Page 15 of Evergreen Desires
Beau pulled the truck off onto the shoulder of the road, taking me by surprise. I looked at him, preparing myself for the possibility of being kicked out, and took a deep breath to steady myself.
"Jake." Beau turned to look straight into my eyes. "I'm not trying to buy you. I'm never going to try to control you. I want you to know that right up front. There's no denying that I'm immediately attracted to you, but I'll do everything in my power to ensure you're not hurt or saddened by anything. I know, from the little bit we've talked, that your ex did a number on you. Hopefully, I never meet him, but you won't have anything like that from me."
His words flowed with a mix of compassion, heat, and sincerity, and it left me speechless for a moment.
"I think you're handsome, not to mention you came to rescue me when you didn't even know who I was," I finally managed to say. "But at the same time, I can't jump into a relationship with you. I'm literally running away from my ex, feeling vulnerable with no money, a broken car, and no job prospects. The rescue you performed makes me worry I’ll feel like I owe you something, and that I’ll just fall back into the same cycle. My emotions are a bit mixed up, and it'll take me some time to sort them out."
I paused, expecting to see hurt in Beau's eyes, but instead, I noticed a small grin on his face and a slight sparkle in his eyes.
"With that said, I feel like I can trust you. You've been honest and upfront with me. Not to mention, Will called you 'an ethical guy in an unethical business.' I think that shows me everything I need to know."
"Will has a way with words," Beau chuckled. "Jake, I'm serious. I'll never force you to do something you don't want to do. I'm perfectly happy waiting for your feelings to be sorted. Let me help you. Not to control you or manipulate you, but to help YOU. Let me buy you whatever you need tonight. Clothes, toiletries, auto parts, whatever. We can figure out the rest later."
"Are you sure? You've done a lot already," I replied, feeling a mix of gratitude and uncertainty.
"Yes. Will mentioned that you're into photography. I'd love to have some new advertising photos for the Christmas tree farm. Do you think you can help with that? We can pick up whatever you need for that too," Beau suggested, probably trying to make me feel useful.
"No hidden agendas?" I asked, cautiously.
"Nope. Just getting you set up with whatever you need," he reassured me, and there was a brief pause as he seemed to be thinking. "Perhaps you could say the hidden agenda is that if you're happy, I'll be happy."
"Okay," I finally agreed, feeling a sense of relief.
"Okay!" Beau exclaimed, putting on his blinker and merging back onto the road, despite there being no other carsaround. It was a small gesture, but it was one of many that I'd noticed from him. Despite his rugged appearance and stoic demeanor, he truly was a good guy, guided by his ethics.
"I don't think I can do the farm photos, I'm sorry."
"You don't have to. I wasn't forcing you to," he replied.I settled into the seat, ready for a relaxed drive into town.
“I want to, it’s just—I no longer have my laptop, so I can’t edit or crop photos. I am stuck with just taking pictures and viewing them on my camera for now,” I admitted, still avoiding eye contact. It was embarrassing to admit. Of all things, I couldn’t believe I’d forgotten my laptop.
“I have a computer you’re welcome to use.Download whatever software you need; I want to support your passion.”
I couldn’t help the smile that creeped up at the corners of my mouth. I wanted to be careful with my heart to avoid getting hurt again, but I couldn’t deny the way he made me feel. It was so clear that he really cared about me and my interests.
Beau proved himself, again and again, to be a gentleman. He stayed close but didn’t hover while I sorted through racks of clothes. When I held something up, he gave a small smile or nod—never pushing, never commenting. Just present. At the auto parts store, he took the lead completely. He’d said it wasn’t his area of expertise either,but I had a feeling he just didn’t want me to feel more overwhelmed than I already did.
Shopping on someone else’s dime wasn’t easy. I kept gravitating toward the clearance rack—neutral t-shirts, a couple of flannels, jeans that would go with anything. Basics. Things I could mix and match. A hoodie and a jacket, both second-guessing whether they were too expensive. I skipped over the brand names, even when Beau told me to get what I needed.
It was like trying to rebuild a life with just a shopping cart.
Underwear, socks, some toothpaste and a toothbrush. I hesitated in front of the sneakers for a solid two minutes before finally tossing a pair in, mostly because Beau looked like he was about to suggest it and I wanted to beat him to it.
I didn’t want to take advantage. But I didn’t want to feel useless, either.
"Let's grab a quick dinner while we're out. It's getting a little late. Then we can hit the grocery store on the way home for anything you might want to eat," Beau suggested as we made our way back to the truck.
"Sure, but nothing fancy," I replied.
***
The place he brought me to was definitely not fancy—but it had charm. It looked like it had once been a gas station, now converted into a quirky roadside eatery. Theinside was full of long wooden picnic tables, the kind you’d expect to see at a barbecue or family reunion. You ordered at the counter, and judging by the crowd, it was a local favorite.
The menu was a mix of burgers, ribs, nachos, and fried everything, though I spotted a few healthier options buried between the brisket and mac and cheese. Beau pointed out the milkshakes with a grin, and we ended up ordering enough food for four people.
We found a seat tucked in the corner, surrounded by the noise and chatter of what seemed like half the town. “The food must be good; this place is hopping," I remarked.
"It's great for a quick meal and good food," Beau agreed. However, his face suddenly turned sour, and his gaze shifted over my left shoulder.
