Danni Rose (The Sherwood)

“It should be,” Danni informed him. “Momma or Daddy would put any of us kids up if we needed a place to stay.”

She met Walker’s eyes for a brief, moment then she had to look back at the road. It wouldn’t do to wreck Jackson’s truck with Walker Wild riding with her.

“The ping is either bad spark plugs, carbon deposits in the combustion chamber or it’s just plain overheating because the radiator is bad. This model has been having known issues with the radiator needing to be replaced after a few years but then you probably know that,” Walker informed her.

“He just drove it from Louisiana too,” Danni replied. “The license plates are Louisiana,” she explained to Walker when his eyebrow shot up questioning how she knew where Jackson had come from.

“Probably didn’t help,” Walker agreed.

“Was that Jesse on the street corner this morning in town?” Danni asked Walker.

His head shot around, and he was staring at Danni again. Those dark eyes were vacant, not revealing anything, making Danni wonder what Walker was thinking or hiding. At first, she thought he might not answer then he turned his head and stared out the window. “Yes.” Walker supplied the answer to her question, but he wasn’t happy about it. She could tell.

“I thought it might be him. I heard him the other night, but I didn’t see him. It’s been so long since he left Sherwood after your arrest I wasn’t sure at first until he turned around and I could clearly see his face.”

Danni was asking more questions of Walker than she had in forever, but she was worried about him. Worried about him arguing with Jesse on the street this morning. Worried that he felt he couldn’t live with his mother. Worried that he thought he had to sleep on the streets to protect those he loved.

“Danni, don’t, please.”

She glanced at Walker. She had known him her whole life. He and Matt were best friends. She clearly remembered the day that he was arrested. She hated seeing him taken away in handcuffs. From the time, she was little, Walker Wild had been kind to her even when Matt’s or her other brother’s friends weren’t.

“Are you in trouble?” Danni asked not looking at Walker.

“No.” His answer was short and firm and it scared Danni.

“Are you sure?” She looked at Walker quickly. “I’m scared for you,” she told him.

“Don’t be,” he said. “I’m not in trouble.”

“All right,” Danni told him. “I’ll stop interfering.”

Walker continued to stare out the window while she drove, approaching the turn that she needed to make to go to his mother’s house. “It’s just that if you’re in trouble maybe I can help or maybe Matt can if you tell him what’s going on and I know that Dad adores you, Walker.” She hesitated when she realized that he was now looking at her.

“Danni are you done?”

She chuckled at him as Danni flipped on the turn signal and made the sharp left turn. Walker grabbed hold of the Jesus strap. Then kept hold of it, like his life depended on him hanging on. “You can let go now, Walker.” Danni rolled her eyes at him.

“You took that one, a little fast, Danni Rose.”

The road was winding and curvy that led to Artemisia’s house. “What do you do with your money?” Danni asked. “You make ten an hour working for Dad. I know Matt pays you well working for him on the farm.” She hadn’t meant to sound so judgmental when she asked him that and from the look on Walker’s face, it had come out that way. “I’m sorry,” she quickly apologized.

He sighed. Then he released the handle by the window. He resettled himself in the seat, uncomfortable with what she had asked him or how it had made him feel.

“Mom’s social security isn’t much,” he said.

Danni looked at Walker quickly then back at the road because she knew a deep curve was coming up. The truck clung to the asphalt like a dream. She liked Jackson’s vehicle but wanted him to go back to Louisiana. She didn’t know what he was thinking but there was nothing for him here. Not with her, not ever again.

The man sitting next to her intrigued her. He had her heart. He just needed to figure out that she was more than Matt’s little sister.

The road was straight again. “Danni,” Walker said her name. “I have to take care of my mother first.”

“I understand.” Danni felt bad about asking Walker what he did with his money now that she knew he was taking care of Arte. “You don’t owe me any explanations. It was none of my business. I’m sorry that I said anything,” she added.

He looked at her sideways then he looked at his mother’s house ahead. “Danni, I shouldn’t be staying at your house for the same reason that I don’t stay at mom’s.”

She flipped on the turn signal and turned the large vehicle into the drive with ease. She was used to handling any sized car or truck. “Why is that Walker?”

“Don’t,” he repeated.