by Krista Lakes
He smiled back and took a seat off to the side. He didn’t want to intimidate her. She’d already had a rough night, but he did want to hear her story. He found himself wanting to know everything about her. Thunder rumbled outside, and he had to wonder what he’d brought into his life with this storm.
Chapter 3
Bonnie
For the first time in weeks, Bonnie felt safe. She had a fluffy towel draped over her shoulders with another wrapped around her body and a third drying her hair. She sipped gingerly at the hot chamomile tea in her hands. A small sigh of relief rippled through her.
The knot of tension that seemed to live in between her shoulder blades relaxed just a little bit. She wasn't shivering anymore, and she wasn't afraid. It almost felt like a dream after the past few weeks.
"So, what were you doing out on No-man's Road?" Laura asked, drinking from her cup of tea. "It's kind of off the beaten path."
She and Mia sat across from her at the large square table, and Dylan had pulled up a chair catty-corner to them. Bonnie was doing her best not to look at him too much. She had a bad habit of staring at handsome men.
“I was trying to enjoy the mountains,” Bonnie explained. “I thought my car could handle it since it didn't look too steep. Apparently not.”
Laura nodded. “Are you from around here? Or just driving through?”
“Um, just passing through,” Bonnie replied. She adjusted the towel over her shoulders.
“Where are you headed?” Laura pressed. Her voice was friendly, but the tension in Bonnie's shoulders started to creep up again.
“Laura, stop interrogating the poor woman,” Mia said gently, setting her tea on the table. “If she doesn't want to tell us, she doesn't have to.”
“Thank you,” Bonnie replied quietly, looking into her own cup of tea. She looked up at the faces of the people around her. They were kind. It gave her courage. “Actually, I'm kind of on the run.”
“From what?” Laura asked, leaning forward with excitement in her eyes. Mia gave her a stern look that Laura completely ignored.
"My ex. It's a bad situation, and I needed to get away from him," Bonnie lied. It was her standard go-to lie now, but she couldn’t talk about them. Her most recent ex-boyfriend was happily married and living in Reno. He wouldn't appreciate being used like this, but it was better this way. She hated lying to these people who were helping her but, no one asked questions about why she was running from an ex. No one asked her to prove it or said she was making things up. It was far more believable than the truth.
“That's terrible,” Laura whispered, her green eyes wide. Mia nodded as well.
“I was taking the back road because it not only looked prettier, but I'm trying to stay away from busy places. I don't really feel safe in crowds right now,” Bonnie explained with a shrug. She happened to look over at Dylan to see his brow darken. He looked over at the door like he was expecting her ex to walk through it at any moment and he was going to beat the shit out of the guy.
“He won't find you here,” Dylan assured her, his deep brown eyes meeting hers. She believed him. The knot in her shoulders relaxed a little more.
“Anyway, that's why I was out there,” she finished lamely, forcing herself to look away from him. “I was looking for scenic views and once again chose poorly.”
“That's terrible,” Laura said, shaking her head. She paused and frowned. “I just realized that we didn't get your name.”
“Oh! I'm Bonnie.” She smiled at the two women and Dylan. “Bonnie Kincaid. It's nice to meet you all. Thank you for all the help today.”
“You're most welcome,” Mia assured her. She looked thoughtful as she sipped her tea. “If you're looking for some good mountain views, I recommend going up the mountain on Turnback Road. Once your car is fixed up, of course.”
“I'll make sure I do that,” Bonnie replied. She set her empty mug down on the table. “Do you have a mechanic in the area you would recommend? Once the rain stops, I'll call for a tow.”
“There's no need to do that,” Dylan said quickly. “We have plenty of people here at the ranch that can fix your car. Besides, this storm isn't going to let up for a while.”
“It isn't?” Bonnie felt her heart sink. She had planned on just getting back on the road as soon as possible. She didn't really have a plan on where she was going, but she wanted to keep moving before they found her.
Mia shook her head. “The forecast has the rain going until morning, but you should stay here.”
“Here?” Bonnie looked around at the cafeteria. It was obviously meant for children and teens, not adults. The colors were far too bright and cheerful.
“All the campers are gone for the night,” Mia explained. “We have an extra counselor cabin and plenty of room.”
“I really don't want to impose,” Bonnie replied. She adjusted the towel on her shoulders. She already felt like they'd done more than needed to help her.
“It's no trouble at all,” Dylan assured her. Her eyes went back to him, and she found it hard to look away. He was strong and safe. “There’s no reason for you to wait for a tow and spend the night in a hotel.”
“And to be honest, the hotel in town isn’t all that great,” Laura whispered loud enough for the whole room to hear.
“Are you guys sure?” Bonnie looked around the table at the people who barely knew her but were willing to put her up for the night. “You don’t know me.”
Mia reached across the table and touched her hand. “I know people.” Their eyes met, and Bonnie saw only kindness in her eyes. “Stay the night.”
“Thank you,” Bonnie whispered. She thought about saying no, but the idea of a real bed and a hot shower was too much to pass up. Thunder rumbled outside again, sealing her decision. “I’ll stay. Thank you.”
