go a sigh, she pulled her phone from her pocket. “What’s your email address?”
“Email?”
“Yes, so I can send you a list of things you need to do.”
“Okay. But can we meet at least once to go over it?”
She’d rather have a root canal. They gave you painkillers for that. “Fine. But I hope you don’t mind kids, because Kenzie will likely be accompanying me.”
“Not a problem. We can even meet at your mother’s, if you like.”
She typed in the email address he gave her. “I’ll send you something later tonight or tomorrow morning. Then we can schedule a meeting.” Tucking her phone back into her pocket, she continued. “Right now, I need to get home to my niece.”
Outside, she tightened the belt on her peacoat and shivered. Seemed the temperatures had gone down along with the sun. It was downright freezing.
She hurried across the darkened street to her SUV, wishing she’d brought her gloves. She’d forgotten how much colder it could be here than in Denver. Of course, Ouray was also more than two thousand feet higher in altitude.
Under the glow of a street lamp, she threw herself into the driver’s seat, shoved the key into the ignition and gave it a twist. Except instead of the engine roaring to life, it simply clicked. Weird. She turned the key again. Weeneeneeneenee... Weeneenee, weeneenee...
She groaned, recalling the words of the mechanic who’d done her last oil change.
“You’re probably going to want to think about changing out that battery soon.”
And she’d just driven all the way across the state.
Stupid! How could she have let that slip?
As the windows started to fog, she willed herself to calm down. All she needed was someone to give her a jump.
She opened her door and stepped out onto Ouray’s only paved street, looking around for anyone who might be able to help her. But with the other cast members long gone, things were pretty deserted.
A gust of wind sent her back inside her vehicle. “Lord, please help me to get this started.”
Once again, she twisted the key and was met with the same result.
Tap, tap, tap.
She jumped, jerking her head toward the window.
“Need a little help?” Matt stood on the other side, wearing a smile that would melt most women’s hearts. But she wasn’t most women.
She pushed the door open. “My battery could use a jump.”
“Sure. Just let me swing my Jeep over here.”
“I’ve got jumper cables,” she called after him. No point in having him think she was incapable of taking care of herself.
In no time, his vehicle was nose-to-nose with hers, cables extending between them, and she was back behind the wheel, praying her car would start.
“All right, Lacie,” he hollered from outside. “Give it a try.”
With a nod, she turned the key.
Weenee...
“No, please don’t do this to me.”
“One more time.” He sent her a thumbs-up.
Please, please, please... She tried again.
Nothing. Not one sound.
Matt opened her door then. “I’m afraid your battery is dead.”
She wanted to cry. Though not in front of him.
So she grabbed her purse and keys and stepped outside. “I guess I’ll just have to walk home.”
“No, I’ll give you a ride.”
She dared to look at him now. “It’s not that far. I’ll be perfectly—”
“You’re just as stubborn as ever, aren’t you, Lace?”
She froze. Lace? He was the only one who’d ever called her that. Something just between them, an endearment that made her feel...special.
“Well, so am I,” he continued. “And I am not about to let you walk. So get in the Jeep while I take care of these cables.”
She simply stared at him, though she wasn’t sure what bugged her most. The fact that he called her stubborn or that he thought he could tell her what to do. However, since her teeth were chattering and her fingers and toes were numb, she climbed into the passenger seat and waited.
He tossed the cables into the back before getting in the driver’s seat. “All right, let’s get you home.”
Couldn’t come soon enough for her. Being around Matt was so...nerve-racking.
He put the vehicle into gear and turned at the corner. “So are you hoping to find a job closer to Ouray?”
“Oh, no.” Looking out the window, she watched the houses go by. “Denver is our home. Kenzie has her daycare, our friends are there, our church... I don’t want to uproot her. I’m just biding my time until I have something else lined up.” Unfortunately, none of the home builders in the Denver area were looking to hire anyone, including interior designers/stagers until after the holidays.
“That’s very commendable.” He turned onto her mother’s street. “A shame, too.”
“Why?”
“I’m sure your mother would enjoy having both you and your niece near.”
“Oh.” She tamped down the unwanted disappointment. “Well, I just want what’s best for Kenzie.” Not to mention herself. And that meant keeping her heart closed to Matt Stephens.
She reached for the door handle as he eased to a stop in front of Mom’s house. “Thanks for the ride.”
* * *
Gray clouds and freezing temperatures were the order of the day as Matt climbed the front steps at the Collier house shortly before nine the next morning. When he’d dropped Lacie off last night, he’d barely brought his Jeep to a stop before she hopped out. Leaving him to wonder why she was being so standoffish.
Sure they hadn’t seen each other in years, but time couldn’t erase the fact that they’d once been really good friends. From seventh to eleventh grade, they’d had no problem confiding in one another. Then he’d started dating Marissa and Lacie no longer wanted anything to do with him. Just like last night.
Later Marissa told him Lacie had had a crush on him. Making him feel like the biggest jerk ever for not recognizing it.
But that was sixteen years ago. That couldn’t be the problem now, could it?
Regardless,
