as the SUV careened to a stop, its tires making a crunching sound as they left the Colorado highway and rolled onto the uneven shoulder. “What’s the problem?” she called out to Tavia, who was standing at the edge of the road, dressed in jeans and a short-sleeved print top, both insufficient to ward off the chill of the late afternoon.
Tavia MacRae blinked hard and tried to appear calm, although inside she was a jangle of nerves. “My—my new boyfriend dumped me out of his car. I—I need a ride.”
The nice-looking young man behind the steering wheel frowned as he sized her up from head to toe. “I don’t know. I usually don’t pick up strangers.”
Disappointed by his comment and afraid her boyfriend might return, Tavia allowed her jaw to drop. “Then why did you stop?”
“I asked him to.” The pretty brunette in the front seat gave her a warm smile. “You looked like you needed help.”
“His hands were all over me. He tried—” Tavia dipped her head and swallowed hard but couldn’t hold back a sob as the tip of her finger touched her swollen lip. “Wh-when I wouldn’t—you know—he got really mad and started pushing me around and hitting me with his fists. I—I was afraid he was really going to hurt me, but instead he reached across and opened the door and shoved me out.” She hunched her shoulders and shivered as she rubbed at her skinned elbow. “He wouldn’t even let me have my jacket. He—he just drove off and left me here.”
The man raised a brow. “He was your boyfriend?”
Tavia shook her head. Her lip hurt, and so did her arm and her wrist. But what hurt most was the embarrassment she felt at having to admit she’d been so gullible. “He wasn’t really my boyfriend. This—this was the first time I’d been out with him. He—he seemed real nice when I met him.”
The woman winced at Tavia’s words. “Maybe you should have gotten to know him better before deciding to take such a long ride with him.”
Tavia lowered her eyes, knowing the woman was right. “I don’t have the opportunity to meet men that often. I guess I was persuaded by his good looks and his nice car. I’ve learned my lesson.”
The man continued to eye her suspiciously, as if he half believed her story but wasn’t quite sure she could be trusted. “I don’t know. Maybe it—”
The nice brunette slapped at the man’s arm. “Adam, come on. Don’t be such an old worrywart. Can’t you see she needs help? We can’t leave her stranded out here on the road. The sun will be disappearing behind the mountains any time now and she’ll freeze in that lightweight shirt. She’s already shivering. At least let her use your cell phone so she can call someone.”
Tavia waited, too humiliated to meet his gaze, her heart pounding in her throat, knowing there was no one she could call, and who knew when someone else would come by and give her a ride? Maybe it would be someone even more dangerous than the man who’d dumped her. Why did she always pick the losers? If she’d been smarter, been a little more cautious—
Frowning, the man handed Tavia his cell phone. She punched in a few random numbers then, after turning away from them, pressed the End button and pretended to be waiting for someone to answer. “Uh-oh. Looks like they’re not home and I don’t know anyone else who would be willing to drive this far to pick me up. Are you sure you can’t give me a ride?”
The woman leaned toward him. “Adam, please?”
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, his arms circling the steering wheel as he turned toward the open window and hitched his head toward the back seat. “Okay, climb in, but we’re only taking you as far as the next town.” He paused long enough to give her a warning frown. “You understand?”
Tavia yanked open the back door of the big, shiny SUV when she heard the lock click open and climbed in, closing it quickly behind her before they had a chance to change their minds. “I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate this. It seems like I’ve been standing on this road for hours. The traffic has been whizzing by me and no one would stop.”
“They probably had better sense than I did,” the man said gruffly, his eyes trained on the rear-view mirror as he cautiously pulled back onto the highway.
The woman sitting beside him leaned into his shoulder and smiled up at him. “Now, sweetie, don’t be such an old bear. I respect this woman for refusing that man and fighting him off like she did. You should, too.”
He seemed to deliberate her words carefully; finally glancing back over his shoulder at Tavia with a nod and, for the first time, offering a half smile. “Sorry. She’s right. It’s just that you can’t be too careful these days.”
“Thanks, I don’t blame you for being cautious.” Tavia leaned back in the seat and tried to calm down. Every bone in her body ached. “I wouldn’t pick up a hitchhiker, either.”
“But you’re not a hitchhiker,” the woman refuted adamantly. “You’re someone in trouble. To me, there’s a big difference.”
Tavia smiled appreciatively, sure if it hadn’t been for the nice woman’s influence on the man she assumed was her husband, she’d still be standing by the side of the road. “Thanks. It’s nice to have someone who understands.”
The woman shifted her position and extended her hand over the back of her seat. “Hi. I’m Jewel Mallory.”
“Hi, Jewel. I’m Tavia.”
“Tavia? What a pretty name. I’ve never heard it before.”
Tavia smoothed at the tear on her shirt. “Thanks. I think it’s Scottish. I like your name, too. It sounds real elegant.”
“That’s what I keep telling her,” Adam inserted, smiling at the lovely lady seated beside him. “She’s my jewel. I told my folks, she’s not only a jewel, she has a heart of pure gold. But then, I guess you’ve realized that.”
Jewel gave him another playful pat. “Why, Adam, what a sweet thing to say.”
He grinned. “Simply the truth, my precious.”
Jewel’s hand cradled the man’s shoulder. “Well, Tavia, this man, who appears to be my biggest fan, is my fiancé, Adam Flint.”
“You’re engaged?” Tavia looked from one smiling face to the other. “Congratulations. When are you getting married? Have you set a date yet?”
“In the spring, right after I graduate,” the man chimed in, his smile broadening, his sullen behavior suddenly changing for the better. “I’m taking Jewel home to meet my parents.”
Tavia’s brows lifted in surprise. “They haven’t already met her?”
Adam shot a quick glance toward his intended. “Not yet, but they’ve talked to her on the phone a number of times. We met in California where I’ve been going to school. She’s originally from Tennessee.”
“But they have seen your picture, right?” Tavia asked.
“I take terrible pictures.” Jewel’s hand went to her mouth to stifle a giggle. “I hate having my picture taken and I guess it shows on my face. I end up looking like a mug shot for the post-office wall. I wouldn’t let Adam send them any.”
