Chereads / Bellum / Chapter 10 - Chapter Ten

Chapter 10 - Chapter Ten

"I'll catch up with you back at the factory. I gotta take care of summin first," the younger Miller told him vaguely.

Aaron frowned, wondering what he could be up to. It wasn't like Sean to do anything solo unless it was work at the factory. "Yeah sure," the older brother nodded eventually, figuring he wouldn't tell him anyway. Aaron gave him a clap on his shoulder as some form of warning before he continued this way into town. There were still plenty of people for him to bother to cheer up his day.

Sean waited until his brother had moved out of sight and headed back into the bar. "Tatum..." he started, seeing her give him a wave from behind the bar telling him to go. He cautiously moved closer to the bar and saw her still leaning over the tub, recovering from having to throw up again. "Tatum, can I do anythin' to help?" he asked softly. Her green eyes opened to meet his and she felt herself nod before she'd consciously decided to do so. "What do you need?" Sean asked when she didn't elaborate by herself.

"She needs takin' home," Sue's voice suggested, knowing the redhead wouldn't ask for that herself. With Isabella working in the storage room, the waitress decided she was fully entitled to make the executive decision to send Tatum home. 

 

"Keys?" Sean asked once Sue had grabbed Tatum's handbag and sent them out the back towards her Colorado Chevy.

Tatum grudgingly started going through her bag, still not convinced that this was a good idea. She wanted to stay and she didn't really want to owe him anything, just in case it came back to bite her later down the line. "You know, I'm feelin' much better already. I just needed some air," she tried to stall.

"Nice try," he told her, seeing straight through her and holding his hand out for her keys. She glared at him momentarily before she finally handed her keys over. To her surprise, he held the passenger door open for her once he'd unlocked her truck, holding out his free hand to help her in if she needed. Tatum hadn't intended to take it but found herself with her hand in his as he helped her in.

"Thanks," she said softly once she was in, feeling a little awkward as she let go of his hand, but he held on for a second longer. Sean gave her a small smile and a nod before letting go and closing the door for her. He tried to pull himself together a little as he made his way round to the driver's seat. He was just helping her out because he felt sorry for her that his brother was picking on her while she wasn't well. That was all this was. As he got in behind the driver's seat, he noticed that she'd already wound the window down as she leant her head back against the headrest to make the most of the breeze she knew was imminent.

Tatum kept her eyes closed the whole way back, as she really didn't want to throw up in her truck. Sean let her be, figuring she wouldn't want to talk much right now.

"Hope you feel better soon," he said once he'd pulled the truck up outside her house and jumped out to open her door for her.

"Yeah thanks. Sorry you have to walk back," the redhead said when he handed her keys back to her.

"I don't mind," he shrugged. He welcomed the chance to be by himself for a bit and think things through. He loved his brother, but Aaron did have the unfortunate habit of sticking to him closely, as if he didn't trust him.

"Thanks again," Tatum said with a small smile as she headed up onto her porch.

"No problem," he nodded as he stepped back and turned to start walking back. She watched him walk away with an easy stride, trying to figure him out, before her stomach churned and reminded her why she was home in the middle of the day.