Page 6 of The Runaway and the Rugged
“Now hold on a second there, darlin’. I won’t tolerate any Texas slander.” It was evident in his smile he was teasing. “I can assure you there’s no place like Dusty Meadows.”
Dusty Meadows?
“Texas?” Clarke gave me an incredulous look. “Your fiancé sent us to Texas?”
I was just as confused as she was. Out of everywhere in the world, he sent us to a small town in Texas.
“He sure did. Told you, ain't no place like it and that fiancé of yours must have picked up on that too.”
My gaze swept across the landscape surrounding us, this time taking it in earnestly. What could a spoiled, influential titan like Nathaniel find so charming about a small town in Texas? He adhered to a fast-paced lifestyle, one filled with the finest of luxuries only a metropolis offered. There was nothing to capture his interest here. Not when his prestige and showcasing it was far more important to him.
With my curiosity now piquing to a whole new level, I pinned my stare back onto Beau who was stuck in a one-sided argument with Clarke.
And grinning.
“Okay,” I interrupted whatever words they were throwing at each other, causing both their heads to turn in my direction.
“Okay? Okay what?” she asked, clearly not understanding what I meant.
Swallowing the heavy bulge that was caught in my throat, I nodded in the direction of Beau’s idling truck.
“Okay, as in, I want to go with Beau.”
Clarke’s mouth dropped to the floor as her features transformed into a state of shock. She was the impulsive risk-taker. The rash, free-spirited gambler who was constantly being lectured by me to be more cautious. And now that the roles were suddenly reversed, she was struggling with the unexpected turnaround.
“That’s real good news to hear, sunshine.” He showcased a show-stopping smile as he rounded the front of his truck. “Now you just have to convince Lil’ Miss Stubborn here that I’m no threat to you.”
Oh boy.
“What the hell did you call me, asshole?” Clarke shouted, her fierceness on full display now as she pierced him with a death stare.
It was all fun and games with men until they gave her a nickname, and poor Beau had no idea who had just awakened.
“Asshole? That’s a funny way of saying handsome.” Beau winked from his new position beside the driver's door.
I used the back of my hand to muffle the laugh that threatened to spill out. Most who encountered Clarke were intimidated by her boldness, including men, but Beau seemed unfazed. Almost like an amused brother provoking their sister.
Clarke flashed me an annoyed scowl.
“Please, for the love of God, don’t make me get in that truck. I’m going to hurt him if I do,” she begged.
I rolled my eyes with a mixture of a giggle and scoff.
“I have a feeling he’s the type of man that would enjoy that, Clarke.”
Her mouth twisted in a grimace.
“Are we really going to get in this rust bucket, Millie?” Clutching onto my arm, she halted me from entering Beau’s truck. “I realize I’m not one to judge, considering how many times I’ve hopped onto the back of someone's bike. But something feels off about this.”
The uneasy vibes she seemed to pick up from Beau clearly hadn’t registered with me in the same way. He seemed like your average Southern gentleman. A little flirty but friendly nonetheless.
Then as if noticing my uncertainty, she smiled reassuringly.
“Not with Beau. Yeah, he’s annoying but he seems genuine. It’s his nineteen-eighties truck and your fiancé that I don’t trust.”
I’ve always known that she didn’t exactly care for Nathaniel, but it was normally in a joking manner when she brought up her dislike for him. With her brow furrowed and an intensity in her expression that was impossible to ignore, I let her continue.
“Why do you think he’s not telling you what he’s got planned?”
