Lacey sat in the passenger seat of the old pick-up, staring out the open window as they drove back to the motel. Lance had apparently left with some cute cowgirl and left her and Wesley to get back to the motel on their own. They had booked two rooms earlier, but they hadn't been anywhere near each other. They were on opposing ends of the building, which was probably a good thing after the boot she had inadvertently thrust into her mouth earlier with bringing up something that was clearly painful for Wesley. She was actually looking forward to getting behind closed doors and kicking herself.
Wesley drove quietly. He'd had a couple beers, but the hour he'd taken had allowed the alcohol to settle alright to warrant safe driving. He pulled to a stop at an intersection as the light turned red and flipped on his turn signal as he waited. "I didn't mean to spook ya back at the bar, Lacey..." He said it softly, apologetically.
Lacey glanced over at Him, hearing the tone of his voice and quietly breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't upset. That much was clear, at least. "Please don't apologize, Wesley. I'm clearly the one at fault here. I'm so sorry."
"Nah... was my fault for getting defensive. I didn't mean to. I just don't talk about it much is all. You don't know no better. I shouldn't'a got upset." He lifted his hat and tucked his hair back. The light turned green and he waited for a passing car and turned left on the street that led to the hotel.
Lacey smiled a bit and reached over to gently squeeze his hand that rested on the stick shift protruding from the floorboard between them. Whoever the woman was that hurt him had been lucky to have a man that clearly still had very strong feelings for her. But Lacey wasn't about to broach that topic. She had already done enough to keep him away from her, probably the remainder of her trip. Drawing her hand back, she began to think that maybe she should head back earlier than the scheduled Sunday morning flight out.
He pulled the truck to a stop as he parked it and flipped the headlights off. He got out of the truck and rounded the front of it, opening Lacey's door for her and offered her a hand to let her step out.
Lacey slipped her hand into his momentarily as she stepped out of the truck and smiled as he closed her door. They entered the building. Their eyes met for a long moment when they stood before her hotel room, and then she smiled, pulling the key from her pocket. "Well I guess this is good night," she offered.
Wesley's mood darkened a bit. He didn't want a good night with a lady ending on a sour note. He'd enjoyed the outing, the dances, and the talk. His reaction back in the bar seemed to muddle it all up. "Yea.... I guess. G'nite then, Miss King." He tipped his hat.
Lacey glanced at the cowboy one last time, a look of longing crossing her face that couldn't be hidden before she smiled gently and closed the door between them, pushing the bolt into place before leaning against the door with an exasperated sigh. "Good god, Lacey. Can you be any smoother?" she chastised herself before pushing away from it to head to the bathroom, gently setting the hat upside down on top of the television. At least she had tonight, part of it anyway, to remember.
Wesley stood outside the door for a long while, just staring at it as he turned his hat over and over in his hand. He half hoped she'd open the door again, just so he could see her, to be sure she wasn't going to run away on him. When nothing budged, he turned away and walked down the hall, silently cursing himself for his poor performance tonight. He pulled his room key from his pocket and slid it into the lock in the door, opening it and tossed his hat onto the bed, ruffling his hat-flattened hair and flipped on the TV.
Lance walked out of the bathroom right on queue with nothing on but a towel wrapped around his waist and a grin, followed by a gorgeous little redhead toting the same brand of towel. "Hell Wesley ... you don't pay attention to 'do not disturb' signs, do ya?!" Lance's eyes twinkled in merriment ... time to launch Plan A.
Wes looked up from the TV screen and blinked at his old-time friend, arching a brow as he saw the good looking gal behind him. "Thought you were goin' with her?"
Lance chuckled good-naturedly and picked up Wesley's hat and shoved it back against his friend's chest. "You thought wrong buddy," he grinned, jerking his head a bit towards the gal. "You don't mind ... you know ... getting another room for the night, do ya?"
Wesley grabbed his hat with a soft snort and put it back on his head, glaring at Lance, rather irritated. "Fine... but you're payin' fer it." He looked to the girl and tipped his hat to her. "Ma'am." He looked back at Lance. "Lance. G'nite." He turned and stalked out the door. It closed with a slam behind him. Boy! Lance had the nerve sometimes to just irritate the living daylights out of him. He walked down the hallway toward the main lobby.
Lance tried hard not to laugh as Wesley stomped out of the room and both he and the girl ran for the window, peeking carefully out of the closed curtains at Wes' retreating form. "Boy, is he gonna be pissed when he finds out he can't get another room tonight," Lance chuckled softly before grabbing the giggling girl next to him and easing her onto the bed. "How long do you think it will take him to head to Lacey's room to ask to borrow her shower before telling her he's gonna sleep in the truck?" The girl laughed as she rolled over on top of her long-time friend and occasional sleeping partner. "How much you wanna bet that she refuses to let him sleep out in the truck when there are two beds in her room?" They both laughed at Lance's brilliant plan before getting lost in a searing kiss.
Wesley growled and glared at the receptionist in the desk. "Ma'am... when I made the reservations this very afternoon there were all kinds of rooms open. You tellin' me they've all filled up in the last eight hours?"
The woman behind the front desk made a brilliant show of checking her computer again, the hundred dollar bill burning in her pocket as she shook her head and gave him the best "I'm so sorry, Sir" look she could muster. "With the rodeo finals tomorrow and the monies up for prizes, we always fill up this time of year, Sir. I am so sorry. I can suggest some other nearby motels and call them for you to check for vacancy, but at this time of night, I'm afraid all of them are going to be in the same situation that we are."
Wesley's face hardened, his eyes flashing with irritation. Damn that Lance. All he wanted was a hot shower and a bed. He had work to do with that bitchin' horse tomorrow. "No Ma'am. Thank you." He tipped his hat and stalked away. He'd just sleep in the truck... but he needed a shower. Damn Lance! He cursed under his breath, glaring at the door as he passed it. Finally he made it to Lacey's door and he took a deep breath, removing his hat from his head and gently knocked on the door, half-hoping she wouldn't answer, the other half begging that she would.
