Broken Creek (The Creek #1) (4 page)

Karina was helping me fold laundry. “I know your mom will be excited to see you.”

I twisted my ponytail. “Yep, she’s emailed me every day now that they have created their version of Starbucks with an Internet cafe and free Wi-Fi at the diner. They let her use their computer any time she wants.”

“You don’t have internet at home?”

“No, but that’s what I’m getting her for Christmas now that I have the job on the fourth floor starting in January.”

“She’ll be thrilled. You can Skype. Imagine what you can teach her.”

I grabbed her arm to stop her from moving around the room for a moment. “Look, my mom and I are tight, but since I’ve come here and started my own life, I realize how much we were co-dependents emotionally, and it was dangerous. I don’t want to go back to that part of my life. The weaning process was painful for both of us, and I can’t do it again. I’m happy moving forward.”

Was co-dependency just my excuse for not wanting to go back to the creek?

“And does this newfound happiness have anything to do with Brad?”

“Brad Crenshaw? My friend from anatomy class? Seriously, no. He’s only a friend, and he has a long-distance gal pal who he talks about constantly. If he isn’t in love with her, it’s because he just hasn’t realized it yet.”

“Well, he sure comes around here a lot. I thought he was crushin’ on you.”

“No, he’s crushing on some gal named Jennifer.”

“Well then, we need to find you a guy. You say you hate being a third wheel to Aaron and me.”

“When the time is right, he’ll walk into my life.”

“Do you believe that?”

“I do. I think fate brings people together. Fate brought Stephan and me together. While it was tragic, at least something good came out of it, as long as it lasted.”

We grabbed out baskets and headed up the stairs to our dorm room.

“What really happened with you and Stephan?”

“I dated him from the time I was a freshman in high school. Slept with him for the first time after my senior prom. He’d started his own business by then as a fishing guide and soon became a pro fisherman. One night at a post-tournament fish fry, I was talking to one of the other fisherman. It started out completely innocent, but then he became flirty and took it a bit far. Stephan jerked me away from the guy, slinging me backwards, and I accidentally got tangled up in my lawn chair. I ended up with a concussion, two black eyes, and a broken arm from my fall. He didn’t mean to hurt me. He was just getting in the guy’s face and didn’t realize his strength.”

“You’re making excuses for him.”

“No, I’m not. But, I did realize his jealousy was more than I could handle, and he had anger issues when he drank a lot. I called it quits.”

“Not all guys beat the shit outta ya. I about peed my pants when Aaron opened doors for me and has continued to every time. Mason would’ve let the door hit me and laughed about it.”

“The men in my life have managed a continual record of making me a victim. I’d prefer to break the chain. We’ll see.” I dismissed the conversation with my hand in the air, or Karina would’ve gone through her entire memory bank, trying to find a guy to fix me up with.

The thought of trying to start a new relationship left me unsettled. Single life was something I could control, an angry man throwing me around, not so much. I’d wholeheartedly believed in the laws of attraction when I met Stephan and that didn’t work out so well. When we were good, we were awesome. But when we were bad, it was dangerous. No matter how much you love someone, some things aren’t meant to be. I was broken in a million pieces emotionally when I said goodbye to him and our relationship.

I went to dinner with Karina before saying our goodbyes for the three weeks we would be away from each other. I was surprised how comfortable I’d become with complete strangers in a four month period of time and felt as though a few weeks away would seem like forever. The life I’d come to know over the last few months was something I would never take for granted, more than grateful for the opportunity Dr. Palmer made sure came my way.

That night, I waved as Karina hit the road for her family home in Oklahoma. She wasn’t looking forward to the visit and part of me wanted to take her to Arkansas. I knew Mom would welcome her with open arms, but I was careful not to offer because I don’t think it would’ve taken much for Karina to change her mind. It pained me to see her dreading a visit with her family. Something I hoped I’d never experience.

The next morning I put my bags in my car and buckled myself in for the five-hour drive. Cold weather had come in overnight, and my car was covered in a thin veil of ice. I put the key in the ignition, and the car started with reluctance, which did not sound the least bit okay. I tried to remember the last time the battery had been replaced and couldn’t put a finger on it, so I added that to my mental to-do list while I was home.

When I pulled into the convenience store to get fuel and coffee, I had to wait my turn. The place was buzzing. Finally, a car pulled away and cleared a spot for me to pull in to. Good thing I was driving something small because a larger vehicle wouldn’t have been able to squirm into the space, since some idiot in a large truck and trailer full of hay was parked behind me and taking up two pumps.

I filled up my car and went inside to pay and grab a large cup of coffee. When I returned to my car, the same idiot was still parked there, only this time he was leaning against his truck while talking on his phone—still taking up two pumps and oblivious to the rest of the world.

I shook my head at his complete unawareness and got in my car.

I turned the key—and nothing. I turned the key again and zippo. My battery was toast. I got out and walked to the rear of the car and opened the engine compartment. I couldn’t read the date on the battery for the large amount of corrosion that had built up over an unknown amount of time.

“What seems to be the problem, little lady?” a deep voice asked behind me.

When I turned around, I ran smack into a rock-solid chest. He steadied me with a soft grip of his right hand on my elbow.

