Speak of the devil.
Kat scowled as her eyes darted to the white sign Leo held. Across it he’d scrawled ‘Kathleen’. Below her name in smaller lettering he’d written, ‘the devil herself’. And below that? ‘No autographs please’.
She stomped over to him immediately and tore the sign from his hands. He laughed. Of course he would laugh. Everyone surrounding him had seen the sign already and there were several people eyeing her with curiosity. If this had been Rocky Ridge, she was certain everyone would know her by now. Thankfully, this was Billings. But that happy thought only lasted seconds because the cold, hard reality of her situation settled into her very soul. They had a couple hour drive to town.
Kat wished the sign and the impending drive were the worst of her increasingly bad day.
Nope, it only got worse.
“What do you mean, my bags were left in New York?”
“I’m sorry, Miss,” the airline attendant spluttered, “There was a mix-up and some of the luggage was left behind. I’ve reached out to the appropriate channels and they’ll have it on the next flight.”
Leo scoffed at her side. “When’s that?”
The attendant looked down at her screen. “It appears your bags will get here in about eight hours.”
“Eight hours?” Kat snapped. “That’s two in the morning.”
At least the agent looked apologetic. “There are hotels?—”
“Not gonna happen,” Leo growled. “We’re not staying the night here. We’ll come back and get them in a few days.”
Kat spun to face him. “A few days? What do you mean afew days? Everything I own is in those bags.”
He eyed the carryon bag at her feet. “What’s in there?”
She flushed. Kat had been on more than one trip where something like this had happened and it was habit to put a change of clothes in her carryon for situations like the one she was in now.
The look he gave her made it clear he already knew. She hadn’t had to breathe a word about it.
Leo turned back to the agent. “Will they notify her when they have it?”
“Of course,” she said sweetly.
“And how long will they hold it?”
“Oh, if you’re unable to get it for a few days, that should be fine. There will be a ticket number related to the luggage and that’s all you’ll need to have them get it for you.”
“Great,” Leo muttered. He leaned down and scooped up her carryon bag. “Come on, Kathleen. Let’s go.”
Her wide stare bounced from the agent to Leo and back. Then she stalked after him and reached for her bag, but he wouldn’t release it. “I can carry my things, thank you.”
“What sort of gentleman would I be if I didn’t help out a damsel in distress?”
She tugged at the handle again. “Gentleman?Ha. And I’m not some damsel in distress.”
“Could’ve fooled me.”
She growled out an exasperated sound. “Will you unhand my bag?”
This time he chuckled.
“I don’t mind staying in a hotel. Then I can get a taxi to Rocky Ridge tomorrow when I have the rest of my things.”
He scoffed. “Noah and Jane would tear me up if I showed up without you.” He looked at her with an arched brow. The way he stared at her was unnerving at best. Back in New York, they were on her turf. Here? She was at his mercy.
Kat pressed her lips together firmly. He was right to assume she had backup clothes in her bag and he knew it. She should dart away from him, get a taxi, and show him just how little control he had over her.
