Page 49 of Overdue for a Cowboy

“Good news?” he asked, hoping for something that could start a new thread of conversation and take his mind off his memories.

“No. It’s just a message from Pete.”

His brow furrowed, and the green-eyed monster he’d felt before once again reared its ugly head. “Oh yeah? Did he ask you out?”

Maisie huffed. “Ask me out? Like on a date? No, of course not. What are you talking about?”

He hadn’t meant to sound so gruff. Pete was a good guy, and just the kind of man who Maisie should be with. “The guy obviously likes you.”

She shook her head. “No, his kids like me. Pete’s just a nice guy and was thanking me for coming up today.”

Dodge made a sound that was a cross between a grunt and a grumble and forced his focus back to the road.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Maisie stared down at her hands in her lap. They’d made it most of the way down the mountain, but hadn’t spoken in the last ten minutes, not since she got the text from Pete.

She snuck a glance at Dodge. His jaw was still tight, and his shoulders were tense as he stared at the road and maneuvered a set of hairpin curves. Something had obviously happened at the Lamberts—he’d been visibly shaken, and his face had been pale when she’d gotten into the truck with him.

She kept her voice quiet, hoping he might be ready to talk about whatever had upset him. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

“I’m fine,” he snapped, then sighed as he must have caught her wince. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap.”

“Something is obviously wrong. Why can’t you just tell me what’s going on with you?”

He scrubbed his hand through his hair. “It’s not something I can talk about. But I can tell you thatthisis why I’m not the guy for you. I’m screwed up and broken, and you’re way better off with a nice guy like Pete.”

“Pete? What are you talking about? I don’t want a guy like Pete.”

I want you.

She thought it, and felt it with her entire soul, but didn’t say it. Where was all this coming from? She didn’t get it, and she was about to tell him so, but then her attention was diverted by them coming around a corner and the sight of the damaged trees in the ditch ahead.

This is where she’d run off the road and wrecked her car and the bookmobile.

Dodge had taken them a different way up so this was the first time she’d been back by and seen the spot.

She didn’t realize she was holding her breath and gripping the armrest between them until Dodge gently set his hand on top of hers.

“You okay?” he asked in a soft voice, all traces of his earlier unhappiness gone.

She let her breath out in one long sigh. “Yeah, I’m good. I didn’t think justseeingthe spot I went off the road would affect me that much.”

She leaned forward as she spotted something in the ditch. “Stop! Pull over.”

“What’s wrong? Are you going to throw up?” Dodge asked as he pulled the truck and trailer onto the shoulder.

“No. I saw something. I think it was the llama.”

Dodge arched an eyebrow. “Not this again. Maisie, there is no llama.”

“There’s something,” she called over her shoulder as she pushed open the door and got out of the truck.

She heard his door slam behind her, but she was already making her way down the gravely side of the ditch.

“Hold on. Let me help you.” Dodge hurried to catch up with her and took her arm. “I carried you hurt and bruised out of this ditch once before. I’m not aiming to do it again.”

“Look.” She pointed toward the fence on the other side of the ditch where there was indeed a llama.

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