3
PAISLEY
"You don't haveto stick around." Morgan parked the truck beside the gas station and climbed out.
"I thought I'd stick around and make sure they took good care of you," he said in that quiet way he had. He was the kind of man who didn't have to shout to be heard. When he spoke, people listened.
"If you don't mind me asking, do you have a change of clothes?"
He cocked an eyebrow and nodded at my dress.
"I might have left in a hurry." My suitcase was back in my room at the ranch. Even if I could, I wasn't going back for it.
He scratched behind his ear. "I can let you borrow a couple of things. Just until you get sorted." Before I could say no, he headed around to the back of his truck, pulled out a suitcase and started to rifle through the contents. He came back with a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt.
"They'll be a bit big, but they'll do for now." He handed them to me. "Let me talk to Ryan about getting you some gas. There's a washroom round back where you can get changed." He gave a wave in that general direction.
I wanted to say I could sort out my own gas, but I really needed to get out of this ridiculous dress. Suppressing another heavy sigh, I headed around to the restroom, but stopped before I stepped inside.
"Morgan?" I called out tentatively.
He stuck his head around the corner, his brow creased, but his green eyes shining with mischief. "You find a bear out here?"
I barked a ha. "No, I remembered I need help to undo the buttons on the back of this dress. Would you mind?" I turned around.
"Uh." He sounded uncertain, but stepped around the corner toward me and brushed my hair out of the way to ease the buttons open, one by one. His knuckles brushed across the skin of my back, making me shiver. He muttered an apology, but went on working until he reached the final one, just above my ass.
"There you go." He stepped back quickly. "All done."
"Thank you." I reached back to hold the sides of my dress together before hurrying into the restroom and letting it fall to my feet. I stood and looked down at the pile of fabric for a couple of minutes.
"What am I going to do with you?" I asked softly. I wasn't going to wear it again, that was for sure. The white fabric was dirty from where I leaned against my car, and when I ran from the ranch. I must have snagged it on something, because the hem on the side was slightly torn.
"I guess that's my answer." I scooped up the fabric and shoved the whole dress into the large trash can to the side of the room. I nodded, dusted off my hands and started to pull on Morgan's clothes. He was right, they were too big, but I felt more like myself than I did in that ridiculous wedding gown.
I thanked past me from a handful of hours ago for thinking to change into sneakers. Not that heels and sweats weren't a good look, but they were hellish to walk in.
From my bag, I grabbed a brush and started to attack the tangled mess that was my hair. I slid out about fifty pins before it all fell past my shoulders, finally free from the intricate hairdo.
I pulled out a make-up wipe and cleaned my face until my skin was pink and I looked like a normal person again. Every bit of the bride from earlier in the day was erased.
What was left? Just a woman who was cheated on and ran.
"Not just that," I told myself. "It's time to take control of my life." I gave my reflection a nod and stepped out of the restroom.
Morgan was quietly talking to another man a handful of years younger than him. With blonde hair slightly darker than mine, and brown eyes, he was filling a can full of gas.
"Ryan here said he'd take you down to your car." Morgan looked me up and down and seemed to like what he saw. So did Ryan, from the way his eyes widened at the sight of me.
"I appreciate that," I said. My car might be five kilometres downhill, but carrying the gas? I'd be walking until midnight. In spite of how I brushed off Morgan's mention of bears, I was all too aware of the actual danger.
"You have somewhere to stay tonight?" Ryan finished filling the can and screwed the lid in place before straightening up and wiping his hands on his dark jeans. He was a big guy, tall and muscular. He probably could have picked up Kevin and thrown him back down the mountain.
"I saw a hotel on the way in." I jerked my head back in that direction. "I'll stay there."
"I have a room you can stay in," Ryan blurted. "Seems like you've had a bad day. I'm sure you'd like a break."
Morgan gave him a sharp look. I got the impression he was about to make the same offer.
