Chapter Two
Daniel stood off tothe side to let the swarm of people pass him as he scanned those getting off the bus.It helped that he was a tall man, or he’d be crushed or unable to see anything.
He hadn’t realized so many people rode on buses, but it seemed this one was packed full because people just kept streaming off it.At the end of the line of people, Daniel noticed a small woman with long, dark blonde hair waiting for the bus driver to pull her suitcase out of the holder under the bus.He guessed it had to be her because everyone had already left or had someone with them.
He walked toward her, ready to introduce himself, until he got a good look at her.His steps faltered, and his breath caught in his chest.Jesus, she was beautiful.No, this couldn’t be her.She didn’t look anything like her picture.But she was the only one left.
“Are you Sky Simmons?”
Sky froze.“Yes, I’m Sky.You must be Jared?”
Daniel stared at her hand for a moment before he gripped it gently.“No, I’m sorry.I’m Daniel, his foreman.”
Sky’s shoulders fell, and she bit her lip.
Daniel saw her disappointment.“He would have been here, but he had a buyer he needed to wait for back on the ranch.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Daniel could see it did matter from the momentary loss of light in her eyes, but he kept his mouth shut.He bent to grab her large suitcase.“Is this everything you have?”he asked in shock, and looked around for another bag.
“Yes,” Sky remarked tiredly.
“Let’s go this way.I parked the truck over here.”Daniel kept glancing at her out of the corner of his eyes as they walked toward the parking lot.Damn, he couldn’t wait until Jared saw her.She was small but seemed to have a little gumption.It took guts to come across the country by herself to meet and live the rest of her life with a man she didn’t know.
Daniel lifted the suitcase into the back of the truck and opened the passenger door for her.He watched her struggle to pull herself up into the seat.It was next to impossible since she was so little and wearing a dress that hampered her movements.
“Let me help you.”He wrapped his hands around her tiny waist and lifted her.“Here you go.It’s a large truck.It’s hard for everyone to get in,” he reassured her when she jerked and gasped at his touch.
Sky watched him walk around the front of the truck and slide effortlessly into the front seat.“You didn’t have a problem.”
“I should have said everyone except Jared and me.Let’s get you home.”
****
Sky turned her headand looked out the window.A hundred thoughts raced through her head, and she couldn’t seem to grasp one.She knew she was exhausted.It had taken three days and two buses to get there, and it had been hard to sleep when she didn’t trust the men who sat beside her on the buses.She’d sat right behind the driver once, hoping that would give her some security, but the driver either ignored what was happening or leered at her himself.
