detailed directions despite the cold making her shiver. Once he was on his way, she tossed her carry-on into the bed of the truck and climbed into the passenger seat next to Monty Joe. "Brrr."
"What do you have in that big suitcase? Bricks?"
"How'd you guess?"
He scowled.
"Actually, it's books."
"I thought flight attendants travel light."
Why was he being so antagonistic over such a small thing as an extra suitcase? It was apparent he resented having to come and get her. She should never have let her sister talk her into going to the Nelson Ranch. She knew better.
She'd just have to make the best of things, though, because it was too late to back out now. He'd already driven away from the terminal.
She gnawed her upper lip, unsure what to say or do to ease things between them. "I am very sorry to inconvenience you this way."
Monty Joe didn't reply, instead concentrating on his driving. The snow was coming down more heavily.
The weather reports had predicted light snow in College Station, but it wasn't expected to stick. Weather reports had been wrong before—and it appeared they'd been incorrect this time. Thick patches of white began covering the fields on each side of the rural highway.
People in the north were used to driving on snow, but in south Texas it was a rare occurrence, and snow tires and chains were unheard of. Other drivers had slowed to a crawl, and Monty Joe did the same.
"I really am sorry," Lori repeated.
At last he turned to her. "Apology accepted."
His gaze met hers and a shimmer of warmth spread through her stomach. "Thanks."
He turned back to the road. "For what?"
"For accepting my apology—and for being such a good and careful driver. I mean, really good."
He frowned. "Why is it that just when I think we could possibly be civil to each other, you have to go and say something sarcastic?"
"I wasn't being sarcastic. I sincerely appreciate your careful driving."
He mumbled, "Whatever."
Lori abandoned her attempt at civility, and glanced out the passenger window. The snow fell harder now, coming down in large flakes.
She felt a nudge against her left side. "What?"
"What, what?" Monty Joe kept his gaze firmly on the highway.
"Why'd you elbow me?"
"I didn't elbow you. Do I not look like I'm practicing driving carefully? Careful does not include elbow nudging."
"If you didn't nudge me, who did?"
Monty Joe shrugged, so she shrugged back at him and turned back to the view outside the truck. Little swirls of snow whirlpooled around them as the truck continued toward the ranch. While she wasn't that experienced with snow, it looked to her like it was sticking rather than melting on contact with the supposedly warm earth.
Maybe going to the ranch was a very bad idea. The last thing she wanted was to be stuck there for more than overnight with Mr. Grump. Just as she turned to ask him to check the weather on the radio, she felt the nudge on her side again. But Monty Joe wasn't responsible.
What on earth?
She turned and looked into the backseat. Then screamed.
Chapter 3
When Lori started screeching her head off, it took every bit of Monty Joe's attention to keep from skidding off the highway. While he'd expected almost anything from her, he hadn't been prepared for the banshee cries.
Once he got the truck under control again, he asked, "What's your problem?"
"I'm either hallucinating or there's an animal in your backseat."
"Of course there's an animal there."
"What do you mean of course there is?"
"I couldn't leave my best buddy at home, could I? Not when he looked at me with those great big eyes."
She bit her lip and was silent for a moment. Finally she said, "Your best buddy is a—goat?"
Oh, he got it. She figured he wasn't capable of having a real relationship. "I'll have you know I have many friendships."
She bit her lip so hard he worried it might draw blood.
"With humans," he added.
Both of them broke into laughter.
Still smiling, Lori asked,
"What do you have in that big suitcase? Bricks?"
"How'd you guess?"
He scowled.
"Actually, it's books."
"I thought flight attendants travel light."
Why was he being so antagonistic over such a small thing as an extra suitcase? It was apparent he resented having to come and get her. She should never have let her sister talk her into going to the Nelson Ranch. She knew better.
She'd just have to make the best of things, though, because it was too late to back out now. He'd already driven away from the terminal.
She gnawed her upper lip, unsure what to say or do to ease things between them. "I am very sorry to inconvenience you this way."
Monty Joe didn't reply, instead concentrating on his driving. The snow was coming down more heavily.
The weather reports had predicted light snow in College Station, but it wasn't expected to stick. Weather reports had been wrong before—and it appeared they'd been incorrect this time. Thick patches of white began covering the fields on each side of the rural highway.
People in the north were used to driving on snow, but in south Texas it was a rare occurrence, and snow tires and chains were unheard of. Other drivers had slowed to a crawl, and Monty Joe did the same.
"I really am sorry," Lori repeated.
At last he turned to her. "Apology accepted."
His gaze met hers and a shimmer of warmth spread through her stomach. "Thanks."
He turned back to the road. "For what?"
"For accepting my apology—and for being such a good and careful driver. I mean, really good."
He frowned. "Why is it that just when I think we could possibly be civil to each other, you have to go and say something sarcastic?"
"I wasn't being sarcastic. I sincerely appreciate your careful driving."
He mumbled, "Whatever."
Lori abandoned her attempt at civility, and glanced out the passenger window. The snow fell harder now, coming down in large flakes.
She felt a nudge against her left side. "What?"
"What, what?" Monty Joe kept his gaze firmly on the highway.
"Why'd you elbow me?"
"I didn't elbow you. Do I not look like I'm practicing driving carefully? Careful does not include elbow nudging."
"If you didn't nudge me, who did?"
Monty Joe shrugged, so she shrugged back at him and turned back to the view outside the truck. Little swirls of snow whirlpooled around them as the truck continued toward the ranch. While she wasn't that experienced with snow, it looked to her like it was sticking rather than melting on contact with the supposedly warm earth.
Maybe going to the ranch was a very bad idea. The last thing she wanted was to be stuck there for more than overnight with Mr. Grump. Just as she turned to ask him to check the weather on the radio, she felt the nudge on her side again. But Monty Joe wasn't responsible.
What on earth?
She turned and looked into the backseat. Then screamed.
Chapter 3
When Lori started screeching her head off, it took every bit of Monty Joe's attention to keep from skidding off the highway. While he'd expected almost anything from her, he hadn't been prepared for the banshee cries.
Once he got the truck under control again, he asked, "What's your problem?"
"I'm either hallucinating or there's an animal in your backseat."
"Of course there's an animal there."
"What do you mean of course there is?"
"I couldn't leave my best buddy at home, could I? Not when he looked at me with those great big eyes."
She bit her lip and was silent for a moment. Finally she said, "Your best buddy is a—goat?"
Oh, he got it. She figured he wasn't capable of having a real relationship. "I'll have you know I have many friendships."
She bit her lip so hard he worried it might draw blood.
"With humans," he added.
Both of them broke into laughter.
Still smiling, Lori asked,
Similar Books
Atop an Underwood
Jack Kerouac
Larcenous Lady
Joan Smith
Love Found Me (A City Love Novel, Book 1)
Nina Amari
The Life Beyond
Susanne Winnacker
Living in a Foreign Language
Michael Tucker
3 Requiem at Christmas
Melanie Jackson
The Ex-Boyfriend's Handbook
Matt Dunn
Gone for Good
Harlan Coben
Save Your Soul (Body & Soul #2)
Rochelle Paige
What a Wicked Earl Wants
Vicky Dreiling