“Of course. It’s kind of our mission to help people here,” Mia explained with a chuckle. “You need some help, so we're here to do that.”
“Is there anything I can do to repay you? I'm afraid I don't have a lot of cash right now, but I'd be happy to clean dishes in the kitchen or clean cabins or something,” Bonnie offered. “I don’t really have a job right now, so I’m happy to help out if you can use me.”
Mia started to laugh.
“Fate. It’s fate,” Laura said, shaking her head and chuckling. “Tell the universe you need something, and there it is.”
“Our dishwasher just broke, and we’re short-staffed in the kitchen this week,” Mia explained. “We need someone to help in the kitchen. I’m afraid it would only be for room and board, but if you want a job, it’s yours.”
“I want it,” Bonnie replied, nearly stumbling over the words in her haste to claim the position. Her funds were running low, and this place would be perfect to hide out in. She took a breath and smiled. “I would really like the job,” she repeated, this time with more grace.
“You’re sure?” Mia asked, keeping her smile in check. “There’s no money.”
“It would be amazing,” Bonnie told her. “Honestly, room and board is perfect.”
It meant less money spent, and it was less likely to be tracked. She couldn’t have asked for a better option. Not to mention that it meant she’d probably see more of Dylan. She told herself that wasn’t part of her excitement at all.
“Okay.” Mia smiled big and wide. “Tomorrow morning, just come back here at seven. Chef will show you the ropes.”
“Thank you.” Bonnie felt giddy with relief and excitement. Not only did she have a place to stay for the night, but she also had a job for the week. She couldn’t have asked for a better place for her car to break down. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.”
“I’m here to help people,” Mia replied with a big smile. “That’s what we do here. It looks like you could use the help, so you came to the right place.”
Bonnie glanced around the cafeteria as thunder rumbled outside.
You have no idea how right you are, she thought to herself. She needed
all the help she could get.
Chapter 4
Dylan
The rain was slow and gentle as he opened the passenger door of the ranch truck for Bonnie. She smiled gratefully as he held the umbrella up over her head as she stepped out into the dark and walked over to her trunk to get her things for the night. Thunder groaned in the distant, but it wasn’t threatening.
He held the umbrella up over the two of them as she dug around in the trunk for her suitcase. The rain misted around them as he created their own little dry world for just the two of them. It had almost a magical quality to it.
“Here, let me hold that,” he said, taking a red duffle-bag from her and putting it over his shoulder. It was lighter than he thought it would be. She traveled light.
“Thanks.” Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she quickly looked back to the car. “I just need to find my toiletry kit.”
She turned and dug through the luggage in her trunk. There were several bags and suitcases, all neatly stacked and arranged in the back. He tried not to stare as she bent over, giving him the perfect view of her ass. He averted his eyes and instead checked out the car.
It was an old brown station wagon that had certainly seen better days. The cloth interior was faded and smelled of air freshener. He wondered just how many miles the thing had on it because it certainly looked ancient.
It was not a good car to be driving through the mountains. He was surprised she’d managed to drive it off the lot, let alone up the highway, given what he could see. The temp tags on her bumper told him she’d just purchased it recently, and he suspected that she had no idea she’d gotten a lemon.
She was trying to escape her old life and had bought a used car to make her escape. Whoever had sold her this car must have known she was desperate and realized they could get this piece of junk off their lot.
The idea that someone had taken advantage of her made his jaw tighten. His hand curled around the strap of the duffel bag. He looked out into the darkness and away from the car to calm himself down. There wasn’t anything he could do about it now. He was just going to have to make sure he fixed it up so she wouldn’t get stuck on the side of a mountain ever again. Even if it meant building her a new engine.
“Found it,” she said, pulling out a small black toiletry bag and holding it up triumphantly. “It was hiding under the blanket.”
“If you needed a toothbrush, I know Mia keeps a bunch on hand. Our campers are always loosing or forgetting theirs,” he said.
“I already feel like I’m taking advantage,” she replied, motioning for her bag. He handed it to her, and she slid the toiletry kit inside. “Thank you for holding that. And the umbrella. You didn’t have to come out here in the rain, and I appreciate it.”
“I wasn’t about to let you walk around out here in the dark,” he told her, the protective urge rising in his chest again. “There are bears and mountain lions out here.”
“They like to go out in the rain?” she teased, looking out at the steady downpour.
“Sure,” he said with a shrug. “That’s where the expression ‘it’s raining like cats and bears’ comes from.”
She laughed. The sound was sweet as a bell and made his whole body feel lighter. That laugh alone made coming out in the rain worth it.
She closed the trunk behind her, and he held the umbrella up over the two of them as they walked back to the truck. She stayed close to him, trying to keep dry, and he could feel her body heat reaching for him. He was careful not to touch her, despite the intense desire to wrap his arm around her shoulder and keep her warm.
She was running from an abusive ex, after all.
He’d left the truck running so the heat would be on when they got back inside, so the cab was toasty and comfortable as they climbed in. She smiled at him as he put the truck into drive and headed back down the road.
