briefly closed her eyes. “Let’s just say the tow truck is expensive enough in my checkbook.”
He watched her closely. Her clothes were basic jeans and a sweater topped with a colorful scarf wound around her neck and a flannel-lined denim jacket that looked like it had seen better days. She’d dressed similarly at LightHouse Center.
He couldn’t stop the offer from coming out of his mouth. “I could take a look at it for you. Might be able to save you the cost of labor, at least.”
Her eyes shone with alarm and then she held up her hand. “No. Definitely not.”
He cocked his head. “Why not?”
“You’re a client of the agency where I intern.”
“So?”
“So it wouldn’t be right to take advantage of you to save a few bucks.”
He laughed out loud. “Take advantage? I offered. And I don’t know why considering you’re the one who put me there in the first place. Why’d you do that, Ms. Cavanaugh?”
She looked down at her booted feet. “My name’s Kellie.”
“Kellie, then.” He liked the sound of her name. Pert and to the point, it suited her.
Her movements were quick and jerky. Even standing still, she twisted the ends of that scarf with her fingers. Nervous energy or did he make her uncomfortable?
He tried again. “Why’d you recommend me for treatment?”
“This conversation is completely inappropriate.”
He laughed at that, but the sound came out harsh and bitter. “Why? It’s about me. I read your evaluation. You think I’m headed for, let’s see, how did you phrase it? Alcohol dependence due to a traumatic event in my recent history.”
Her eyes flashed with defensive annoyance. “I think you need help.”
He spotted the revolving red lights of the tow truck way down the road. “Yeah, well, so do you. How do you plan to get home once your car’s towed to the garage?”
“I’ll call...” She glanced at her watch, and her brow furrowed. “Maybe a cab.”
He shook his head. No way was he letting her travel miles back to town with a greasy tow guy alone, only to sit and wait outside the closed-for-the-day mechanic’s shop in town. Alone. “I live out this way. I’ll give you a lift.”
“No.”
“Don’t give me any guff about conflict of interest. You’re pinched for cash and I’m not about to let you go off by yourself. If something happened to you, I’d—” He broke off.
Her eyes challenged him. “Never forgive yourself?”
It would have stung less had she slapped him. Hard. “Yeah, that’s right. Do you want to be responsible for advancing my decline?”
“Nothing will happen.” But then her gaze wavered as she watched the big tow truck inch closer.
“You never know.” He crossed his arms and watched her. She deserved a little fear after what she’d put him through.
Her eyes widened and a chill seemed to shake her. Cold, or maybe she’d considered the possibilities and didn’t like the conclusions.
Upsetting her hadn’t given him the satisfaction he’d sought. Instead, he felt the urge to wrap his arms around her, pull her close and soothe her worries. Ryan had a feeling Kellie Cavanaugh carried around too many worries.
“If anyone finds out about this, I could get in big trouble.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You’re a client, and I’m an intern. I shouldn’t have any personal contact with you outside of a professional or community setting.”
He gave her an odd look. “I’m only giving you a ride home. It’s a neighborly thing to do in this community.”
“It looks bad.”
Ryan scanned the heavy woods on one side of the road and open fields of bare cherry trees on the other. “No one’s around to see and I won’t say a word, okay?”
She rolled her eyes. “Okay, fine. Give me ride.”
He’d called her bluff. And he’d made her mad to boot.
The tow truck slowed to a stop with a whoosh of air and the rattling idle of a diesel engine. If she worried about being seen with him, she might as well stay out of sight. “You’re cold. Why don’t you sit in my vehicle while I help this guy load up your car.”
She didn’t argue, even though she looked like she wanted to. Instead, she turned on worn-out work boots and headed for his truck.
He watched her. Whisper-thin, she held her chin high as she pulled open the door harder than needed and nearly knocked herself over in the process. Pert didn’t begin to describe Kellie Cavanaugh, and that made him smile.
* * *
Kellie fumed while she waited. She’d been totally unprofessional baiting Ryan that way. And riding home with him bordered on unethical. What was wrong with her?
She was tired. Tired from studying and even more tired of living on a shoestring budget. She glanced in the side mirror. Ryan walked toward her and the tow truck backed up. All done? That was fast.
She slipped out of the truck clutching her purse. “Wait, I need to pay the tow guy.”
Ryan waved her back. “Don’t worry about it. It’s all set.”
“What do you mean, it’s all set?”
“I know him.”
“What’s that mean?” She didn’t move.
Ryan gave her a harassed look. “It means what it means. Get in the truck.”
“Did you pay him? Tell me how much and I’ll pay you back.” Cash would be better, but she didn’t have anything more than a five in her wallet. She really shouldn’t write a check to a client.
Ryan stood in front of her, hands on his hips. “Will you just get in the truck?”
Kellie looked up at him. There was well over six feet of handsome man in front her and her heart took a tumble. She was supposed to be safer with him? Ha! She should have taken her chances with the tow guy.
She glanced down the road. Too late. Her car was already on its way to the only mechanic in LeNaro.
Ryan opened the passenger side door for her, and his expression softened. “Really, it’s okay.”
“No, it’s not.” She narrowed her eyes.
“Sure it is. I won’t tell a soul.” Ryan leaned against the door dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt over a T-shirt with the sleeves rolled up on strong forearms.
She stared at those defined muscles for a second too long before looking back into his face. He was built solid as a brick wall but she felt safe. Protected.
Weird.
The breeze rustled the fallen leaves giving the growing darkness of dusk a spooky feel. She wouldn’t like walking on a night like this, that’s for sure. She finally nodded and climbed back in. “Okay.”
“Watch your feet,” he said before shutting the door.
She fumbled with her seat belt while he slipped in behind the wheel.
“So, where do you live?”
“A few miles down this road. 3312 Lakeshore.”
His eyebrows rose at the address and his expression soured.
She knew what he was thinking. Poor little rich girl living on