"You aren't feeling well," Lisa heard and opened her eyes, realizing she'd almost nodded off on the drive home. She looked over at Jack, replaying what he'd just said, and she realized it sounded more like a statement of fact than a question.
"I'm okay," she said with a small smile. "Just resting."
"Mmm hmm," he nodded, eyes still on the road. "You've been awfully quiet over there for some time ever since we crossed the border."
She turned her head toward him but rested it against the seat; she was totally exhausted. She didn't want to admit just how tired she was after this trip, even though she fully still believed it was the right thing to do. They were back in Canada, the trip had been a success, and they had gotten along; honestly, they had had a good time.
She finally decided to elaborate, "I'm just so tired, and it drives me crazy, even after a decent night of sleep, which those have been few and far between," she sighed. "And," she frowned, shifting slightly, "I'm so uncomfortable and hot, always hot."
"Yeah, I know," he made a face and almost huffed at her, trying to lighten the mood. "You froze me out last night. Even after I got up in the middle of the night and went downstairs to the front desk for extra blankets, I still couldn't get warm. It felt like I was staying at the Dude Ranch in the middle of winter."
Lisa reached over and squeezed his hand, "I'm very sorry about freezing you out. For what it's worth, I really did get some of the best sleep I've had in months, which is why I'm frustrated right now. How did I get almost nine hours of solid sleep and still feel like this?"
He pointed to her, "So you aren't feeling well as I said."
"Honestly, Jack, I'm fine," she sighed. She grew quiet, closed her eyes briefly, but then turned her head back toward him, "How many blankets did you have last night? You looked like you were wrapped up in a cocoon."
"Four," he said, eying her and continuing, "not to mention two layers of bedding because you'd thrown all of your side on me.
She raised her eyebrows, "Cowboy it sounds like you need to toughen up. I know you have spent many cold nights on cattle drives. How in the world did you sleep like that?"
"I was just cold, and I couldn't get warm!" Jack said, almost in an exasperated tone. "I had to wrap up more after your feet. They were icicles. Just when I would convince myself I was warm enough, your feet would just about make me spring from the bed. I'm not sure my own feet have ever been that cold, and," he winked at her, "you know I've had some pretty cold experiences."
Lisa just burst out laughing and shook her head. "I'm so sorry. I really am. For what it's worth, my feet are so hot right now. Last night, they didn't bother me at all. I just don't get it."
"Not trying to complain," he said gesturing with his hand. "You asked about the blankets. I know you have it worse right now which is why it was fine for me to bundle up. I just wish I'd known I needed to bring my winter coat and wool socks."
At that, Lisa smacked him in the arm, and as he started to laugh, she leaned her head back again and sighed, looking around out the window.
"You're going to kill me but I could really use a bathroom again," she said, making a face.
Jack just glanced her way, "I'll stop for you. I've told you it's not a problem. I could use some coffee." Lisa was already pulling up the information on her GPS, looking for a place to stop.
"Oh," she smacked at him again, and this time he glanced at her because she was just mindlessly smacking at him, "there's a big truck stop coming up. Perfect."
A short time later, they pulled into the truck stop, and Jack, glancing at the gas, gestured to the pumps too, "I'll fill up while we are here."
"Oh, look," she pointed across the lot, "Harry is here too. There's my trailer."
"You want to check on your horses?" Jack asked, and before he even finished asking, he frowned, raised his hand in defense from potentially another mindless smack from Lisa, and turned the car in that direction. "Don't know why I even asked."
"Thank you," she grinned at him, patting his hand this time. "He's been here some time if we caught him."
"He has because we've already had four bathroom stops," Jack sighed. The two of them had met Harry at the stables that morning, where he'd already prepped everything and was ready to load the horses. Lisa took care of the last of the paperwork while Jack and Harry spent some time talking. Lisa and Jack saw Harry off before they got on the road themselves, but with all of Lisa's stops, they had gotten a decent distance behind them. Lisa and Jack were just getting out of her car when they spotted Harry walking back across the lot.
"Hey Boss, Jack," he waved to them. "Just grabbed a quick bite to eat. Horses are traveling well. I already checked on them and replenished their water." He had bottles of water in his hand, "Can I offer either of you one?"
