not we. “And you?”
“Bloomsburg University.”
He pursed his lips. “Smart, huh?”
She seemed to be a wiz on the computer, but then, everyone was more of an expert with computers than him. As a kid he was more interested in video arcade games, not learning computer programming and typing and all that shit the other kids wanted to learn to become a functioning adult with a decent job. If his life hadn’t gone to shit, he might’ve traveled around and participated in video game tournaments. Maybe even would’ve become some sort of champion. Won trophies and shit.
Her “I do all right,” mentally dragged him back into the office.
He grinned. “Bet you do. And now what?”
“Now what what?”
He snorted softly. “What d’you do with that piece of paper you paid a fortune to get?”
She turned back to him and studied him for a long moment. Maybe he shouldn’t be asking her all these damn personal questions. She might think he was a psycho. Just like Norman Bates.
“Promise I ain’t gonna come stab you while you’re showerin’. Just curious is all.”
Her lips twitched. “I never watched that movie.”
“Probably best you don’t ’til after your stay here.”
Again, she hid her face as she laughed.
That shit pissed him the fuck off. Why the fuck did she feel the need to hide like that?
“Don’t gotta tell me. Just bein’ nosy is all. You’re a guest, shouldn’t be pryin’.”
“Would it get you fired?”
He snorted. “Fuck no.” He grimaced again at his cursing. But, thank fuck, she didn’t seem to take offense by it. He hated dealing with guests who were easily offended. They could fuck right off. “Owners ain’t gonna fire me.”
The only way he’d be “fired” would be if his colors were stripped. Or he walked away from the Fury and hit the road again for the second time in his life.