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“Aww, that’s sad for Butch,” Tanner said with a grin. “Sure you don’t want to move here? You know that once you have a Malone, you’re ruined for everyone else.”
“Oh good Lord,” Flick groaned. “Your ego knows no bounds. But would you like us to call Butch? Maybe he could take you back to your motel room if you don’t want to come home with us.”
“No, no, don’t do that. Butch and I. . . we aren’t anything. I mean, he’s doing me a favor and I don’t really know why, but I can’t ask him to do anything more. We barely know each other.”
“Butch likes to protect people. Especially those he cares about,” Tanner said. “He likes to be the hero. To be needed.”
Right. So, what he was saying was Butch wasn’t doing any of this because he found her attractive, or he wanted to get to know her better. It was simply that she needed something from him. And he had a hero-complex.
Good to know.
That didn’t hurt her ego or anything. Nope. It wasn’t like she hadn’t known that he was just being nice. He’d made sure to mention they were just friends.
“I’m just going to go now. Please don’t bother Butch. I’m sure he has other things on his mind.” She started walking away. She had no idea where she was because she was too upset to take a moment and just breathe. Then she reached the end of the street.
Step out onto the road.
She couldn’t though. She looked left and right, then left again. Followed by a right.
Oh God.
Now she was terrified to cross the street! What was she going to do?
“Come on, darlin’. Come with us,” Tanner said soothingly. He came up next to her, holding out his bent arm. “Let us help you.”
“I need to do it on my own.” She had to be stronger than this. There was no one to help her. As kind as Butch was . . . he was a stranger. These fantasies she had of him getting to know her . . . falling in love . . . having a ton of kids.
They were all stupid fantasies.
Thought up by her stupid brain.
“We’ll help you get back to the motel, all right?” Flick said. “Just let us do that.”
“O-okay,” she whispered. “As long as it’s not a hassle.”
“You could never be a hassle, darlin’,” Tanner told her as she slipped her hand through his elbow.
“Tell that to my mother. Oh shit! I was on the phone with my mom when I . . . when I walked . . . anyway, where’s my phone? Crap. Did I lose it? Oh no, I need that!”
“Um, Lara?” Flick said hesitantly.
“Yes?”
“It’s in your hand.”
She stared down at the hand that wasn’t wrapped around Tanner’s arm. And yep, there was her phone.
“Well, that’s not embarrassing or anything.”
“Do you want me to call your mom? How far away is she? Do you need her?” Flick asked.
“Oh, God no, she’d fuss over me and insist that I go stay at her place. I don’t want to do that. The devil lives there.”
“The devil?” Tanner asked.
“Ah, yeah, you know what? I’m fine now. I’ll just leave. Nice to meet you. Bye!” She’d already said too much. Stupid post-scare adrenaline. It made her ramble.
“Really?” Flick asked. “So you can get across the road on your own?”
“Yep.” She stared at the road, her breath catching and fear making her stomach flip. “No. You know what . . . I’d really appreciate it if you called me a taxi.”
“Where are you staying, darlin’?” Tanner asked in a voice that was so gentle it brought tears to her eyes.
“Um, at Crabapple motel.”
“Oh, dear Lord. That place is a dump,” Flick said. Then her eyes widened. “I mean, uh, nice. Very nice.”
“Nah, you were right the first time, Flick,” Tanner said with a frown. “That place is a dive that should have been condemned a long time ago. You sure you want to go back there, darlin’?”
“I’m sure. It’s fine. I’ve lived in worse.”
She watched them exchange skeptical looks.
“Does Butch know you’re staying there?” Tanner asked.
“What? Oh no,” she replied. “I don’t think so.”
“Huh,” he said.
“Butch isn’t interested in where I’m staying. I’m taking up enough of his time just by asking for a favor.”
“Huh,” Tanner repeated. “Well, my truck isn’t far away. Why don’t I drive you there?”
“Um, okay. If you’re sure it’s not a bother.”
“We’re sure,” Flick replied. “We’re friends now, anyway. So nothing you could need would be a hassle. Tanner saved your life, so now we’re all tied together for life. Heck, we’re practically family.”
She stared at Flick in surprise. Even though she knew she didn’t really mean that, it was still a sweet thing to say. They walked around the corner and reached a big black truck.
