Page 7 of The Cowboy's Unlikely Love

“He followed me all the way down Main Street and then in here too. I don’t know who he is, but he sure looked mean.”

“Come on in and wait a while before you get started. Make sure that guy is long gone before you get to work.”

“Thank you, Teddy. I think I will.” Still trembling from the experience, she went inside and sat in one of the plastic chairs away from the window. After a moment, she called her aunt and told her what had happened.

“And you have no idea who this guy is?” her aunt asked.

“Not a clue. But it makes me wonder if it has anything to do with the trial, Auntie. I have this weird feeling that I’ve glimpsed him somewhere.” She sighed and rubbed her forehead.

“I’d like to get my hands on those people who gave you a hard time.”

It was warm in the office, and Taylor took off her sweater. “By the time I thought of getting the license plate, he’d already driven off.”

“Now that’s too bad,” her aunt said.

“I’ll talk to you when I get home, Auntie.”

Teddy walked over and handed her a cup of black decaf coffee. “Here, I figured this would steady your nerves.”

“Thank you—and thanks again for letting me sit here for a while. I’ll drink this and then get to work.”

Teddy smiled. “Take your time.”

She took a sip from the steaming cup, her mind vaulting to the end of her day. Would the brown truck and its awful occupant be waiting for her when she left?

Chapter Three

Colt drove into theLazy Days parking lot and cruised around looking for any sign of an old brown pickup. Shannon had called him earlier in the day and told him what had happened. He was here to make sure that Taylor wasn’t followed home.

It was almost five and she should be done working any minute. A Sig Sauer P365 XL, his concealed-carry weapon, lay on the seat beside him. He spotted a cleaning cart parked at the end of the back row of rooms and frowned. That meant anyone could see where Taylor was. He pulled around and parked at the room. When he knocked on the door, he heard her say in a shaking voice, “Who is it?”

“It’s Colt. Will you let me in?”

He heard the click of the bolt. Good. She’d locked herself in.

Taylor looked worn and stressed when she opened the door. He smiled. “I’m here to see that you get home safe. I hope you don’t mind.”

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