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I frown at the thought. Of course, this isn’t forever. It can’t be. But I’ve resigned myself to simply enjoying every minute that I’m given.
I didn’t stay with him last night. I was with him Friday and Saturday night, and I decided I needed a night away. Mostly, I was being stubborn and stupid because I was lonely when I woke up this morning.
And maybe a little moody.
Even my car didn’t want to start. Probably because I didn’t drive it all weekend.
But we’re on the road now, on the way to work. Getting back to some normalcy will be good for me.
Run-down car, awesome job, Ally. That’s who I am.
I nod and square my shoulders, but then my car decides to throw a temper tantrum. It sputters and dies. I’m lucky I can at least steer it to the side of the road.
“Well, shit.” I lay my forehead on the wheel and contemplate my options.
It’s early in the morning. The only people I know who are awake are my coworkers, who are currently working.
They won’t be able to help.
And Lindsey is most likely at the spa already, getting ready for her first client at eight.
I pop the lever under the steering wheel and step out of the vehicle, lift the hood, and stare down at what looks like a heap of garbage to me. I don’t have the first clue what any of this is, how it works, or how to fix it.
And I don’t own a cell phone.
I blow out a long breath and look up and down the road. It’s empty at this time of day.
“I just had to move to a small town,” I mutter as I walk back to the driver’s side door. But before I can open it, a familiar vehicle pulls up behind me. “Archer?”
He steps out, shuts his door, and walks toward me with a frown. “What’s wrong?”
“I have no idea. It died.” I kick the tire and then curse myself as pain shoots through my toes. “Pile of junk.”
“Did you call a tow?”
“No phone.”
“Right.” He pulls his cell out of his pocket and taps the screen, then places a call. “Hi, I need a tow truck.”
His eyes are on mine as he tells the person on the other line where we are, what kind of car it is, and then hangs up.
“Thirty minutes,” he says.
“You don’t have to wait. I’m sure they’ll give me a ride to work. I’ll have to figure out how to rent a car around here.”
“Why? You have me.” He leans a hip against my car and looks mildly annoyed.
“Yes, because I’m sure you want to be at my beck and call, driving me all over town. You’re not a chauffeur.”
“You go to work, and you go home. It’s really not a big deal. I’m sure they’ll have this fixed in a couple of days. No need to waste money on a rental.”
“Really? You’re going to tell me what I should and shouldn’t waste my money on, mister I bought a whole house so I could date?”
“That’s completely different.”
I roll my eyes and lean on my car, my arms crossed over my chest.
“Oh, can I borrow your phone to call my job and let them know I’ll be late?”
He passes me the mobile and waits while I do just that.
“Hey, Chad, it’s Ally. I’m going to be late. My car broke down.”
“No problem. Be safe.”
“Thanks.”
I hang up and pass the phone back to Archer.
“Appreciate it.”
“I didn’t like sleeping without you last night,” he says and links his fingers with mine, then pulls my hand up to his lips. I was trying so hard to put a little distance between us, to not let myself go all mushy when it comes to him, and then he does stuff like this. “I didn’t sleep well at all. So, I was going to fetch your breakfast.”
“Do you mean you were going to get yourself some breakfast and get me some at the same time?”
“Well, sure.” He smiles down at me. “A man has to eat.”
I laugh and lean my cheek on his biceps, relieved that he was here to help me this morning. His muscle feels firm and warm against my cheek. “Thank you.”
“Come stay with me for a while.”
My head whips up. I stare at him as if he just asked me to jump off a bridge.
My stomach flutters as if he did just that.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“Why would I do that?”
He shrugs a shoulder. “Because I’m irresistible? Because you can’t stand being away from me? Because I’ll cook you all the tacos you want and rub your feet and eat your—”
“Point taken.”
He gives me a wicked grin, and I feel it all the way to my center.
“I have a home,” I reply slowly.
“Well, you don’t have a car for a few days.”
