Page 9 of Your Carriage Awaits in Crumbleton
Two minutes later, they were trundling through the City Gates and across the cobbles towards the Singers’ little cottage. Normally, he’d do pretty much anything to avoid navigating the narrow streets in the truck – especially with a car on board. But nothing about tonight was normal. If Michelle wanted to be dropped off at the door, that’s what she’d get.
‘Looks like the coast is clear!’ she said, peering along the rain-drenched road.
Danny nodded. As far as he could see, there wasn’t a soul in sight. Well, at least that was one complication out of the way. He’d let Michelle hop out and make sure she was safely inside before worrying about turning the truck around.
‘Right then,’ he said, trying to keep his voice light. ‘Here you go, home sweet home.’
‘Yeah. Thank you.’
Michelle looked at him. For a split second, her expression shifted—to something like regret or maybe longing. But then Elvis chose that moment to stretch and yawn, breaking the spell.
‘Come on then, you daft mutt,’ he said, wrapping his arm around the sleepy dog in an attempt to haul him off his new favourite lap. ‘I think it’s time to give Michelle her blanket back.’
‘Keep it,’ said Michelle. ‘It kind of suits him, don’t you think?’
Danny grinned at her and nodded. ‘Well… thank you. To be honest, he’d probably sulk for a week if you tried to take it with you.’
Michelle smiled - the first proper, full-wattage smile he’d seen from her since he’d picked her up. It hit him like a punch in the gut.
Bloody hell, Dalton. You’re in trouble.
CHAPTER 4
MICHELLE
Michelle yawned widely as she stared around at what used to be her childhood bedroom. Her tiny single bed was the only thing that remained the same, and even that had been shunted into one cramped corner.
After she’d moved in with Lawrence, her parents had gleefully boxed up all her childhood knick-knacks, shoved them into the attic, and filled her yellow-walled bedroom with as much gym equipment as the space could hold. Now, it was like a shrine to the toned and the muscly.
Sitting up and scrubbing at her bleary eyes, Michelle glared at the hulking elliptical trainer on the other side of the room. Just the sight of it made her feel guilty. She wasn’t sure how often her mum and dad used this space, but that wasn’t the point, was it? They’d clearly not been expecting her to turn up on their doorstep, begging for her old room back for a little while.
‘Or forever,’ she muttered.
Because, if she was honest, Michelle felt stuck. She was back in Crumbleton with her tail firmly between her legs, and she had no intention of braving the outside world again anytime soon.
Of course, her parents had other ideas. If they had their way, she’d be making up with Lawrence and moving back in with the cheating git faster than you could say “rowing machine.”
‘Over my dead body!’ She yawned again.
Blimey, she was exhausted. What with the emotional toll of saying a final farewell to her dream home yesterday, followed by her breakdown and subsequent rescue, Michelle’s energy levels were at an all-time low.
Of course, another night with barely any sleep hadn’t helped matters. At least this time, it hadn’t been because of loser Lawrence or the cramped bed. Instead, her dreams had been pleasurably plagued by a pair of bad-boy brown eyes.
‘Urgh, Ireallyneed coffee,’ she muttered, heaving herself out of bed. ‘And some kind of plan!’
Last night, the only thing Michelle had been focused on was sneaking into the cottage without her dad finding out she’d been rescued by Danny Dalton. Now, in the cold light of day, there was a whole heap of added extras to worry about.
For starters, her car was quite conspicuously AWOL. Then there was the fact that the boxes she’d driven halfway across the country to retrieve were also missing.
There was only one thing for it—Michelle needed to get herself over to the garage and get her car back asap. She’d just have to pray that Danny could get it running again. If he couldn’t… well… she was going to have to getseriouslycreative with her story.
Michelle started pulling her clothes on as quickly and quietly as possible, racking her brain for some kind of plan. There wasn’t a bus route that went past the garage, and it wasn’t like she could call a taxi for a lift, was it?!
First things first. She needed to get out of the cottage without being collared by her parents. With any luck, they’d still be inbed. Maybe she’d even manage to sneak in a quick coffee before she left!
Michelle crept across the tiny room, doing her best to avoid the rowing machine. She’d already stubbed her toe on the bloody thing twice since she’d moved back in.
Pressing her ear to the door, she listened carefully. The cottage was old, and the floorboards groaned at the slightest provocation. If her parents were up and about, she should be able to hear them moving around.
