This was fine.
Everything was justfine.
I had options. I was not some helpless damsel waiting around to be saved. I was Alfred—Queen of Bouncing Back, Patron Saint of Questionable Decisions, Frequent Flyer in the airline of “this seemed like a good idea at the time.”
I couldsohandle this.
I flipped open my contact lists on my laptop, never more glad than I was right then that I chose to stay in contact via email and social media with most of the friends made on my travels.
“Hmmm,” I hummed, tapping my lip. “Okay, so… theoretically, I could call—”
I paused.
Scrolled.
Paused again.
“—no, he’d ask too many questions.”
Scroll.
Scroll. Stop.
There. My finger hovered over a name. Goldie. My very first ride. My very best accidental grandmother. The kind of womanwho could organize a search party, bake a pie, and intimidate a grown man into confession all in the same five minutes. I grinned, eager to reach out to my old friend and see what she had to say about it all.
“Dearest Goldie,” I typed, feeling the little flicker of hope reignite in my chest. “Hope you and the grandbaby are thriving. Don’t suppose you know anyone with a truck in my general area (I’ll drop you a pin) and absolutely no sense of self-preservation who could give me a lift into the middle of nowhere? I’ll bring snacks and stories. Also, I’m wearing a towel. Kidding! (Not kidding.)” I sent it, dropped her another message with my location and lightly cackled to myself at the thought of the shock on Crowe’s face when I showed up..
Just a few minutes later, an answer pinged in. Only Goldie would be up this early to reply. “Sweet Pea, I’m on it. There’s a guy named Buck who owes me one, and he’s in the next town over. You’ll know him by his beard, his flannel, and the fact that he drives a pickup the size of a cruise ship. Be ready by 8. He’ll bring coffee. Don’t make it weird.”
I set the laptop aside, already plotting what I’d say to him when I saw his insanely handsome face again. I mean, he was attractive enough that he would probably only have to crook one of those sinful eyebrows at me and give me a good spanking and I’d forgive him, but I had to at least attempt a scolding of some kind.
Or a proposal. Something big. For sure.
Because I got a funny feeling this wasn’t going to be a simple “guess I got dumped” reunion.
I’d just managed to assemble myself into something slightly more presentable (cargo shorts, fresh T-shirt, hair sort of not doing a Thing) when Buck’s pickup rolled into the parking lot at exactly eight as promised. And I didn’t even need to stick out my thumb.
Time to go get my man.
11
Chapter 10
Ihad been parked across the street for twenty-three minutes.
Not that I was counting or anything.
Sitting behind the wheel of my truck, one arm draped over the open window in the driver's side door, the other resting loose near the gear shift, my eyes fixed on the small, weather-beaten house at the end of the gravel drive. I had to drive through the fucking literal middle of nowhere to get to this tiny ass little shit stain of a town.
My next skip was inside.
Probably.
Maybe.
I had learned a long time ago that probably could get you shot if you weren't careful.
So I watched and waited.
