Because of you, I'm home

Chapter 7 - Truce, maybe?

Heavy silence thickened the air in the cab of Jarrod's pickup, neither he nor Claire had uttered a word to each other since they informed Laura of their departure... together.

Laura had been both sceptical and quizzical about the whole situation. Even through the haze of whisky that laced her veins, the whole package seemed like something from the Twilight Zone. Almost everyone knew Jarrod had no time for Claire, and Laura more so having observed first hand his dismissive attitude toward the blonde.

"You two?" Her eyes had surveyed the both of them like some science experiment before she leaned into Jarrod's ear, whisper-yelling, "you're not going to dump her in the woods are you?"

Jarrod didn't have the patience to see the humour and absurdity it the circumstance. If he was being honest with himself, he was in shock. Shocked that he'd offered to be in such a confined space with Claire. This girl was causing him internal chaos, placing him at war with himself.

He hadn't let the two of them linger any longer than it took for Laura to shoot Claire a calculating smirk before he'd ushered her toward the cab of his truck.

Claire hadn't the first idea on what to say to the pulsing hulk of tension that navigated the ill lit roads toward, what she hoped was, Maggie's. She didn't usually mind silence, in fact she revelled in the company of anyone who didn't feel the need to occupy every second with mindless chatter. But this... well the tension was almost so thick in the air that it threated to choke her. Someone had to say something... anything. Maybe this could be the opportunity for her to get to the bottom of why Mr-Tall-Dark-and-Handsome – well only a little handsome – hated her so much.

"I don't hate you."

What? Had she said that out loud? Claire gapped, eyes fixed incredulously on a clear cut profile. She couldn't even control the snort that pushed through her nose. If he didn't hate her, the she sure as hell didn't want to see how he treated his enemies.

Jarrod let his eyes drift momentarily from the road to large chocolate brown eyes. She reminded him of a doe caught in headlights, nothing could have stopped his lips tugging at each side. "Really, I don't." He gruffed trying to keep the amusement from his voice.

"I find that about as believable as penguins high-jacking aeroplanes."

"You've clearly never been to Madagascar."

"Clearly..." Claire couldn't understand Jarrod's sudden change in temperament. Was he seriously trying to banter with her? "Alright wise guy. Then you're secretly a bear and the coming winter had made you increasingly irritable."

"Aw hell, my cover's been blown! This stays between us, got it?" Chest puffed up and lips pulled back, Jarrod gave his best show of a grizzly. "Grrr."

Laughter filled the cab, dissolving the rest of the tension that sat in Jarrod's shoulders and forcing him to hum with a quiet laughter of his own. The sound warmed him form head to toe, and while somewhere in his brain he registered that this is where he would usually close up, at this point he didn't care. Tonight he was allowing himself the small pleasures... tonight he was a man enjoying the company of a beautiful woman. Tomorrow he could beat himself up.

"You're secret's safe with me, Mr Griz."

"Much obliged, ma'am."

Claire relaxed back into her seat as quiet again descended on the two of them. Though this was a pleasant quiet, one where she entertained her amused thoughts as she stole glances at Jarrod who had the ghost of a smile playing on his own lips. She couldn't help but wonder if this was the man that everyone else knew, whether he was playful and silly by nature. Or perhaps he'd just had a few more drinks than she'd assumed. Damn. Should he even be driving?