AllFreeNovel
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I liked the realness of her.
Just like I’d enjoyed the flush on her cheeks last night in the sauna when she’d realized who I was…and her stumbling through her explanation of what had given me away. My guitar tattoo. My very first one. I’d gotten it right after we’d signed our first record deal to celebrate. I’d always considered that my lucky charm…and maybe now, it was proving it really was.
She played with the hair elastic on her wrist, as if debating what I’d just said. The thoughtful look played across her face before she looked back at me. “Breakfast—coffee, especially—could be tempting.”
Almost as tempting as she was.
I nodded. “Meet me in the kitchen when you’re ready.”
By the time the breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast was done, Jenna had her hair smoothed back in a ponytail, her purse and backpack stowed near the front door, and a fresh T-shirt and plaid shirt over her finally dry jeans. Her phone sat charging on the counter, and she glanced at it every few minutes, as if waiting for it to go off.
I checked my phone beside me. “You know there’s a travel advisory. More snow and uncomfortable bone-chilling cold.”
The keyword was pretty much blizzard, but I refrained from saying that straight out. Better let her read it with her own eyes.
“You’re kidding.”
I turned my phone so she could read it.
Her face fell.
“Great.” The word sounded almost like a whisper. “That wasn’t there when I woke up this morning.”
I wondered if that’s why it looked like she’d had such a restless night. Too worried about the weather and driving conditions, straining to hear the unmistakable sounds of snowplows on the nearby road.
I reached out and patted the top of her hand in reassurance. “It’s fine by me if you have to stay another day. Not like there isn’t anything to do around here, we haven’t checked out half the rooms, or played bubble hockey, and there’s always a rematch on the pool table.”
She pressed her glossed lips together. I knew how much she wanted to get home, but it really didn’t seem like the time to venture far.
“You really don’t need to get stuck along the side of the road somewhere waiting hours for a tow truck.” I didn’t like that idea. Who knew how long it would take to get a tow truck in this weather? And even if by some miracle it wasn’t a ten-hour wait, she’d only have heat as long as the battery lasted—however long that would last, since she hadn’t plugged the SUV in the night before.
Plus from what I’d seen of her emergency bag, there wasn’t a lot of extra warm clothing.
She stared into her coffee, fingers tapping absently against the side of the mug, then she finally gave a small nod. “True.”
“So decision made, you’re staying with me. I’ll check the food supply then order us some lunch.”
“But you just said there’s a travel advisory.” She motioned to the phone as if to say if she couldn’t get out, how could anyone else?
“I have my ways. Trust me.”
I went back to the message from the homeowner with all the info I’d need.
I scanned through the links, clicked on one for a recommended local delivery service, and put a quick order in. Looked like we had a few hours’ wait.
Jenna still sat at the kitchen table. Her phone vibrated, and she texted someone back, her fingers flying deftly across the screen. For a moment, I wondered if she had a boyfriend. That would make sense for the longing to get back home, then I remembered her comment when she’d first picked me up, something about her brother.
“Urgent messages?”
She glanced up. “Just updating my family that I’m still stranded.”
“Mention who you’re stranded with?”
She laughed and ducked her head down again, typing something again. “Not exactly.”
“They wouldn’t approve of a rock star?” I smirked, getting up to refill my coffee. I grabbed her mug, too, and came back with two fresh cups of steaming coffee.
“Haven’t asked.” She set her phone to the side for a moment. “Thanks…” she reached for the coffee with a big smile.
