Page 32 of The Runaway and the Rugged (Dusty Meadows #1)

EMELIA

I t was getting late.

The sun was down, the lightning bugs were out, creating havoc in the parking lot of the gas station, and I was having the time of my life.

I heard Carl’s whole life story, from his late wife who had passed from cancer to the few months he spent in jail for destroying a renowned mural when he had just turned eighteen.

He was now seventy-four.

And he had enough stories to last a lifetime.

I wanted to hear them all, down to the very last detail, but Carl ruined the moment as soon as he spoke.

“Is someone picking you up or do you plan on stayin’ here for the night?” he joked, but his smile fell when I shrugged.

“Beau dropped me off. I wasn’t thinking about how I was going to get back.”

Carl sighed, then reached across the counter, retrieving something and slowly bringing it up to his ear.

“Don’t get mad at me now. You can’t stay here forever,” he grumbled in my direction, and immediately I caught on to what he was doing.

“Garth? Yeah, it’s me, Carl,” he stated. “No, everything's fine here, just thought I’d let you know that I have someone real valuable here that needs a ride back to her cabin.”

My shoulders dropped as I slouched back in the chair, defeated.

“She’s fine, just sittin’ here beside me drinkin’ her slushie.” He shot me a smile. “All right, sounds good, see you soon.”

Carl hung up the phone, and I closed my eyes in return.

Maybe if I fall asleep I can stay here and not have to deal with Garth.

“Thanks for that,” I mumbled, keeping my eyes tightly shut in hopes I could disappear entirely.

“Oh, come on now. You know I had to call someone.”

Beau? Greta? Garth’s scary brother Griffin? Literally anyone else.

“I need a few minutes of sleep to prepare myself.”

He let out a grumbled laugh.

“Prepare for what?”

“A scolding, a lecture, an argument, something along the lines of ‘Why didn’t you tell me you left?’”

I was a grown woman for, Christ's sake, not a child.

“Everythin’ that you just said sounds like a man who’s worried, Emelia.”

I didn’t want a man who was worried, I wanted a man who understood, who trusted and believed in me more than I did myself.

Was that too much to ask for?

I didn’t respond, too lost and confused to think of anything to say back to that. Instead, I kept my eyes glued shut until what felt like only minutes passed and the bell on the door rang, alerting me that someone just walked inside.

“Garth, good to see you, boy,” Carl greeted as I kept my eyes squeezed shut.

“Carl,” he grunted low. “She asleep?”

I wish.

“Think so, she’s had her eyes closed for a while now.”

I didn’t want to open my eyes, not yet anyway. I didn't have anything prepared to say and I knew the second I met his gaze, every thought and word would vanish into silence.

“Thanks, for lettin’ her stay here.” Garth carried sincerity in his voice while the rhythmic stomping of his boots approaching me echoed loudly in my ear.

“No worries, it was nice to have someone to talk to, even if she did drink a whole damn slushie machine herself.”

Carl! What the hell? I did no such thing!

“Christ, sorry ’bout that, how much do I owe you?” Garth asked as my cheeks ignited.

“Nothin’, she paid me back with listenin’ to me yap.”

My mouth lifted at the side but I quickly let it fall, not wanting to be caught that I was actually awake.

“Glad to hear you two had a good time,” Garth surprised me by admitting. “She’s been through a rough patch here lately, and me bein’ an asshole to her yesterday sure didn’t help matters.”

I quieted my breathing, listening closely to each and every word he said.

“Sounds like it, but she seems like a tough woman who can handle a little rough patch. But you, on the other hand, have you apologized?”

“No, I need to. I want to, but I’m shit with words,” he confessed, and suddenly, all the anger I held slowly dissipated.

Vanished into thin air.

This was what I wanted.

I wanted something real from Garth, something from the heart, and I was finally getting to hear it.

“Better find ’em, boy. That’s a real special girl right there, would hate to see her go.” Carl was laying it on thick, making me believe that he knew I wasn’t asleep, but I wasn’t quite sure.

“Yeah,” Garth sighed. “She’s… somethin’.”

What did he mean by that? I wasn’t sure I even wanted to know, terrified of discovering the truth.

“Anyway, I’ll get her out of your hair,” Garth announced, and just when I thought he would tap my shoulder or call my name to wake me up, he didn’t. Instead, he slipped his arm underneath my knees while the other went behind my back. Moments later, I was lifted effortlessly from the chair.

“Be sure to tell her she can come visit here anytime she wants,” Carl announced as Garth began to walk, each step drawing my face closer into the center of his hard chest.

“I will. Night, Carl.”

Body pliant, eyes still tightly shut, I let him carry me until he stopped at his truck, opened the door, and gently lowered me inside. With my head laid back against the headrest, I could feel his presence next to me, observing me closely like he’s done so many times already.

This time was different, though.

He thought I was asleep and when I felt the delicate brush of his fingertips along my forehead, I swear I nearly fainted on the spot.

“Won’t have the courage to say this when you’re awake, so I’ll say it now,” he muttered lowly, nervously.

“I’m an asshole, the biggest damn asshole there is, and I’m sorry for hurtin’ you.

You deserve all the good, happy things life has to offer and I hope that stayin’ here, you’ll be able to find just a little bit of that. ”

My heart rate skyrocketed to the point of no return.

“So fuckin’ beautiful,” he grunted as if it pained him to speak, and once again, he swept his fingers across my forehead, this time, gently pushing my hair away from my face. “I hope you’ll forgive me, Outlaw.”

Seconds later, he removed his hand, his presence, and closed the passenger door before jumping inside the truck and driving us back to Hideaway Haven.

Leaving me breathless.

Leaving me speechless.