Jack shook his head and thumbed over at Lisa, "She's already stopped four times, so I think we are good on liquids."
"Ahh, so funny, there Jack," she said making a face at him and turning to Harry. "What he doesn't know is that when I do go inside, I'll just buy more beverages now out of spite. We might stop two or three more times before getting home, and he won't' complain about it because I am this miserable."
"You're right," Jack smacked his hands and looked at Harry, "I'm not complaining. I'm not the one nine months pregnant traveling all over North America."
"It was not that far," she said rolling her eyes and crossing her arms, looking at the two men. Harry laughed at the two of them. Lisa hooked her hand at Jack and spoke to Harry, "He was the one with the huge sigh of relief when we re-entered Canada. I think he expected the baby to be born in the United States."
"Just a whole lot easier if he's born in Canada with two Canadian parents, Lise," Jack sighed and chuckled. "Let's not bore Harry here."
Harry grinned looking at the two and then reported, "Ran into Dan in there," Harry gestured to the building. "Not many places to stop along the way."
Lisa groaned and looked like she was banging her head into Jack's arm. He reached around and squeezed her shoulder, "Your lucky day, Lise. Maybe you can get into the ladies' restroom without a Dan sighting."
"I'll try," she said, standing up and turning to face both men. "Thank you both for keeping an eye out for me regarding Dan."
Jack smiled, "Lise, with how you deal with him all the time, you don't need any eyes out, but let's go," he gestured to the car, "let's get some gas first, and then we can both take on Dan if he's still inside."
"Harry," Lisa smiled at him, "have a safe trip back, and I'll catch up with you tomorrow morning after the horses have had a little time to get settled."
"Sounds good, Boss," he nodded. "Take care, Jack and take it easy, Boss." With that, they went their separate ways. Jack put gas in the car, and they cautiously walked inside. After a quick survey and no sign of him, the two stocked up on some drinks and snacks. Jack went back to cool down the car again while Lisa made the purchases. She joined him in the car with a big smile.
"What are you up to?" Jack asked, and she held up the bag.
"After you left, I spotted homemade huckleberry pies. They had some by the slice, and I was told a woman nearby makes them. I thought we both could use some pie," she said proudly as she dug out the forks.
He raised his eyebrows, "Did you only get one piece?"
She scoffed and pulled the pie out, "It's not my first rodeo, Cowboy. Here's one for you and another for me. Bon appetite." The two sat in the cool car and enjoyed their pie and tea. The two were quiet as they ate, enjoying the company.
"Wow, that might be the best huckleberry pie I've ever tasted," he said excitedly as he turned to get her take on it, but as she was taking her last bite, he quickly amended his comment, "I mean, second best only to yours."
"Hmm, yes, well thank you for the compliment, but I agree that it's better than mine. I'm trying to taste what makes it better."
"Yours is nothing to turn your nose up at," he nodded to her. "Of course, you have a thing for pie."
"I do," she smiled and closed up her container. "That was exactly what I needed."
Jack just looked at her as she shifted to finish gathering trash and cleaning up. He shook his head and told her, "You're something else, you know? If we weren't driving in your Porsche, you'd never look at you and know you own some multi-million-dollar horse breeding and racing business. You're just so, so," he couldn't put his word on it, "so Lisa," he finally said, frowning because that didn't describe anything really, "you're down to earth, kind, caring, and you are perfectly happy eating truck stop pie in the car-I mean, it is a Porsche-with some old cowboy mistaken even for your father," he said with a shake of the head and soft chuckle.
She gave him a soft smile as he spoke, and she patted his hand, "I appreciate that, but," she winked at him, "to be fair, it wasn't just truck stop pie. That image is of something in a wrapper, stale, and just not edible. This was homemade pie sold here, and it was perfect."
He nodded in agreement, "I see what part of my compliment you chose to challenge, the pie, not the old cowboy."
"Eeeh," she waved it off and grinned when he made a face at her. She started to laugh before she even got the next part out, "We already had to deal with the you as my father comment."
Jack quietly chuckled too, shaking his head at that. The two just enjoyed that moment, and then, Jack started to move around in the car, gathering all of their trash, and as he was putting it all in the bag, he pulled out something else she'd bought.
"Lisa," he frowned, holding it up, "when did you start having headaches again because Tylenol is not an afternoon snack."