Page 17 of Bargain Match

“Great.” She rolls her eyes. “Thank you for taking my question so seriously.”

“You’re welcome.”

I can’t help but grin at her goofily. I’m so distracted by thoughts of her, that it’s a long moment before I turn back to the front.

And suck in a breath.

“Whoa, whoa.” I instinctively brace one hand against the dashboard. “Hadley look out.”

With a gasp, she slams on the brakes. We just miss the deer and the turn.

I throw out my free arm against her chest to keep her from flying forward as the car skids to a stop on the side of the road.

Right in the middle of a giant puddle of mud.

I arch my neck and blanche. A giant puddle of mud that makes up the bank of a roaring river.

EIGHT

HADLEY

tkI numbly stare straight ahead without seeing the fire roaring.

I have no idea how long it has been since Burke helped me out of the car and led me to this small rock shelter a short walk away. I think they’re called hermitages. Or at least they are in England. But we’re in Scotland.

Stuck in Scotland. Literally.

Somehow, when I swerved to avoid the deer, the car became stuck in a muddy embankment next to a river.

A river that’s levels are rapidly rising with the downpour.

Through it all, I showed no reaction, leaving Burke to get us out of the situation. Or as out of it as he can while the rain is still coming down and the car is stuck.

He gets off the phone with the castle. His jaw clenches. “I told them we won’t be able to make our reservation.”

Somehow, that statement—said through clenched teeth—snaps me out of my fog.

“Look, I’m sorry.” I jump to my feet. “I didn’t mean to make you mad.”

“Hadley.” His voice cracks. “I’m not mad.”

“Yes, you are. Because I wasn’t paying enough attention.”

“The deer came out of nowhere.”

“Because the car is stuck.”

“We’ll get it unstuck after it stops raining.”

I continue, not listening to his response. “And I know you’re still mad that my frugality landed us with the tiniest car ever built with the tiniest tires ever constructed.“

“Hadley. I’m not mad that its tires are so small, there’s no way we could get it out of the mud in this downpour.” His hands ball into fists at his side. “I’m upset because you don’t seem to realize just how close we were to landing in the river.”

I blink at him. “Is that what’s bothering you? That you don’t think I realize the seriousness of the situation?”

“That’s not what I said?—”

“It sure sounds like that’s what you said.” Tears fill my eyes, and I turn my back before he can see just how much he’s hurt me. “I know you think most of my ideas are ridiculous or crazy. But I’m not ridiculous or crazy.”

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