Once the truck was loaded, Riley came for Hannah, escorting her down the stairs and unlocking the van door before helping her inside the cab. Coming around the front, he hopped into the driver's seat, started the engine and then grinned over at her. "You ready, Mrs. Murdock?"
His smile and mood were infectious, and she nodded and grinned herself. "Ready."
Switching gears, he gripped the steering wheel and started whistling a catchy tune. It was the first time in a week or so, it seemed, that they hadn't been at odds with each other; the first time that Hannah felt that her husband wasn't going to storm at her for some imagined wrongdoing. Thus far into their relationship, he seemed more like a caretaker than a husband.
He continued whistling, smiling over at her every now and again. His hand reached for hers, and he linked their fingers together. He stopped whistling long enough to raise her hand to his mouth and kiss her knuckles.
"Who's Judy?" The question was out even before Hannah realized she was going to ask it. Her timing might be lacking, but she was relieved to have the subject out in the open.
Riley stopped whistling; his happy sound was cut off abruptly as a weary silence filled the cab.
"What makes you ask?" He merged with the flow of traffic as they followed the highway that curved around Sinclair Inlet, his gaze not wavering from the roadway.
"I'm not stupid, you know," she returned, resenting his attitude. "I heard you and Burt talking. If you were involved with someone else, the least you could do is give me fair warning."
Riley's frown deepened. "Judy and I are not involved – at least not the way you're implying."
"I wasn't implying anything," she answered primly. "I was just trying to save myself from future embarrassment."
"Future embarrassment?"
"Yes. It's obvious your friends know nothing about me, and others might share the same concern as Burt had about…Judy. I don't mean to make a federal case out of it." Indeed she deeply regretted bringing up the subject. "All I want to know is if someone is going to give me weird looks and then inconspicuously inquire about Judy when you introduce me."
"All Burt did was ask a simple question. One, by the way, that was none of your business," Riley returned shortly. His hands tightened around the steering wheel.