.

      Madison sat in the passenger seat and shot a surreptitious glance to the man who was driving. Around his brown cowboy hat, his shaggy blond hair shone in the sunshine drifting in through the window. He had a strong jawline and a slightly crooked nose and yet that didn’t detract from his rugged handsomeness.

      Flint McCay. She didn’t know much about him, although her heart had certainly fluttered a bit whenever she’d check him out at the grocery store.

      He was definitely something of a legend around these parts. He was a champion bull-rider who had successfully ridden some of the biggest and meanest bulls in the rodeos. She also knew he was well liked around town.

      She’d never heard anything bad about him, but she knew that didn’t mean anything. A man could wear a wonderful facade that drew people to him, but that same man could turn into a horrible monster when there was nobody else around.

      Right now she hoped Flint was her savior. She hoped he really was taking her to a cabin in the woods where she could cool off and take a moment to breathe...to think. And she needed to think to figure out how she was going to get out of town as quickly as possible.

      “Are you going to tell me what’s really going on?” Flint’s question broke the silence of the ride.

      “There’s nothing going on,” she lied. “I had just decided to move away from Bitterroot and in the process my car broke down.”

      He cast her a quick glance, his green eyes filled with skepticism. “If it’s as simple as that, then why are you so worried about people knowing where you are?”

      “I just don’t want anyone trying to change my mind about the move.” She knew he didn’t believe her. She’d said too much initially when he’d stumbled upon her in the hay and she’d never told so many lies in her life. But the reason she desperately needed to escape Bitterroot was something she’d never speak about aloud. Even if she did, nobody would ever believe her.

      As they left the town of Bitterroot behind, a shiver raced through her. She clutched the seat belt fastener with one hand, just in case she had to bail out. Maybe she’d been foolish to trust Flint. Just because he had been pleasant when she’d seen him in the grocery store didn’t mean he was really a good guy.

      “Relax,” he said as if he’d heard her thoughts. “Maddy, I’m not a threat to you. I’m trying to help you.”

      “And I really, really appreciate it,” she replied. It comforted her somewhat that he was a Holiday Ranch cowboy. All the men who had been raised by big Cass Holiday had a reputation for being good, solid men.

      Once again they both fell silent. After they had driven a ways, he made a right turn onto a dirt, tree-lined road. They traveled that road for about five minutes and then he made a left turn onto another narrow road where trees encroached on either side. After several more minutes he made a right turn onto a narrow road that was more of a trail than a real road.

      Trees, casting dark shadows, crowded in and swallowed up the sunshine. The truck bounced over ruts in the road and a rabbit ran in front of them, successfully making it to the other side of their path.

      They were definitely in the middle of nowhere now. For all she knew they could be in another state...another country. If he dropped her off by the side of the road right now she wasn’t sure she’d know how to get back to town.

      Tension tightened her shoulders and knotted her stomach. What was she doing? Was he really taking her to a cabin? Or had she run away from the devil only to wind up in a different hell?

      Then they broke through to a small clearing where a cabin sat nestled among the trees. It looked like something out of a fairy tale. A tiny sigh of relief fluttered through her. At least he hadn’t lied to her about there being a cabin.

      It was a wooden structure with a big window in the front. A stone chimney rose up from the roof, promising warmth on a cold and wintry night. Although the last thing she needed to worry about right now was winter weather. She just hoped it was cooler inside the cabin than it had been in the barn.

      He pulled up in front and they got out of the truck. He grabbed her suitcase from the back and then together they walked to the front door.

      “What is this place?” she asked. Why would Flint have a cabin in the woods when he worked for and lived at the Holiday Ranch?

      “It’s my future,” he said as he opened the door. “Eventually I plan on quitting the Holiday Ranch and when that day comes, I’ll move in here.” He gestured her inside.

      She walked into a small but homey living area. To the right was the refrigerator and stove and cabinets that comprised a small kitchen. A table for two divided the kitchen area from the main living space.

      A brown sofa and recliner sat in front of a stone fireplace. To the left of the fireplace a television was mounted on the wall. A bright blue crocheted afghan hung over the back of the sofa, adding a pop of color. There was a cozy warmth to the space with its rich wooden walls and lamps shaped like kerosene lanterns on the end tables.

      It was definitely a male space. Other than the afghan, there were no decorative accents suggesting any feminine touches at all, but she admired the natural beauty of the space.

      “This is so nice,” she finally said as grateful tears welled up in her eyes. “Are you sure it’s okay for me to stay here for a day or two?”

      He looked away from her and cleared his throat. “I’m positive. I’ll just go and turn on the air-conditioner. It’s definitely warm in here.” He disappeared through one of the doorways off the main room.

      Suddenly, Madison was exhausted. After her car had broken down, she’d walked from her car to the Holiday barn. Then she’d gotten settled in the hay in the barn and had spent most of the night sobbing.

      She sank down on the sofa as Flint came back into the room. “The door on the right goes to my bedroom. The door in the middle is the bathroom and the door on the left is a guest room. I’ll just put your suitcase in there.”

      He grabbed the suitcase and once again disappeared. All she wanted now was to sleep, hopefully without dreams. If she just took a nap then surely she’d be able to think more clearly and figure out a real plan for what needed to happen next in her life.

      When he returned to the main room, he stuffed his hands in his jeans pockets, jiggled keys and frowned. “Maddy, are you sure there’s nothing else you want to tell me?”

      “No, but I’d like to ask you for another favor. I hate to ask because you’re already doing so much in letting me stay here.”

      “What is it?”

      “I was wondering if you could call the garage and have my car towed in. I don’t have a cell phone.”

      “It wouldn’t do you much good out here. The reception is definitely spotty. There’s a landline phone on the nightstand next to my bed. But if you want I can make the call to the garage for you.”

      “Yes, if you don’t mind.”

      He moved toward the front door. “I don’t mind.” She gave him the specifics of where the car was located and that she’d left the keys under the driver floor mat.

      “I should give you my cell phone number in case you think of something else you need. There’s a pad and pens in the drawer in the end table.”

      He pulled out the items and handed them to her. He gave her his cell phone number and she wrote it down. “There are a couple of cold drinks in the fridge, but other than that it’s pretty empty. I’ll go pick up some supplies for you and bring them back here.”

      “I can pay you for whatever you spend on me,” she replied. She did have some money...all of her life savings was tucked into a bra in her suitcase. Sadly, it wasn’t much to start fresh in another town, but she had to make it work. She’d never expected to have