Chapter 2
MORGAN
I scrubbed a hand over the stubble on my chin and took another bend in the road.
When I was a kid, these bends would have had me begging my parents to pull over so I could be sick. One time, my mother gave me a barf bag, so we didn't have to stop. Only then, my brothers were sick along with me. She didn't offer again.
Now, these winding mountain roads meant something different. Freedom. A break from the relentless pressure of touring. Don't get me wrong, I love every moment of it. But a guy needs a break once in a while. A chance to flee into the Rockies and disappear for a while.
Time to just be.
I turned up the music and sang along, tapping my fingers on the steering wheel.
I slowed to take another bend. A small red car was stopped by the side of the road. The driver's side door opened and a woman stepped out.
"Well, you don't see that every day," I said under my breath. Since I couldn't think of a good reason why a woman in an enormous wedding dress would stop by the side of the road, I figured she got herself into some trouble.
I pulled in behind her and turned off the engine.
"Hey, you need a hand?" I called out the window. I was out of my truck and walking toward her before she could respond.
"I don't suppose you have any spare gas on you?" she asked. "I should have filled up at the last gas station." She leaned back against her car and slid the sunglasses from her eyes up to the top of her head.
"I don't suppose I do," I agreed. Half of her hair was up, the other half down in a mess of tangles and curls, like she pulled half the pins out and left it like that. I'd spent enough time in the city to know it wasn't a new trend.
Also, the defeated look in her light blue eyes suggested she was having a terrible day.
"I can give you a ride up to Aurora Hollow," I offered. "You can buy gas and get a ride back down here."
She blinked at me, then frowned, like she hadn't really looked at me until now.
"Shit." She kicked at a stick beside one of her tires.
"I guess you don't like country music," I said with a shrug. Her reaction wasn't one I usually got when I was recognised. Generally, she would have asked for a selfie by now.
She looked back up to me. "Oh, I do. It's…" She shook her head, making more of her hair tumble loose. "It doesn't matter. It's a long story."
"I bet it is." There had to be a reason why she was standing beside her car in her wedding dress. "Did your ex get the dog?"
She squinted at me. "What?"
I gestured toward her satin dress that hugged her figure and showed off her breasts. Glorious ones, if I'm honest.
"I'm guessing you're not getting married today. There's an old joke about country songs and the ex taking the dog. You know what, it doesn't matter. Fact is, you need a ride into town and I'm going that way."
"How do I know you're not a serial killer?" She planted her hands on her hips and raised her chin, giving me a scrutinising look.
"Because I'm not my cousin," I said easily.
She laughed, but I could tell she didn't know if I was joking or not.
"Look, it's gonna get dark in a couple of hours. Unless you want to walk all the way to town, then let me give you a ride. I promise, I'm harmless." I held my hands out and smiled, trying to look as nonthreatening as possible.
"That's what a serial killer would say." She gave me the side eye. "How far is it to town?"
"About five kilometres," I said. "All uphill."
She glanced up at the sky, as if trying to decide whether or not I was right about the time of day. "I should be able to make it before dark."
"There're bears up here," I pointed out.
She snorted. "Yeah, I've seen those memes. I choose the bear." She hitched up her skirt, turned and started to walk.
"Literal bears," I called out to her back.
She raised a hand over her shoulder dismissively and went on walking.
I sighed softly and trotted back to my truck. Starting the engine, I steered past her hatchback and drove up alongside her. For a few minutes, I crawled along, keeping pace with her.
"What are you doing?" She glanced over and frowned, but went on walking.
I hit the button to lower the window beside her so she could hear me better.
"Driving," I said simply.
"Why are you doing it like that?" she asked. "Don't you have anywhere to be?"
"Nope. I figured if you're going to be stubborn and walk, then I'll keep you company for a while." If she thought I was the kind of man who'd drive off and leave a woman alone, she was mistaken. "I meant what I said about the bears."
She huffed out a laugh and stopped.
I did the same. Stopped the truck, at least.
"You're not going to leave me alone, are you?" She leaned in through the window, giving me an eyeful of cleavage.
"Nope," I agreed. "You can make this a lot easier on both of us if you hop in.
I promise to keep my hands to myself. Unless you ask otherwise.
" She was pretty, and unless I missed my guess, very much single.
Probably not inclined to rush into anything, but the offer was there. Didn't hurt to make it.
She let out a long, defeated sigh before pulling the door open and climbing inside.
"Of all the people I get rescued by, it has to be Morgan Hardwick." She pulled the seatbelt over herself and clicked it into place.
"We haven't met, have we?" She seemed to have some frustration against me and I was starting to wonder what the cause was. I wasn't supposed to get married today, was I? No, I wouldn't have forgotten a woman this gorgeous. And I'd like to think if I was getting married, my bride wouldn't run.
"No." She leaned back against the seat. "I'm Paisley."
"Nice to meet you, Paisley. I'm Morgan." I put my foot down gently and started driving at a more normal speed.
"I know. Thanks for stopping to help," she said. "I'm not usually like this. Today has been… A lot."
"Wanna talk about it?" I asked. "How you ended up on the side of a mountain in a wedding dress?"
"Not really," she said. "I should have taken the time to change before I… You know."
"Ran away from your wedding?" I guessed.
"You must think I'm ridiculous." She covered her face with her hands and shook her head.
"Marrying the wrong person, that would be ridiculous," I said. "Sometimes walking away is harder than staying."
"Are you speaking from experience?" She lowered her hands and looked over at me. "Or are you quoting one of your songs?"
"Both," I admitted. "But in the end, it was for the best. She and I… We would have made each other miserable. It doesn't seem like it at the time, but when the hurt fades, it's easier to see."
"Yeah, I guess so," she said softly. "He was cheating. With my best friend. Someone sent me footage of them. At your concert."
"Well, shit." That explained why she was so touchy. "If I knew, I would have thrown them out on their asses."
"Really?" She seemed eager for an honest answer. That was understandable, given what she'd just told me.
"Really," I said with a firm nod. "They would have got what they deserved. Seems like someone is in your corner. Whoever sent the video."
"If I knew who it was, I'd thank them," she said. "If they hadn't, I would have married him. I'd be married to him right now."
I wanted to punch the asshole in the face. Did he have any idea the pain he caused her? If he didn't want to be with her, he should have been honest and ended it. Not screw around behind her back.
"If you don't mind me saying, I'm glad you're not," I said. "I hardly know you, but I know you deserve better." I should get his name and give it to my cousin. Although, cheating wasn't something he'd kill over. Usually.
"I do deserve better," she said. "From now on, I'm not going to compromise anymore. I'm going to take life by the balls and live it."
The mention of balls made mine take notice, but I just said, "Good for you," and went on driving until we reached town.