Chapter 8
OWEN
Gina Grace Bradford is wearing me down.
I’m pretty sure she isn’t trying to, but being so close to her, sharing a bathroom, catching her scent everywhere I turn… I only want to press her against the wall and kiss her until neither of us can see straight.
I almost did it last night, but I stopped myself.
What I said to her was the truth. I’m not boyfriend material. Hell, I’m probably too old to even be called a boyfriend anymore.
I’m a single dad, a widower. It’s my job to put Maddie to bed at night and be sure she’s comfortable and secure and not afraid of the dark or monsters in the closet.
I read bedtime stories. I’m asleep by ten.
None of this is appealing to a woman as full of life as Gigi is. Not to mention she’s beautiful, and she could probably have any man she wants. Why would she want someone broken like me?
“Head in the game, Sly!” Gav gives me a shove as he glides by on the ice. “We’re going to practice T3G again.”
We’ve done all the warmups and drills, now it’s time for our scrimmage.
“I’m ready,” I lie.
I wasn’t paying attention to a damn thing just now. The only thing on my mind was shimmering gold hair with deep red highlights, how I’d love to thread my fingers in those silky locks, pull her head back, cover her mouth…
“Stone!” Donovan’s voice cuts through the noise. “Let’s do this!”
Nodding, I focus my eyes on the small, black disc, skating hard to the side of the net, where Hancock sends it to me. Gav rounds the net, and I pass it to him, then he slaps it in for the goal just as fast.
T-T-T-G. Time to win.
I’ve just finished showering and returned to the locker room when Mav holds up his phone.
“Dangit.” He looks over to Gavin. “Gigi’s car broke down in Hidden Creek. Can you pick her up? I’ve got a photo shoot in twenty minutes.”
“I’m going with Haddy to Lucy’s doctor’s appointment.” He winces. “She’s getting her first shots today. Haddy will kill me if I’m not there. Can’t she get an Uber?”
“She’s got all her dog stuff with her.”
My throat is tight, and the thought of Gina on the side of the road with a broken car has me on my feet before I can even consider if this is a bad idea. “I’ll go.”
They both turn to me, but Mav doesn’t hesitate. “Thanks, Owen. I’ll text you the details. She’s got roadside assistance headed her way, but she’s out there alone, the sun’s going down…”
That extra bit of news has me jerking my jeans over my hips and snatching a shirt out of my cubby. “Tell her I’m on my way.”
I grab my duffel bag, and I’m walking so fast for the exit, I’m practically jogging. I’m just hopping into my old Ford step-side truck, thinking I have no idea where Hidden Creek is or how to get there, when my phone lights up with the address.
This old truck was my mom’s that my aunt Cass helped her maintain through the years. Aunt Cass knows all about cars, and she claims it will last forever if we take care of it properly. I would never contradict her, but it’s possible the LA freeway might be its match.
Either way, I’ve got a bit of a drive ahead of me, according to my GPS. Hidden Creek is pretty far north of LA. It’s not even in the city limits.
I make good time going, but looking across the freeway at the line of cars moving the opposite direction has me worried. It’s backed up for miles.
I’m wondering if we can find an alternate route when the voice comes through the speakers telling me my turn is 800 feet away.
I exit the freeway, and it’s only a short drive before I see Gina leaning against her silver Nissan on the side of the road staring at her phone.
She looks so different in a long black blazer, black dress pants, and a white silk shirt. She’s wearing black boots, and her hair is smoothed into a sleek ponytail. She looks very professional. It’s hot.
When she sees me pulling up, she pushes off the side of the car and walks over. “What happened to Mav and Gav?”
I can’t tell if she’s teasing as I hop out, slamming the door behind me. “Maverick had a photo shoot, and Gav is at Lucy’s doctor’s appointment.”
“Oh, right.” She nods. “Haddy is so worried. It’s her first round of shots.”
“I hated those visits.” I walk over to where her car is stalled on the shoulder. “What happened?”
“I don’t know. I stopped for the red light, and when it was time to go, it just died. A guy helped me push it onto the shoulder.”
Opening the door, I slide into the driver’s side to try giving it a start. I press the button, but nothing happens. It only makes the noise like it’s trying.
“It doesn’t sound like the battery or alternator.” I lean forward, trying again. “It might be the fuel pump. Those tend to go out at the worst possible times.”
“What’s a fuel pump?” Her glossy lips twist, and I’m momentarily distracted, thinking about standing in the hall with her, looking down at those full lips, wanting to kiss her so badly…
And walking away.
“It’s the thing that pumps fuel to the engine.”
“So my car had a heart attack?”
