AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It didn’t matter that she was already sweating, terrified to be alone with an unknown man for a week, and apprehensive about whatever the challenge would be for this new reality television show, A Chance for Charity. It was an honor and a blessing that billionaire Mercedes Belle’s people had somehow found her and given her this opportunity. She would ‘cowgirl up’ and make it through the week, keep her distance from her ‘militaryprotector’, and earn that money. Nerves competed with the hot sun for what was making her sweat more.
“There she is!” A lady yelled from a nearby entrance to the airport.
Mercedes Belle herself came jogging out of the entrance, dressed in a silver formal dress that sparkled in the sun, and matching sparkly high heels. How did she jog in high heels? The lady was a gorgeous blond, touted throughout the world as the most generous, kind, wealthy, and beautiful woman in the world. She looked really thin in real life, frail to the point of a stiff wind breaking a bone. The only extra meat on her was in her generous bosom.
Did the camera really add fifteen pounds? It appeared with Mercedes it must. Rose hadn’t realized the woman was that small.
Shoot. How thick would Rose look on the cameras? She was tall, strong, and worked hard every day, on the ranch and especially on her self defense training. She would look like a giant compared to Mercedes.
The show’s host and benefactor was trailed by a handsome man in a suit with longish blond hair and pale blue eyes. He looked like a Viking or maybe Thor. He wasn’t smiling like Mercedes. Glowering actually. Was that the guy she’d be matched with or was he Mercedes bodyguard or boyfriend? She could swear she’d seen him in social media pictures with Mercedes. She’d hoped her guy would at least be welcoming. The blond guy looked well-built, handsome, and not at all appealing to her. Not that any man had been appealing since …
Not going there.
Right behind the two of them was a man with brown hair, a trimmed dark beard, and a grin on his face. Either he had a hilarious joke that he was bursting to share, or he was the type who made everybody his friend.
The only problem with this guy … he was a veritable giant. He had a foot on Mercedes and four or five inches on the Viking. She’d been worried she would look like a goliath at five-ten and a hundred and fifty pounds. This guy truly was the goliath—at least six-eight, probably close to three pounds, and not an ounce of fat on him.
Her gut churned and she prayed with everything inside of her that the dark-haired guy was not her match either. His smile was attractive, very attractive actually, and his blue eyes had a sparkle in them that was welcoming, but his tall, massive, powerful frame intimidated the snot out of her.
She searched for other options, but the last person heading her direction was the cameraman trailing them all. Oh, shoot. Her partner for the week was either the Viking or the Giant? Would self defense moves even work on a man as huge as the dark-haired, blue eyed, smiling behemoth? She would have to sleep at some point in the week and probably let her guard down at other times as well.
Deep breaths, she cautioned herself.Lots of prayer, was her next admonition. God had protected her from three separate attacks. He would strengthen her always. He was rock and her salvation, her hope that all would turn out according to His will.
The breathing helped. Prayer helped. Common sense also claimed that there would be cameras recording everything and nobody would be stupid enough to hurt her on a television show. If someone tried, they would be convicted for sure, but also vilified all over the world. Hopefully nobody was that stupid.
She’d been allowed one personal item. Police strength red pepper spray was in the pocket of her pink joggers. 10 foot range. 35 separate bursts. It was good stuff but why hadn’t she brought her Smith & Wesson 9mm? That beloved gun, hours of self defense training classes and individual practice time, and lots of prayer had saved her a year ago from a man almost as strong-looking as the dark-haired tank strutting toward her. Despite the happy grin decorating the man’s face, it was obvious he was buff and in charge of the world.
She started breathing far too fast. Why no pistol in her pocket again? Oh yeah. Her contact, and the emails, had specifically instructed no weapons for her personal item. That was the only reason she hadn’t brought her pistol. Technically pepper spray could be considered a weapon, but she would fight to keep it if anyone challenged her. Right now she’d hope it looked like a tube of lotion if anyone saw the outline in her pocket. She released the spray to avoid drawing attention to her safety net.
