Am I a terrible person for already mentally calculating all the locations in Montana within a three-hour radius of Mistwood Falls?
“More than enough time to enjoy your favorite monsters.” I tease her gently, and she flushes, dropping her eyes before peeking back up at me again.
“Give me a minute to go grab some things out of my car?”
“Sure. I need to make a quick phone call.” I dip my chin. “The truck’s unlocked. Keys are in the ignition, if you decide you’d rather steal it and escape. Throw her in four-wheel-drive, and those snow tires will get you just about any place you want to go out here.”
That makes her laugh more confidently now. The nervousness from before ebbs a little as her shoulders drop away from her ears.
God, she looks even more stunning when she laughs.
“I wasn’t planning on grand theft auto for Christmas. But now that you mention it, I’ll keep that in mind if this whole hare-brained scheme of yours crashes and burns around my ears.”
She gives me a look from behind a curtain of those thick, dark eyelashes. One that silently asks if I’m going to hold up my endof the bargain. One that thinly veils a glimpse of worry, a flicker of embedded distrust, as if I’m going to throw her to the wolves at the first opportunity.
I hate that she’s so young and yet so wary of putting her faith in someone, as if she’s never had anyone take care of her properly before. No doubt all thanks to the likes of that dipshit ex.
Mia heads outside, and I quickly pull my phone out of my back pocket. It only needs to ring twice before the call connects.
“I didn’t do it. Whatever it is, I didn’t do it.” A mischievous chuckle rumbles down the line.
“Knowing you, I can guarantee you’re lying out your ass.” Exhaling and taking a glance around the kitchen, I’m trying to look at everything through fresh eyes. Is the place a complete mess? I scratch at my stubble. Crap. Should I have shaved? Maybe. But I didn’t exactly have time, and Mia didn’t seem to be scared off by my lack of interest in a razor.
“Is this some new game of telephone tag? Or are you having an aneurysm? Gonna breathe heavily down the phone until I read your tea leaves for you, or what?” His lazy drawl drags my focus back to the point of this conversation.
“Listen, it’s a long story, but I’m gonna turn up in about five minutes...” Swallowing, I pick my words carefully. Ford Tanner is going to be a pain in my ass when he figures out what’s going on. “I’m sort of unexpectedly going to be hanging out with one of the guests.”
He goes quiet on the other end of the call. “Like, as a tour guide? You hate taking the groups out for their activities and shit?”
“No… not as a guide.”
“You’re gonna behanging outwith one of the guests?”
Jesus Christ. My jaw pulses. “That’s what I said. Did you hit your head while you were out with the horses earlier?”
“You know, you and your brother are far too similar for your own good.” He clicks his tongue at me. “Boone doesn’t think he’ll make it back until closer to New Year’s Eve. His flight got grounded by snow after all, by the way.”
Well, that’s probably for the best. My brother would absolutely take the first chance to make my life hell if he caught wind of this plan.
“We’ll be there soon.”
“Ohhh.We?” He pauses. “I’m taking it you don’t mean Henri. Don’t you swoop in fast on fresh meat for an old dog.”
“It’s not like that.”
“Sure it isn’t. Found yourself a pretty little smoke show, huh?”
I blow out a heavy breath. Ford will take one look at the two of us and be quick to ask questions, because he might be my brother’s best friend and practically family, but he is a nosey prick. “Extremely. And you won’t have eyeballs if you or any of the other ranch hand fuck faces look twice at her.”
“Wow. You’re balls deep already, ain’t cha?” He snorts.
Why does everyone keep saying that? “I’m doing her a favor, that’s all.”
“Yeah…riiiiight… what does Henri think?”
“None of your business.”
Tanner whistles. “Did he meet her yet?”
