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Her scowl deepened. “Then you take me.”
He laughed, though he wasn’t sure why. It only made her madder. She could have put on a hornet suit and joined the local hive for how livid she looked. Elijah sobered. “Sorry. I got plenty of work here that needs to get done. I can’t exactly be chauffeuring you around. Can’t you use your father’s truck?”
“He’s got a doctor’s appointment.”
“Then I guess you’re out of luck and you’ll have to make it another time.”
“I can’t do that. Today is the only day they can fit me in.” There was a sliver of desperation in her voice—enough that pulled on him, making him severely uncomfortable. Did he really have too much work that he couldn’t help her out?
No, he’d just given that as an excuse. If their trip was a quick one, he’d be back right after supper and still have an hour or two of daylight to finish up what he needed to get done.
Elijah blew out a frustrated breath. “Where do you need to go?” He took a few steps toward her, digging his keys out of his jeans pockets as he crossed the distance between them.
“I’m meeting with my lawyers.”
He slowed. “Why do you need to meet with your lawyers?”
“I don’t think that’s any of your business. But if you must know, I’m trying to figure out how things will go when I get the farm handed over to me. There are taxes to be paid, capital gains, and other things. I want to make sure I’m prepared so nothing is a surprise.” Her eyes cut to meet his as he stopped directly in front of her. “And don’t go telling me that it won’t matter because I won’t be around when that time comes. I’ve already told you—”
“You’re staying. I know,” he said. Only there was a bigger problem he was worried about. She wanted to stay but had no idea that the farm wouldn’t simply be given over to her. He had a stake in it now. He needed it to succeed so he could purchase it.
This was just one more reason he needed to keep his distance from her. If Scarlett ever found out about the deal he made with her father, she’d hate him for it. Elijah motioned toward the truck. “Well? Get in. I’m not going to wait all day. We’ll head out there and come right back. Clear?”
“Crystal.”
* * *
They madeit about halfway to the city when the rain started.
Large water droplets pittered and pattered against the truck and the glass. Fifteen minutes later when they drove into town, his windshield wipers had a hard time keeping up.
Water coursed down the gutters in town, the drains overflowing.
Scarlett didn’t seem fazed at all. When he pulled up to the lawyer’s offices, she darted out into the rain and headed inside without a word to him.
He kept the heater and the radio running. She wouldn’t be long. Or so he thought.
Two hours later, Scarlett materialized at the side of the truck. She banged on the window and he jumped, staring at her before realizing he’d locked the truck out of habit.
Scarlett climbed in, dripping wet and a little irritated.
Unfortunately, she was in good company. “You get what you needed?” he ground out.
She shot a look toward him. “Yeah. I think so.”
“Good. Because we’re not going anywhere.”
Scarlett stopped rustling in her purse to gape at him. “Um, yeah we are. We’re going home. I’m done—so if you don’t have anything you need—”
“You don’t get it. There have been flash flood warnings for the past hour. If your appointment was a normal length, then we might have been able to get through it.” His voice seethed with frustration. They didn’t have anywhere they could go. The rain wasn’t due to stop for the next eight hours.
“It’s just a little rain—”
“It’s not just a little rain. The roads could be washed out. There’s no way my truck is going to make the drive if there’s no road to take. We have to find somewhere to stay the night.”
She gaped at him. “No.”
“No?” He laughed. “You say that like you have a choice. Okay, I’ll give you one. We find a motel to stay at, or you can sleep in my truck. Either is fine by me.” He crossed his arms, hating just what this would do to him—tear up his insides, that’s what. He could already feel his stomach unraveling.
