Grabbing the septic hose, the electrical cable, and the water hose she hooked the cab up to the RV hookup the lot supplied. She was ready for more than an hour’s worth of sleep.
By the time she climbed back in, Sayer had already kicked off his boots and shrugged out of his jacket, tossing it over the seat.
In the sleeper, Diamond kneeled down and pulled a rolled-up air mattress from under the bunk. The small, battery-powered pump whirred as it inflated, the sound oddly loud in the quiet truck. The mattress filled out just enough to press against both walls, a tight fit in the narrow floor space, but it was enough.
Diamond dropped onto it with a soft grunt, stretching her legs out. Kicking off her boots she reached over, patting the empty space beside her. “Get in. Before I fall asleep without you.”
Sayer chuckled under his breath and ducked into the sleeper, settling down beside her. The mattress shifted beneath their combined weight, and the blankets rustled as they adjusted in the small space.
Without a word, Diamond shifted closer, slipping an arm across his chest. Her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt like they needed to hold on to something solid. Sayer didn’t hesitate—his arm came around her shoulders, pulling her in until her head rested against him.
His body was warm, steady beneath hers. The rise and fall of his chest beneath her cheek was rhythmic, grounding. Outside, the wind tapped softly at the windows. The faint scent of leather, road dust, and whatever aftershave he’d used lingered in the air between them.
She didn’t speak, didn’t need to. The walls between them had been worn thin by the day’s miles and the weight of the work they were doing.
Sayer held her a little closer, his thumb brushing once along her arm.
“I’ve got you,” he murmured, voice low and rough with sleep.
Diamond closed her eyes. And for the first time in a long time, she believed those words.
Chapter Twenty-Six
A soft gigglebroke the silence.
Then another—high-pitched and breathless, followed by the quick hush of a mother’s whispered warning.
“Shhh… you’ll wake them.”
Diamond blinked awake slowly, momentarily unsure of where she was. The cab was still dim, the early morning light just starting to creep through the windshield in a pale gray wash. The air inside was warm, a stark contrast to the chill pressed against the glass.
She hadn’t moved much in the night. Her arm was still draped across Sayer’s chest, her head resting in the hollow of his shoulder. His breathing was slow and steady, still deep in sleep.
More muffled giggles came from just beyond the sleeper curtain.
Tiny feet padded softly in the space between the seats. A quietthumpwas followed by a gasp and a whispered, “Mama, she’s still sleeping!”
“I said quiet,” Carla whispered back, voice gently scolding but threaded with affection.
Diamond smiled into the fabric of Sayer’s shirt. They were safe. They were okay. And for just this moment, it felt like they were all part of something almost… normal.
She lifted her head slightly, voice rough with sleep. “You girls causing trouble out there?”
A tiny gasp. Then silence.
Sayer stirred beside her, groaning softly. “Tell them to give us five more hours,” he mumbled.
Diamond chuckled under her breath and sat up, brushing hair from her face. The mattress hissed faintly as it shifted under her weight.
Carla pulled back the curtain just enough to peek inside, an apologetic smile on her face. “Sorry. They were just too excited to be in arealtruck.”
Diamond smirked. “Tell them if they want breakfast, they gotta let the drivers wake up first.”
Carla nodded with a quiet laugh and turned back to the girls, herding them toward the front seats with gentle words.
Diamond looked over at Sayer, who was rubbing a hand over his face. “Morning, trucker.”
“Don’t talk to me until I’ve had coffee.”
