Page 16 of Two Risks I'd Never Take Again

“Thank you.” I ducked into his cabin before she asked me any other questions or before I stated other truths that didn’t need to be said. Announcing that we weren’t sleeping together probably made it seem like we were. Even if Ava believed that part, now she thought Garrett and I were dating. In secret.

Ugh. Why had I picked up a stranger off the side of the road? Why hadn’t I left after he was safely at the hospital?

I knew why I’d picked him up. Leaving an injured man on the side of the road felt wrong. Fear wasn’t enough of a reason to leave another person in pain.

The reason I’d stayed with him had everything to do with the way he made me feel, and it scared me a little. I pictured the handsome face and sparkling blue eyes of the man who’d asked me out only weeks ago, and I remembered the tenderness of the pained man who’d wiped tears off my cheek when I wasn’t even the one hurting. I couldn’t walk away from that. But once he was back on the ranch and had all the help he needed, leaving would be easy.

Glancing around the small cabin, I was somewhat surprised. Beau Henry had money. That was no secret. But Garrett wasn’t living like the son of a rich man. This place was smaller than my apartment. And my apartment wasn’t big. Nothing had changed since last night, but I’d slept and could now actually process thoughts.

I pulled a duffle bag out of the closet and dug through drawers. I grabbed a clean pair of jeans. Sweatpants would be more comfortable while he healed, and I found two pair in another drawer.

After grabbing a few other items, I took inventory. Shirts, pants, socks, a jacket, tennis shoes. What else did I need to grab? Bathroom stuff. There was a small travel bag in the bathroom drawer, and I threw in the electric shaver and other toiletries. He probably wouldn’t be shaving anytime soon, which wasn’t a bad thing because he looked pretty good with scruff.

I gave the room one more sweeping glance and thought of showers. If I had to help the man shower, he’d need a swimsuit.

I dug through the drawers until I found two, then shoved them in the bag.

Hovering in the bedroom doorway, I knew I was forgetting something important. But what?

The image of Garrett in that hospital bed was pretty much seared on my brain, and I thought back to what I’d said when he wanted to leave the hospital before I’d grabbed him clothes. “Whatever’s under that sheet.” Underwear. I hadn’t packed any of that. Underwear was important.

After shoving boxer briefs into the bag, I peeked out the kitchen window to make sure Ava wasn’t out for a stroll near the cabins, or Goldie for that matter. I’d already said too much. When I was satisfied that the coast was clear, I ran out, hopped in the truck, and zoomed back to the apartment.

Maybe Garrett had booked a place. I hoped so. It would mean a lot less sneaking around. I was tired of sneaking.

Before I letmyself get distracted by where we’d be staying, I put away groceries, helped Garrett make the appointment to get his hands checked by a specialist, and started a soup.

While it simmered, I went back to the bedroom. “Okay. I think everything is covered. Lunch will be ready in just a few minutes.”

“You’ve been buzzing around since you got home. How did it go at the ranch?”

I chewed my bottom lip and remembered that I’d meant to get more Chapstick. “Um, well... Ava doesn’t know that you were hurt, but I’m pretty sure she thinks we’re dating.”

A smile spread across Garrett’s face as he reached for a pillow.

“And it’s possible she thinks we’re sleeping together.”

He hugged the pillow to his chest. “Laughing isn’t comfortable.”

“Laughing? It isn’t funny if she thinks that. But she might’ve believed me. I told her we weren’t sleeping together and that we were getting separate bedrooms on our getaway.”

His shoulders bounced as he groaned, his face twisted in pain. “I’m sorry for laughing. I just keep imagining you telling Ava that we aren’t sleeping together.”

“We aren’t!” I wanted to whap him with that pillow.

“I know. It’s just that usually makes people think the opposite.”

I sat on the edge of the bed. “I was afraid of that, but I hope not because Ava and I go to church together, and her husband used to be the pastor.”

Garrett rubbed his bandaged hand on my back. “I’m sorry, Tessa. I shouldn’t have asked you to stay at the hospital.”

I didn’t want to think about that. “And you were wrong about nobody noticing me in the middle of the night. Ava knew I’d been to your cabin. I don’t know how—maybe because of Goldie—so I told her I was there to get your clothes.”

He pinched his lips together. “Sorry.”

“Did you find a place for us to stay?”

He nodded. “If you open the laptop, I can show you pictures.”

---