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Amongst the awkward silence, I chewed my bottom lip. I could work something out. I wasn’t anyone’s responsibility here. Absentmindedly, I noticed the dog’s ears prick up and he walked over to me, my shaky breath coming out in short bursts. He began to nudge my leg.
The old man gasped. “Well, I’ll be damned,” he said to his wife, Ann. “Ye seeing, this?”
“You should’ve seen him when she walked in. He walked straight up to her,” Ann crooned with the same bewilderment.
Immediately, my gaze snapped to his owner, who was once again unimpressed with arms crossed over his chest.
“Why don’t you stay with one of us for the night until the fallen tree’s sorted,” the redhead suggested. “And by one of us, I mean my brother Eric here.”
“What?” Eric and I snapped in unison.
His gaze sharply landed back on me. “I can’t take her in.”
“You know we already have a full house back at Mom’s and what are you going to do, let a poor woman freeze to death?” Now she crossed her arms, a scary, intimidating demeanor kicking in. Now that she’d mentioned “brother” I kind of noticed the resemblance. Not in the hair color but in their nose and eye shape.
“Lori,” he gritted out in warning.
“It’s fine honestly, I’ll figure something out,” I said quickly.
“The snow’s been picking up again too, it isn’t safe driving at night. Not in a car like that,” the old man said and whistled, obviously making Eric feel bad.
The dog nudged against my leg again. Slowly and cautiously, I reached down. He sniffed, then rubbed his head against my open palm, its soft silky fur threading through my fingers. A tension rippled through me. This wasn’t so scary. Despite the circumstances, it was somewhat soothing even.
“And what would Mom say?”
“Fine,” Eric threw his hands in the air. “You can stay with me,” he gritted out.
I quickly found myself saying, “It’s fine, really.” Because who knew where this man was actually taking me. For all I knew he was taking me out into the woods to chop me into tiny pieces. Again, the scenes from movies and plays ensued.
As if reading my mind, his expression softened—if that was even possible—and he uncrossed his arms. “You’ll be warm with me tonight.” His eyebrows knitted together. “Well not with me but in my home.”
Lori threw back her head and laughed.
“Shut up,” Eric gritted out.
I noticed then the slight blush on his cheeks. Was he embarrassed?
“That’s very gentlemanly of you, Eric,” Ann crooned and offered me a wink. I had no idea what was happening, but I suddenly felt like I was the one being used for a personal prank. But what choice did I have? If I at least had a place to stay for the night, I could gather my thoughts and plan of action. I suddenly questioned why I’d been so reckless with my money and every impulsive purchase I’d ever made. Why didn’t I have savings like normal people?
“I’m just closing up the shop,” he grumbled and then called his dog back. “So, get your stuff out of your car.”
“Please,” Lori added, looking at her brother with disbelief. “Do they really not have women where you come from?”
His gaze snagged hers again and he looked at me, then back to her again. He simply grunted and said, “You’ll need to leave your car out front because it won’t make the drive up the mountains. So grab your bags, please.”
“Mountains?” I squeaked. But he was already gone.
Chapter 4
Eric
Meddlesome. That’s all they were back at the café. Especially Lori. She’d purposefully set me up, enjoying every part of it. I had no doubt she’d be giving me crap for this in years to come. It’d be even worse when she got my brothers in on it as well. I internally grumbled.
I peered through the rearview mirror at Shadow, who was sitting on the back seat with his tongue hanging out of his mouth. He looked dubiously happy and that only irritated me more. Replacing his usual spot was a pretty blonde that was the furthest thing from local.
Her overpowering sweet perfume filled the car, flaring my nostrils. My knuckles were turning white over the steering wheel. It suited her to a dime. Anyone with eyes could categorize her as beautiful—in a high-maintenance way. Her light-blue eyes danced with life, with a complexion so smooth it was hard to believe she was even real. And that hair… How did anyone manage perfect curls in weather like this? It was unimaginable. She was unimaginable. Like some Hollywood actress that stepped straight off her private jet. One now stranded in Rosefield with a vehicle that would get her nowhere.
I grumbled internally again. How did this little star end up under my care? I used this month to get away from people, not take them in as charity cases.