“It’s a good analogy, but it’s more like a valve failure.”
“What can we do?”
“You can’t do anything with a busted fuel pump.” Holding out my hand, I gesture to my truck. “I’ll give you a ride home, but it’ll have to be towed to a repair shop.”
She looks down at her phone again. “I called roadside assistance. They’re coming to jump my battery, but I think I can change it to a tow.”
“See what you can do. I’ll get your stuff.” I walk to her trunk where she has a large briefcase and a bag filled with colorful ribbons reading Best in Breed and first, second, and third place.
“I was able to change it. Should we wait til they get here?” She frowns, looking around over her shoulder.
That makes me chuckle. “I think it’ll be safe to leave it. This car isn’t going anywhere.”
She follows me slowly. “I meant to tell you, I like your truck.”
“Thanks, I inherited it from my stepmom. She almost ran over my dad in it on her first day at work.”
“What?” she cries, falling back against the white leather seat.
“Brakes went out. Luckily, she wasn’t going very fast.” I think about the story my parents tell all the time of my stepmom’s first day back in Eureka, working with my dad. “She was also blasting Shania Twain music with the windows down, so they heard her coming.”
Gina laughs. “You’ll have to play some for me when we get back. I’ve been dying to hear Ladybird howl.”
“It’s pretty funny.” I glance at her with a grin, the tension leaving my chest.
I was worried she was mad at me last night. I’m glad to see she’s not.
“I almost didn’t recognize you all dressed up like that.” I nod at her power suit. “You look like the CEO of Dog World.”
That makes her snort. “Dog people take these shows very seriously. We’re all expected to look the part.”
“I’m not sure what the part is, but you look great.” I give her a teasing wink.
“Thanks.” Her nose wrinkles as she glances out the window shyly.
When my eyes return to the road, I have to slam on brakes. All the cars ahead of us have come to a complete stop, and I see flashing blue and red lights stretching far in front of us.
“What the hell?” I look around at cars slowly pulling off onto the shoulder and heading back in the direction we came.
“Let me text Aunt Raven and see if she can help us.” Gigi has her phone out, thumbs flying over the screen.
“Who’s Aunt Raven?” I glance over at her.
“Haddy’s mom is chief meteorologist for KCLA. It’s one of the TV stations in town.”
Squinting, I look up at the sky. “I don’t understand. Are you expecting rain?”
“She’s also on the traffic desk. She’ll let us know…” A few seconds pass, and Gigi’s shoulders drop. “Oh, no.”
“What?”
“The bridge up ahead is closed. Aunt Raven says a semi-truck carrying a load of down pillows flipped. Feathers are everywhere, and all southbound lanes are closed for cleanup. That’s why everyone’s turning around.
She says we can drive three hours out of the way, or we have to try and get a room at one of these motor hotels before they’re all gone. ”
She doesn’t have to tell me twice. Turning the wheel, I do a hard U-turn on the shoulder and drive quickly to the last exit we passed.
“She said there’s a cute little motor lodge just off the road ahead called Delve Inn. Supposedly it has four stars, and visitors call it quirky.” She frowns. “I’m not sure I like the sound of that.”
“Four stars is good, though.”
Worried green eyes meet mine. “I hope so.”
I follow the road, and sure enough, after a few miles we spot a long, beige motel off to the right. A neon-lit sign above reads Delve Inn, and it looks like something out of an old movie or on Route 66.
“Quirky is right.”
Gina’s brow furrows. “It looks like the set of Psycho.”
“I don’t like the look of that.” I nod at all the cars crowding the parking lot. “Did she say if there was anything else? Psycho or not, we might be lucky to get a room.”
“Just be cool.” Her voice is low. “I’m prepared to turn on the puppy-dog eyes if I must.”
That makes me chuckle, and I pull up to the first cottage, which has a door marked Office.
We step into a small, pine-scented room with a slim guy dressed in a beige corduroy blazer behind the desk.
He’s even chewing gum, which is starting to creep me out.
Psycho is right, and it’s freaking October on top of it.
“Hi, there,” Gina says brightly. “I’m Gina Bradford, and this is Owen.”
“Gina, Owen,” the guy nods as he says our names. “I’m Ned, the manager here. Do you need a room?” He blinks from me to Gina before turning to his desktop, lightly hitting his head with his hand. “Of course, you do. Why else would you be here? What I should say is how many nights?”
“Just tonight,” Gigi answers. “The bridge is out, so we can’t get back to LA.”
“Yeah,” he laughs softly. “We haven’t had this many guests since they built the freeway. I-I wasn’t around then, of course” he quickly explains. “It’s just what I’ve heard my mother say.”