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“You’ve done enough. More than enou—”
“Darcy? Let me drive you. I’d like to know you’re safe.”
The words flowed over her, through her, and she found herself fighting back pathetic, exhausted tears. Why not? Debra certainly hadn’t acted all that thrilled at the idea of having to take her given the conditions outside.
Gazing at him, Darcy absorbed all the little details she’d missed during the dark and pain-shrouded trip to the hospital. Details such as the breadth of Garret’s shoulders and the sexy angle of his jawline. She was such a sucker for a strong jawline.
“What do you say? Road trip?”
“Thank you. It’s not enough, but thank you—I accept.” With a smile of gratitude, Darcy took the arm Garret extended and let him help her to her feet.
Maybe white knights did exist. It was just too bad this one had shown up seven months too late.
GARRET ESCORTED HER to the garage where his SUV was parked.
“Here we are again.”
“Here we are,” she repeated, buckling her seat belt and watching in amazement when he gently tugged on it to check it. Cinderella she wasn’t, but she was sure getting the royal treatment. She’d think he was flirting with her if she wasn’t big-as-a-house pregnant. Being that she was, it was easy to rule out romance or anything sexual.
Unlike the pelting ice that had caused her accident, big fluffy flakes the size of marshmallow tops now floated to the ground with deceptive grace and speed. The houses near the hospital were decorated with a mixture of leftover Christmas lights and early Valentine’s Day decorations. The older homes were layered with gingerbread trim and pretty porches behind yards with thick tree trunks. The odd swing blew crookedly in the wind.
The farther away from the hospital Garret drove, the more modernized the housing became. Another turn brought them into an area of shops with old-fashioned storefronts. Large, black lampposts stood guard on every corner over benches weighted down with snow, and red fire hydrants poked through drifts to add a splash of color. There was even a striped barber shop sign.
It was the best of Norman Rockwell.
Did the townspeople know how precious this all looked? It was a world apart from the glitz and glamour of Miami. Darcy kept her comments to herself and continued her sleepy study of the little mountain town. Finally Garret braked outside a motel with a cottage-style facade. The Hideaway Inn.Of course.She only hoped she could afford it.
“Here we are.” He got out and grabbed her suitcase, then escorted her to the door with a solid grip on her arm.
Inside a small anteroom, Darcy shivered and wrinkled her nose at the heavy cinnamon fragrance clouding the air. She loved scents and their healing properties, but this was overkill. No doubt an attempt to diffuse the odor of mold making her nose twitch with a sneeze.
Garret rang the bell attached to the wall. No response. Showing the first signs of impatience, Garret hit the bell a couple more times. Finally a light turned on from the other side of a curtained enclosure beyond the reinforced glass entry doors. A buzz sounded and the small speaker beside the bell squawked.
“Sorry. No rooms.”
“The sign says Vacancy.” Garret growled the words in his deep, ultra-sexy voice, and Darcy felt like the biggest pain in all the world.
“The ‘no’ is busted and I forgot to turn the darn thing off. Try after the snow lets up.” With that suggestion, the light went out and all was silent.
Garret scowled. “Come on. The Station House isn’t far. We’ll try there.”
Back to the vehicle they went and Darcy gasped when the bitter cold hit her face. “I’m sorry for all the trouble.”
“It’s no problem.”
She had to wait until Garret crossed in front of the vehicle and climbed in to continue their conversation. “Just take me back to the hospital. It’s fine.”
“It’s not fine,” he murmured firmly. “You need a place to rest. Relax, we’ll find you something.”
The Station House wound up being a remodeled railroad depot that boasted room service and a restaurant. The cars parked outside were newer models than those of the first motel they’d tried, which meant her credit card would take a harder hit. Still, Garret was right. She was desperate for a place to lie down. She’d never felt this tired, so much so she was starting to nod off beside her handsome driver. How embarrassing. The way her night had gone, she’d fall asleep and drool all over herself.
“Stay here and let me check it out, okay?”
Darcy nodded, willing to let him brave the weather even though she felt guilty for doing so. “Thank you.”
Garret flashed her a gorgeous smile and left the vehicle, his shoulders hunched in deference to the cold. She shivered from the influx of cold air and cranked up the heat. It was good of him to let her stay here. A lot of men would worry that the stranger they’d helped would drive off in the expensive Cadi.
She huddled deeper into her seat and frowned at an ad for the radio station’s upcoming Valentine’s Day contest. There’d be no roses for her this year. No candy or jewelry or candlelight dinners. But that was okay. She’d learned the hard way that flowers and candy didn’t make the man. And they most certainly did not make him father material.
