Page 71 of The Runaway and the Rugged
“A man like him doesn’t just let anyone into his life. He may talk to a woman here or there, friendly of course, but I’ve never seen him act the way he does with you.”
The straw fell out of my mouth in shock.
“And… and how does he act with me?”
“Like he’s damn terrified to admit that he wants to let you in.”
I didn’t want to believe him just as much as I wanted to. It seemed reckless, foolish even, to entertain thoughts of anything beyond the relationship I shared with Garth. He was merely the man who saved me when I was lost on his ranch. The one who chose to see something in me despite all the reasons why he shouldn’t.
I knew I wasn’t in the position to start anything new and I had a feeling he was too guarded, too hesitant, to let his heart have a real chance at love.
“I can’t risk anything with him. He’s a good man, with a genuine heart, but I’m too messy for someone to be tied to.”
It was the truth, I was messy. Messy past. Messy present. Nothing about me was appealing to an out-of-my-league single dad. If anything, he should be avoiding me at all chances.
“Messy? What the hell makes you messy?”
I explained to Carl how I ended up here: the wedding, Garth finding me, I told him everything. Once I was finished, I waited for repulsion, a confirmation that I was messy, but instead he laughed.
“Garth Calhoun went and fell for a runaway bride?” he teased, slapping his palm onto the counter three times before standing straight. “That’ll be one helluva story to tell your babies.”
My god.
I couldn’t help but laugh. A loud, genuine laugh that gripped my stomach and made me lose my breath. Maybe this was all I needed. Someone to make me see the funny side of things and realize that not everything had to be taken so seriously. I was no longer sulking, but rather enjoying myself for once.
It wasn’t forced, like I was so used to doing. It felt real. It felt perfect, and I never wanted the feeling to end.
21
EMELIA
It was getting late.
The sun was down, the lightning bugs were out, creating havoc in the parking lot of the gas station, and I was having the time of my life. I heard Carl’s whole life story, from his late wife who had passed from cancer to the few months he spent in jail for destroying a renowned mural when he had just turned eighteen.
He was now seventy-four.
And he had enough stories to last a lifetime.
I wanted to hear them all, down to the very last detail, but Carl ruined the moment as soon as he spoke.
“Is someone picking you up or do you plan on stayin’ here for the night?” he joked, but his smile fell when I shrugged.
“Beau dropped me off. I wasn’t thinking about how I was going to get back.”
Carl sighed, then reached across the counter, retrieving something and slowly bringing it up to his ear.
“Don’t get mad at me now. You can’t stay here forever,” he grumbled in my direction, and immediately I caught on to what he was doing.
“Garth? Yeah, it’s me, Carl,” he stated. “No, everything's fine here, just thought I’d let you know that I have someone real valuable here that needs a ride back to her cabin.”
My shoulders dropped as I slouched back in the chair, defeated.
“She’s fine, just sittin’ here beside me drinkin’ her slushie.” He shot me a smile. “All right, sounds good, see you soon.”
Carl hung up the phone, and I closed my eyes in return.
Maybe if I fall asleep I can stay here and not have to deal with Garth.
