Chapter 5
Scout
I wake up and frown when I see sunlight.
Shit! I’m so late!
I jerk up in bed, and that’s when it hits me. I’m not at home. I’m in Carter’s cabin. I remember all the details of last night and collapse back against the mattress.
Usually, I’m up before the sun, already headed to job number one at the café. I wonder if they’re worried about me. I’ve never missed a shift or not called if I wasn’t going to be in.
Will they look for me? Would anyone back home even miss me or care that I was gone? I didn’t really have any friends there, just colleagues. Would they all assume that I moved or found a better job?
That’s a depressing thought, and I push it away. I look over to Carter’s side of the bed, but it’s empty. He must already be up.
When I roll over, throwing my legs over the side of the bed, I spot my phone charging on the nightstand. Carter must have found it in my car and brought it in for me.
I love how he’s always looking out for me, thinking about me and what I might want or need. It’s foreign to me, and it’s sad that I couldn’t get that from my family, but I can from a complete stranger.
I hurry to grab my phone and tense when I see all the missed calls and messages from my father. They start out with him pretending to be worried, asking where I am and if I’m okay, but it doesn’t take long for them to become angry and desperate.
Dad: Scout, you have to come back.
Dad: Get your ass back here right now!
Dad: Do you have any idea what they’ll do to me? Get back here!
Dad: Just marry Leonard! It’s not like anyone else will ever want you!
I close out of his messages and bring up my best friend’s number. I hit dial, praying that Hazel answers.
“Hey!” Hazel greets me, sounding like sunshine. “How are you?”
I sigh. “I’m screwed.”
“What? What does that mean?”
“I—My dad tried to sell me last night to pay his bills.”
“What? Oh my god, where are you? I’ll come rescue you! What’s the address? Hudson! We have to go get Scout!” she yells to her boyfriend and boss.
“I’m safe now. I made it out of the church before they could force me to go through with the wedding.”
“Wedding? What wedding?”
I sigh and start at the beginning. By the time she’s all caught up, Hazel is furious.
“I’m going to murder your dad!” she seethes.
“Yeah, there might be a line for that right now,” I mutter.
“Well, they can get in line behind me.”
I smile, picturing my best friend squaring up with my dad. Hazel can be downright terrifying when she wants to be. She never takes anyone’s shit. That’s how she lasted so long as Hudson Cole’s assistant—well, that and the guy has been head over heels for her since day one.
“So, what’s your plan now?” Hazel asks.
“I’m not sure. I can’t go back. I can’t face my dad, and I’m not marrying that guy. I don’t ever want to see either of them again.”
“I don’t blame you,” she grumbles. “Well, you can come stay with us.”
“Thanks, but I don’t think that’s a good idea. My dad is pissed, and he knows that we’re best friends. You’re the first person he’ll think of to find me.”
“That’s true.” She sighs. “Well, we can hide you in the apartment.”
“I don’t know if he’ll give up that easily. It’s better if I stay here.”
“And where is here exactly?”
“I’m in Wolf Valley. My car broke down outside this guy’s house, and he’s letting me stay with him.”
“What guy?”
“Uh, his name is Carter.”
“Wait—” She cuts me off. “Hudson? Where does your friend Carter live?”
“Wolf Valley,” he says a minute later. “Why?”
“Oh my gosh! I wonder if you’re at his place!” Hazel laughs. “What a small world that would be.”
“I don’t know, maybe? There has to be more than one Carter in this town.”
“Yeah, I guess. He just moved there. He was in the military and—”
“The Marines?”
“Yeah. Oh my gosh! It is Hudson’s Carter!”
“Wow, what are the chances?”
“I know, right? Well, Carter is a good guy. He’ll take good care of you.”
“He is,” I assure her.
“And Wolf Valley isn’t far. I think like half an hour, so if you need me, we can be there quickly.”
“Thanks.”
“Seriously, Scout. I’m here for you if you need anything. Money, a place to stay, someone to help bury a body…”
“I’ll let you know.” I laugh. “I should go, but I’ll talk to you later.”
“Okay. I’ll let you know if I see or hear from your dad.”
“Thanks. Love you.”
“Love you more.”
We hang up, and I take a deep breath, then stand and head out to find Carter. I don’t have to go far. He’s downstairs in the kitchen, making pancakes.
“Morning,” I greet.
He smiles as he looks over at me. “Good morning. You’re just in time.”
My stomach growls as I slide onto the same stool as last night, and he sets a plate stacked with pancakes down in front of me.
“How did you sleep?” he asks as he slides onto the stool next to me.
“Great. Your bed is so comfortable.”
“Good.”
“I, uh, I called my friend this morning. She lives nearby. Actually, I think that you know her.”
“Really? What’s her name?”
“Hazel. She said you were her boyfriend’s best friend. Hudson?”
He looks surprised. “I am. Crazy that you wound up here.”
“I know, right? I got her caught up to speed. She said I could stay with them, but I don’t think that’s safe. She’s the first place my dad will look to find me.”
Carter nods, seeming relieved that I turned down Hazel’s offer. I wonder why he wants me to stay.
“I can go if you want me out of your hair,” I offer.
Carter shakes his head instantly. “No, you’ll be safer here. You can stay forever,” he says around a mouthful of pancake. “So, what do you want to do today?”
I chew on my bottom lip, debating my options. I don’t want to leave in case my dad or Leonard’s men spot me. “Would you mind if we just stayed here today?”
“Sure, we can do whatever you want.”
I relax as I take a bite of pancake.
“It’s weird not being at work,” I say after a beat. “Usually, I would already be halfway through my shift at the café.”
“Did you like working there?”
I shrug. “It paid the bills.”
“So, no then,” Carter deduces.
I laugh. “No, not really. I don’t even drink coffee, and I hate the way it smells, so that place was kind of my nightmare.”
We relax into easy banter. Carter tells me about growing up with Hudson and the trouble they got into.
We talk about my many jobs, the ones I liked and the ones I couldn’t stand.
We clean up breakfast and relax on the couch, watching TV.
I insist on cooking lunch, and we laugh as we eat and hang out.
It’s the happiest and most relaxed I’ve been in a long, long time, maybe ever.
By the time the sun is setting, I’m ready for bed. It’s strange how natural it feels to head up the stairs with Carter. He lets me borrow a new shirt, and I shower and brush my teeth before I join him in bed.
My body heats as I slide in next to him under the blankets, and I hope that he can’t see my nipples against the front of his shirt as I lie back.
“You know,” he starts, sounding nervous, “maybe tomorrow we can get takeout for dinner or go somewhere private.”
“Are you asking me out?” I blurt in shock.
He turns his head, smiling at me. “Yeah, I am.”
My mind blanks. I can only stare at him in shock.
How is it possible that this strong, handsome soldier could be into me? I mean, I’m plus size, and I obviously have more than a little baggage. So, why would he want to date me?
Who cares? my subconscious screams at me. Don’t let this opportunity pass!
“Okay,” I say shyly. “I’d like that.”
“Good.”
I roll over onto my side, facing away from him so he can’t see my wide, excited grin. I’m practically giddy, and for the first time in forever, I’m looking forward to tomorrow.
My smile doesn’t fade as I drift off to sleep, dreaming about Carter and me together and in love.