Page 22 of Cold Foot Cash

“I’m fine.”

“But—”

Harley looked up at him and pleaded with her eyes. “I’m just going through it right now. You’re seeing me at some bad timing. I’ll be fine by morning. I always am.”

He stood there frozen. There was a deep care in his glowing gold eyes, but a part of her was still angry.

“You texted Lance from my phone, and he went off, and then his girlfriend called me.” Harley inhaled a sob and shook her head hard. “I don’t want to do this again,” she whispered.

“Hey Cash, are you ready to go?” someone called.

Harley glanced up to find King in the mouth of the aisle, and when he saw her, a frown immediately darkened his face. “What’s going on? Are you messing with her?”

“No,” Cash said. “Can you give us some space?”

“What’s happening?” Now Reed was coming this way with King.

Cash stood between them. “Hey, she’s having a moment guys. Let her be.” He created a shield with his body, blocking the others completely.

He got it. He really understood. She didn’t want to see anyone she knew right now—not like this.

“Back off,” Cash said again. “Keep the girls back too. Please.”

“Okay,” King said softly. “We’ll meet you by the trucks.”

“You guys go on back home. I’m going to get her back to her motel.”

“Okay, let us know if you need anything.”

“Thank you,” she said in a hoarse voice, still too chicken to look at them again.

“They’re gone,” he rumbled.

And she didn’t know why she did it, but she melted against him and wrapped her arms as tight as she could around him. “Thank you.”

“You’re good.” He slipped his strong arms around her and held her close. “You’re good,” he repeated. “You’re safe, you’re okay.”

She didn’t understand why, but this particular hug, at this particular moment was everything.

“I don’t know what I need,” she admitted softly, easing out of his embrace, embarrassed. “I don’t have any clothes and I don’t have a hairbrush, and I don’t know what to buy

“That’s okay. Let me help. I am good at this stuff. Uuuh, do you have anything here?”

“No. I just have the clothes I have on, and two granola bars in the console of my car.”

“Okay, you need pajamas and shower stuff, and probably some waters. Some snacks. Do you need girl stuff?”

“What’s girl stuff?”

“I don’t know. Tampons and stuff?”

She laughed thickly. Okay, that was pretty cute.

“No, I don’t need that stuff right now.”

“Okay, great. Perfect.”

“Cash?” she said, looking up at him. “I’m really mad at you.”

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