A hard look came over Faye’s face.“Don’t worry about us, Mr.Ashton.We’re not falling for anyone’s traps.”
“I wish we had better weapons than these,” Paris said with a scowl, taking her tiny knife out of her pocket.
Dalt grinned and threw back the blanket he’d tossed over some other items he’d found while scavenging.“How about these, darlin’?”he asked.
“Where did you find those?”GG asked, eyeing the assault rifles he’d discovered.“In the cops’ truck?”she guessed.
“Bingo,” the cattle rancher said with a smirk.“They’ve stolen plenty of supplies from people like us.I thought it would be fitting to relieve them of a few things the ladies could put to good use.”
“You should get moving,” GG called out to the others.“It looks like it might snow again soon.”
That was enough to galvanize her friends into action.The women hurried to the closest homes to take care of their pressing needs, taking some guns with them.
GG waited inside the van with Dalt.The engine was switched off to preserve the gas.“You did a good thing for these girls,” she said.“We never would have found a car that worked without your help.”
“All in a day’s work, ma’am,” he joked, tipping the cowboy hat he wasn’t wearing in her direction.His dark brown curls were hidden beneath a beanie.
Chuckling, GG hugged herself for warmth.They sat in companionable silence until her friends all returned, then climbed out.Dalt had kept an assault rifle for his companion.
“I call shotgun!”Paris said, beating the others to the front passenger seat.She was carrying one of the rifles.
Dalton handed the keys to Mrs.Privett.“Good luck and safe travels,” he said.
“Thank you,” Faye said, then surprised both GG and the cowboy with hugs.“You, too,Glenda,” she added with a smirk.
“I’m so glad I’m never going to see you again, Faye,” GG said with an eyeroll.“Try not to drive over a cliff on the way to your farm.”
Dalt chuckled and hugged the females when they took turns to say goodbye.Paris had stashed her gun on the passenger seat.She gave GG a fierce hug and whispered into her ear.“He’s a good man, Glory Gold.Try not to screw it up with him again this time.”
“I can’t make any promises,” GG said wryly, releasing the girl.
Paris hugged Dalton last and whispered something in his ear, too.“Yes, ma’am,” he murmured in response.
Faye climbed behind the steering wheel and began adjusting the seat and mirrors.Unaccustomed tears welled in GG’s eyes as her friends chose seats and piled inside.“I’m going to miss them,” she said quietly.
“You saved their lives, GG,” Dalt said.“They’re free now, thanks to you.”
“You’re the one who blasted the frozen guard into chunks,” she reminded him.
“Your redheaded friend was the one who killed him with her magic.I just made sure he wasn’t going to regenerate like a creature out of a horror movie,” he said with a shrug.
“You really think Wynter killed him when she turned him into an ice cube?”she asked.
“That dude was as dead as that squirrel over there,” he said grimly, nodding towards the skeleton of a small animal lying on the parking lot nearby.
GG glanced at it, glad the light dusting of snow mostly hid the remains.Faye started up the van and the girls whooped in joy.They waved madly as their leader set the vehicle into motion.GG and Dalt waved until the van became lost to their sight.
“So, what now?”GG asked.“Are we going to stay here, or find somewhere else to hunker down in?”She was dying to know what Paris had whispered to him, but she had a feeling he wasn’t ready to answer her.
Dalton peered up at the cloudy sky before responding.“I need to retrieve my gear from Pastor Hogan’s place in Morningside Heights,” he told her.“You should wait for me here.We’ll find somewhere else to stay when I get back.”
“No way,” GG refuted, unwilling to be left behind.“I’m going with you,” she said.
“No offense, darlin’, but you kind of stand out in that gold outfit,” her ex pointed out.
GG smirked, then partially unzipped her jacket.“It’s reversible,” she said smugly, showing him the dark blue material.“I had it made for when I go skiing and I want to remain anonymous.”
“You always were a clever girl,” Dalt said in admiration.“I know you’re still as stubborn as ever, so there’s no point in trying to argue with you.”