“It won’t start,” I said, while turning back toward the car engine.

“So I heard. When was the last time you changed the battery?” He moved to stand to my left at the back corner of the car.

“I haven’t, and I don’t know if they did when the engine was reborn, so I can only assume.”

“How long ago was that?” he asked, while adjusting the battery connections.

“Over six years.”

He chuckled under his breath. “My diagnosis is a new battery.” He returned to an upright position, and I got my first real glimpse of cowboy heaven.

There stood blue eyes, dark hair in desperate need of a trim, and a face covered in rugged scruff, towering over me. “Let me try to start it once more.” His voice was polished like a smooth silk robe sliding off the end of the bed and didn’t match his rugged exterior.

He took his place in my driver’s seat, and I heard the clicking of the starter, but no luck on firing up. It was fun to watch a guy of his size trying to peel himself out of my small car. When he got out, he pointed over the roof to a parking area on the south side of the convenience store.

“I want you to get in and steer, while I push you over there to that spot to the left of the store.”

“But…”

“It’s not gonna start, sweetheart. I’ll give you a lift to O’Reilly’s around the corner and help you get a new battery.”

He turned and motioned to someone then yelled, “Hey Carl, John, the little lady needs a push and a new battery.”

At that moment, two more dudes wearing cowboy hats poured out of a big red Dodge and walked over to my car. I was surrounded by cowboy goodness. They helped my new stranger-friend push my little car with ease to the parking area. As beefy as they were, I was surprised they didn’t just pick it up and move it.

“I’m taking her to O’Reilly’s, and I’ll meet you back at the ranch. Take my truck and trailer.”

“Sure thing, man,” one of the guys answered.

My delicious cowboy angel turned to me with his hand extended. “I’m A.D. and you are?”

I fumbled my hand from my jacket pocket. “Oh, sorry. I’m Wrenn. Thank you for helping me.”

“You bet. Let’s take the ranch truck. Those boys are messy, so we may have to make you a clean place to sit. I just need to run in and let the store manager know you’re with me, and we’re leaving your car here for a little bit. Then I’ll be right back.”

“I don’t mind, grateful for the help.”

A.D. led me over to the red truck and opened the passenger door for me. He wasn’t kidding; the inside was messy, littered with ropes, gloves, and chewing tobacco. He quickly cleared the trash, and with his arms full, he left to find a bin in which to unload.

When he returned to the truck, he said, “Sorry about that. They are messy, but good hands. I have to pick my battles, but we couldn’t be more polar opposites.”

“In what way?”

“For one, I’m a neat freak, and for another, I’m attached to everything being organic and American made.”

Even in his crisply ironed cowboy attire, there was something about him that was different. Polished, maybe. I couldn’t put my finger on it. He didn’t speak with a twang, nor did his hands look rough like a handler.

He started up the diesel engine and killed the radio that apparently the cowboys had blaring before he called them over.

“Do you work on a ranch a lot?”

“I own it, but I also have another job. I’m just helping out while one of my guys is out sick. Are you a student?” he asked, while pulling out on to University Drive, the main drag through town.

“Yes, nursing.”

“Well, we all need those at some point in our lives. Good career choice.”

“I’m going for a Nurse Practitioner’s license as soon as I finish my RN.”

“Even better,” he said as he pulled into the auto parts store parking lot.

“You know what that is?”

“I do.” He quickly eased from the truck with his long legs and came around to open my door, but I’d already beat him to it and was exiting the truck.

“Miss Independent, are you.”

“No. Well, yes, maybe,” I uttered.

“I think yes,” he said, while straightening his cowboy hat, but the smile he gave me melted the bars around my heart, and the wink he followed it up with made it beat faster.

Upon entering the store, he spoke with the attendant at the register then walked a couple of aisles back. He looked the batteries over and read a leaflet hanging down in front of one of them. “This one should do the trick. I should’ve taken your battery out since they dispose of them, but I’ll drop it back off on my way out to the ranch.”

“You don’t have to do that, A.D. I can take care of it.”

“It’s no problem.” He walked up to the counter, and before I could open my purse, he had tossed a hundred dollar bill onto the counter.

“Oh no, you’ve done enough already. I can pay my way,” I stated my objection.

“I’m sure you can; however, it’s not up for argument. I believe in paying it forward. When you get home for the holidays, you may need to help someone else.”

“How’d you know I’m headed home?”

“I did my time in college. I recognize the symptoms—car loaded, school just let out, and your out of state plates. Let’s get you going on your way.”

“Then thank you very much.”

We went back to my car, and A.D. swapped out the old battery. A surprise to neither of us, my car fired right up when he turned the key.

“Yay, thank you so much,” I squealed, standing beside the driver’s seat with the door open.

He swung his long legs over toward the pavement and peeled himself out of my car once again. I couldn’t help but laugh silently to myself at how silly he looked in a Volkswagen.

“How do I thank you?” I asked, stumbling as I moved to give him a big hug.

He held onto my arms, and I heard him inhale deeply at the top of my head before pulling back. “When you get back in town, give me a call. You can buy me a pizza and a beer.”

“Is that organic?” I teased.

“I do know of a place, and yes, you’ll love it.” He reached for his wallet and searched through it for something.