His Lucky Charm

Hotel Room

She tidied the first aid. Tex saw the alcohol on the table. "You got him to drink?"

She nodded as she closed it. "I had to do stitches on his head." She tightened the cap and put it away.

"What even happened..." he asked. She sat on the couch by him.

"Hm. Well I was coming down to return his sandals, and I just see him get knocked to the ground. He wasn't trying to fight back... and well. They punched him hard in the face and he almost didn't get up. That's when I got between them."

Tex started writing that all down. "Well... little lady, you're the only reason he's doing decent. He told me you're stubborn, I can see that, but in a good way." He chuckled.

"What color was the team?" He said next.

"Like dark brown and red?" Tex nodded. "Got it. I know exactly. Thank you."

He glanced at her. "You can spend the night out here, I'll have my driver come pick you up early so you can get back to your boyfriends."

"Thank you."

He nodded and went over to a storage. He pulled out a blanket and a pillow. "Here you go."

She held them carefully.

"I'll sleep on the bench in his room." He nodded his head and headed to the back room with Strip.

Lynda set everything up and eventually fell asleep.

Strip woke up the next morning. Oh he forgot how much pain he was in. He cringed as he gently touched the bandages. "Shit..."

He turned slightly and saw Tex asleep with his hat covering his face. He didn't remember the Texan getting here...

He tried to sit up but gave up a bit. The noise he made was enough of a wake the Texan. Tex lifted his hat, looked at the kid squinty eyed.

"Oh they did get you good..." Tex said.

Strip had a decent black eye. A bruise on forehead that was underneath the bandage that was ever so carefully placed.  And some more cuts and scratches.

"Good morning to you too..." Strip grumbled. Tex got up and helped the kid sit up.

"Still sore?"

"Yeah..." strip said tiredly. "Did Lynda get home?" Strip said as he slowly stood up. Oh the world was dizzying. He felt as if everything was spinning, but he really wanted to get some water.

"No. I had her spend the night." Tex said as he opened the door slowly. Strip looked out there and saw her sitting up, looking as if she just woke up.

"You made her sleep on the couch..." Strip said slowly looking at Tex.

"It was either that, the small bench, or your bed." Tex said with a knowing glance.

Strip just stared at him and then nodded. "Good choice." Lynda looked over at him.

"Hi..." she said quietly. Strip nearly died. She was so cute.

"Mornin..." he walked out but stumbled slightly. Tex caught him and helped him sit on the couch.

"How are you feeling?" She asked. He glanced at her. "Better with the help you gave me." She just smiled tiredly.

"Good good." She said quietly.

She got up and walked over to him, checking his bandages. He gently took her hand and looked at her.

"Relax." She looked at him a bit and nodded. "Okay."

He let go of her hand and lowered his. "Tex... get her the car and take her back to the hotel."

Tex looked at her and then nodded. "Alright." He went to his room, picked up the phone and called for his car to stop by the motorhome.

Lynda gathered her things. Tex opened the door for her. She started to head out. "Hey sunshine..."

She paused and looked at strip. "Yeah?"

"Thanks." He said as he kept his eyes closed.

She smiled a bit and hand Tex a ten dollar to give to Strip. "You're welcome, rookie."

She got into the car and it drove off. Tex held the ten dollar and walked back inside. "You need to stop being so gloomy..."  he said as he stepped back into the motorhome.

Tex knelt down by the kid who was still sitting in his chair. "Especially when this 'sunshine' is here brightening up ya life." He placed the ten dollar in Strips hand.

Strip held it.

"I know..."

Lynda got back to her hotel room. She carefully opened the door, making sure not to wake up Jackson.

She stepped in and closed the door a bit.

"Lynda?" She heard him ask. She sighed a bit. "Hey hun!"

She walked over and kissed his cheek. He didn't really acknowledge it. "How is Weathers?" He said sitting up fully.

Lynda kinda paused. "He's fine." She fiddled with her nail polish.

"You're not going to ask me how I'm doing?"

"You're here aren't you?" He said as he got up and started to change his shirt.

She could not believe him. After dating for what... four ish years and he still hasn't figured this out. "You're so annoying you know that." She mumbled as she started packing their bags. They had to get to the next race location soon.

"I'm annoying? Me? You're the one who is always flittering around doing nothing. You don't even have a job!" Jackson snapped.

"You're the one who told me not to. Since apparently I'm going to apart of your family, and not once you mentioned proposing to me? I feel you're keeping me here just because I'm convenient." She yelled as she looked at him.

He stood there and shook his head. "Lynda. I haven't proposed to you yet because I'm not ready to."

"Four years, Jackson." She said throwing her hands up in defeat. "You tell me... every month that this will eventually happen. Once again, I feel like I'm here because... I'm simple. It's easy to have me around waiting..."

He simply walked towards her and held her face gently. "No.. Lynda. I do love you... I'm just not ready."

He kissed her cheek.

"It'll be soon."

All she thought was how he hasn't kissed her truly... since they first started to do this cursed dance.

She knew he was lying.