“Is there a way onto the ranch from this road?” she asked. “I was actually curious why we went the long way.”
“There’s a gate about a mile up from your car that lets onto the property,” Dylan explained. “It’s a pain to use, so we keep it permanently locked. There’s no reason for cars to be coming up the back way and we’d like to keep it to only one entrance for the kids.”
“That makes sense,” she agreed. “I guess I’m glad I broke down where I did, or I would never have found you.”
He glanced over to see her bite her lip.
“I mean, you guys. The ranch,” she amended. “Not you personally. That would be way too forward.”
He smiled to himself. She liked him. “If you give me your keys, I’ll have your car towed up to the ranch garage tomorrow morning. I can take a look at it and see what needs to be fixed.”
“That would be great. Thank you.” She reached into her pocket and carefully pulled out a set of keys and removed a giant silver key. The car was so old it didn’t have the electronic fobs. She only hesitated a split second before setting it on the center console.
She cleared her throat.
“So, are you from around here?” she asked, her tone light.
“Not really.” He turned off the dirt road and onto the highway that would lead them back to the ranch road. “I grew up in Kansas but worked in California for the past few years. I recently quit my job and was looking for something better to do than just waste money. I know Mia and Carter, and they said they could use some help around the ranch, so I came here.”
“Mia must collect stray people,” she commented.
Dylan chuckled. “You could say that. She has a knack for finding people that need her though. She’s certainly good at it.”
“Do you like it here?” she asked, turning to look at him in her seat. He could feel her dark eyes examining him as he drove.
“I do,” he told her. “At first, I wasn’t sure it was what I needed, but the longer I’ve stayed, the more I’ve found that this place is magic.”
Bonnie smiled. “That bodes well for me,” she replied. Her head cocked to the side, and a damp tendril of hair fell onto her cheek. “What kind of work did you do before coming here?”
“Computers,” he replied, keeping the answer short. He looked over at her. “What kind of work did you do?”
“I’m a special needs kindergarten teacher. I work primarily with autism and sensory issues,” she replied. Her eyes went soft, and she smiled as she said the words. It was obvious she loved her job. Sadness crept into her face, and the softness left her eyes. “I mean, I was.”
“Why’d you leave it?” he asked. She wrapped her arms around herself as she turned to look out her window. He wanted to smack himself upside the head. “Sorry. You had to leave because of your ex. Sorry. Stupid question.”
“It’s okay. But, yeah.” She kept her face turned toward the passenger window. “I had to quit my job. Luckily, it’s summer, so they’ll be able to fill the position before school starts.”
“I’m sorry,” he told her. He wanted to reach across the center console and squeeze her hand, but he wasn’t sure how she’d react. So he kept his hands on the wheel.
“It is what it is,” she said with a shrug. “I’m sure I’ll find something like it again.”
He hated the way her voice fell and her smile faded. He could see how much her work meant to her and how much it hurt her to leave it. She was passionate about something. He was searching for that feeling himself, so the fact that she couldn’t follow her passion made him want to murder her ex for doing this to her.
He pulled the truck up to the counselor cabin and turned off the engine before hurrying over to her door with the umbrella again. He offered her his hand to get out.
“Thank you,” she said softly as she got out of the big truck. She took his hand, sending pleasant electrical surges up his arms with her touch. She didn’t hold on once she was on the ground, though.
“Here’s the cabin,” he said, leaning the umbrella on the porch and opening up the heavy wooden door. “It’s a little sparse, but it’s
comfortable. Your room’s over here.”
He opened the first door on the right and switched on the light. It was a simple room with just a twin bed, a nightstand, and a dresser with a mirror. An Ansel Adams black and white photograph hung on the wall across from the window.
“It’s perfect,” she whispered as she stepped into the room. “Absolutely perfect.”
He set her duffle-bag on the floor by the bed as she went to the window. It was too dark to see anything except a flash of lighting silhouetting the pine trees outside. She turned and grinned at him.
“The bathroom is the third door on the left,” he explained. “You’re the only person in this cabin this week, so you’ve got the place to yourself.”
“A hot shower sounds amazing,” she told him. He noticed her shoulders relaxing and the anxiety leaving the corners of her eyes.
“There’s towels in the bathroom,” he explained. “Just put them in the bins when you’re done.”
“Thank you, Dylan.”
The way she said his name sent a thrill up his spine. He tried not to let his voice crack with the surprise of how nice it was to hear her say it.
“Here’s my phone number in case you need anything.” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a business card. It was one of the last habits of his old job that he couldn’t quite seem to kick. He loved having business cards for people to contact him. “Just in case.”
She took the card and looked it over. It was just his name on white stationery with his private phone number underneath, but she smiled like it was something special he’d given her.
“Thanks,” she said, putting it carefully on her nightstand.
He nodded and headed back out to the truck. The rain was still falling, but he didn’t care. He left the umbrella on the porch just in case she needed it again. He turned on the engine and smiled to himself as he turned to head back to his own cabin.
She was safe here.