“If we’re going to work together, you should probably get into the habit of asking yourself if you really want to know the answers to the questions you’re asking before you ask ‘em.”He pushes out of his chair.“I think you need to take some time and think about all we’ve discussed here tonight.”He straightens out the papers, tucking them neatly inside the folder.“Is it okay if I hang on to these?I’d like to show them to my accountant and have him work out the numbers before I present any of this to the club.”
I swallow past the lump in my throat.“Yeah, sure.”
“Shadow will be in touch in a day or two.If the club agrees, we’ll present an offer, and you can decide who you would rather work with—a group of outlaws willing to kill anyone who tries to take your land or your sister, who ran away from it.”
Not much to decide when he puts it like that.
And Fallen Meadows Ranch does have a nice ring to it.
ChapterNine
Amelia
Iswear to God, if I didn’t have shitty luck, I’d have no luck at all.I slam the back of my head against the headrest and stare out the windshield.Smoke puffs out from beneath the hood of my car, and the scent of burning rubber fills my nostrils.Fearing the thing is about to blow, I turn off the engine, undo my seatbelt in a hurry, and jump out of the car.
Smoke continues to rise from the hood, and that putrid scent of burning rubber is even more intense outside the car.I won’t pretend like I know what the problem is or how to fix it, but as I stare at the hunk of junk smoking in the middle of Main Street, I gotta wonder if it has something to do with the engine light I’ve been ignoring for the last two months.
Very irresponsible, I know, but I had every intention of bringing it into the shop.I just never had the time or the extra funds.That’s also why I’ve been driving around with a donut on the back passenger tire.Fucking tires are expensive.I don’t even want to think about how much an engine will cost.
The night Shadow and I drove the men back to the ranch, he noticed the check engine light was on and offered to take it to his friend’s shop.Knowing he would likely pick up the bill for the repairs, I lied and told him I already had a guy—some regular from the bar—who was going to fix it for me at a discounted price.
To save face, I made a bigger mess of things.Now, I’m going to have to call him and disrupt his night.He’ll yell and tell me I’m too stubborn for my own good, then he’ll have my car towed, and pay for the repairs.I’ll have to cancel my table at the farmer’s market this weekend and figure out how I’m going to get myself to work and Dylan to school.
Reaching into my back pocket, I grab my phone.I’m about to pull up my cousin’s contact information when a pair of headlights flash in front of me, temporarily distracting me.I lift my head, squinting against the flashing lights and wave them off.
“Go around me,” I shout to the inconsiderate fool.“Can’t you see I’m stuck?”
Instead of doing as they’re told, the driver of the truck pulls over to the side, parking directly in front of me, but doesn’t turn off the engine or the damn headlights.Now would probably be a good time to reach for that pepper spray I keep in the glove box, but I can’t seem to move my feet.
A broken-down car wasn’t bad enough; let’s add an assault on the side of the road for good measure.
The driver’s door opens, and that’s when I notice the Meadow’s Ranch logo on the side.Of course, it isn’t Wyatt or Grant that steps out of the truck, making it even more clear that I am not God’s favorite person.
Twisting my lips, I gawk at the six-foot three brooding rancher as he slams the door to his truck and saunters over to me, a scowl planted on his face.
“What the hell are you doing out here by yourself at this hour?”Maddox growls.
My car breaking down should’ve been my breaking point, but the tone he takes turns out to be it instead.
I slide my phone into my back pocket and cross my arms under my chest.“Oh, you know, just taking in the sights.There’s something so tranquil about Main Street at this hour.”
“It’s two o’clock in the morning, Amelia,” he fires back, his boots coming to a halt six inches away from mine.
“You can tell time.Impressive.”
His jaw twitches as he glares at me, and his nostrils flare.I shouldn’t find any of it attractive, but I do, and that only makes me angrier.
“That mouth is gonna get you into a world of trouble.”
I roll my eyes.“If you don’t like it, leave.In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not exactly having a good night.”
“Yeah, well, that makes two of us.Get in the truck.I’ll take you home.”
“I’m not leaving my car in the middle of Main Street.”
And I’m certainly not getting into his truck.We both seem out of sorts, and being in a confined space with him is a terrible idea.Plus, I rather he not know where I live.He doesn’t need that information, just like there was no reason for me to give him my phone number when he asked for it the other night.We’re not friends.We’re nothing, and I’d really like it if we could go back to pretending neither of us exists to one another.
“I doubt anyone wants it.You’re a good distance from the curb and not blocking any traffic.You can leave it where it is, and we will have it towed in the morning.”