Mercedes reached her first. Obviously either of the men could’ve outdistanced her in a second, but they stayed back. “Whew!” Mercedes blew out a breath. “That was a farther run in heels than I’d realized.”
Oh, shoot. Rose stiffened. She had stood and watched them all jog to her. She probably looked like a rude, selfish brat, or maybe like the backwoods cowgirl from Montana she was. The instructions had said to wear comfortable clothes. She almost wore her Wranglers and her Ariat work boots, but opted for a white t-shirt, comfortable pink joggers, and broken-in Saucony running shoes.
“I’m sorry,” she rushed out. “I …” She had no excuse. She’d let herself get caught stewing over her fears and analyzing the two men.
“No worries at all, sweet lady.” Mercedes clasped both of Rose’s hands and air-kissed her cheeks. Luckily the heels made her a little closer to Rose’s height. “You are just a beauty, and so tall and fit. You will be perfect for the show. A cowgirl, right?” Mercedes grinned as if being a tall, cowgirl was the most incredible descriptor in the world. She didn’t get embarrassed about her height any longer, but it had been a sore subject in middle school for certain.
Was the famous billionaire heiress really this genuine and kind? The lady was so fragile Rose feared she’d break her if they hugged. She had a lot of makeup on, but Rose assumed that was for the cameras.
“Yes, I am a cowgirl.”
“I wish we could have you riding a horse on the show and showing off for all of us.” Mercedes wrinkled her nose. “Sadly this challenge is all going to be inside.”
Inside? Rose did not favor inside. Even in the dead of a bitter Montana winter she’d bundle up for chores, take rides on Marylou her favorite chestnut gelding, and she ran outside through snow, rain or sun. She went a little crazy being cooped up in a house for too long.
“But we’ll wait on those details until we get there. First let’s do introductions.” She held onto one of Rose’s hands and turned to face the men and the camera. “Rose Lillywhite, founder and advocate of Safe Haven Ranch …”
Mercedes paused for effect and Rose hoped she didn’t flinch and kept a smile on her face. ‘Safe Haven’. A name she’d created and used to find welcoming and comforting. She’d been assaulted twice on campus at University of Providence. When she’d finally returned home she’d craved the safety her ranch and family offered. Then she’d created a safe haven for anyone who needed it.
After her attack in an empty bunkhouse room at the ranch two years ago, her personal sanctuary hadn’t felt safe. She fingered the pepper spray in her pocket and hoped the smile on her face didn’t look like plastic.
“Safe Haven Ranch welcomes anyone who needs a home, a fresh start, a break from life, or a sanctuary,” Mercedes continued all chipper, warm, and beautiful. Rose focused on the impressive lady and not her suffocating fears. “Everyone on the ranch is expected to work for room and board. Once those hourshave been fulfilled they are paid a fair wage to help them get back on their feet. Employment specialists, on the job training, and education opportunities help them find a job. Most of the residents move out and on with their lives within six months to a year. The ranch does have strict rules of no alcohol, drugs, fighting or abuse of any kind. Everyone can feel safe, loved, welcome, needed, and valued at Safe Haven Ranch.”
Mercedes beamed at her. Rose’s stomach turned over. No abuse of any kind. She yearned for everyone to feel safe on their ranch. Everyone but her seemed to. In college when she’d been assaulted she’d kept lying to herself that if she could only get home to the ranch she would be safe. She didn’t feel safe anywhere anymore.
She felt a steady gaze on her and glanced at the hulking dark-haired man. He still had a huge smile on his face but as his blue eyes met hers, she saw something unexplainable—a vulnerability that he had buried deep. This man had been through agony and had felt broken and powerless. He hid behind his smile and protected himself with it. Rose suspected the only reason she could glimpse such a personal and unexpected depth to this military hero was because she felt the same inside. It was a connection she’d never expected to feel with any man, let alone a guy that looked this tough and had to be a special ops superhuman.
“Rose? Beautiful Rose?” Mercedes edged closer and gently touched her arm, drawing her attention from the man and breaking the connection. “Are you all right?”
