I’d been on the run for weeks and never had a dream about Alistair until now. I just prayed it wasn’t a premonition about this town.
Taking my time to let myself calm down, I finally shoved my legs out from under the blanket and got to my feet. Faint light glowed around the edges of the curtain, and I hurried across the room to where I could peer out from it.
Morning light drenched the woods in the distance, and down below lay the most glorious river, glinting beneath the sun like a chest of jewels. Across the bank, a green meadow spread outward, dotted in white flowers, along with at least a dozen cabin-like homes. Farther down the river, I spotted a bridge, made for cars to pass, and suddenly, the ghost town I’d stumbled into last night had been transformed into a picturesque scene so pretty, I couldn’t have made it up. Perfect for anyone looking to get away. Maybe this was where all those earlier cars that had honked at me last night were rushing to.
Not that I could see any cars from up here.
No sounds came from outside my room either. It was strange how quiet this town appeared.
The fleeting thought came and went as I remembered I had a car to collect. I was already dreading seeing how badly it was damaged. I grabbed my clothes from the floor and headed into the shower.
Had luck actually been on my side for once in finding this place? I didn’t want to push it.
I closed my eyes beneath the hot spray of water, starting to feel semi normal. Which was saying a lot, considering I’ve been on the road and spent many nights sleeping in my car. This was a luxury. I used the time to scrub my body with the little hotel soap and then lathered my hair with the hotel shampoo. It was apple-scented, and I smiled, almost forgetting how good a hot shower could feel.
Once I dried and pulled on my old clothes, I ran my fingers through my hair to chase away the tangles. I even used the small tube of toothpaste and the toothbrush supplied.
By the time I stepped out of my room, I felt brand new…if you didn’t count the day old worn clothes I was wearing that were covered with dirt, sweat, and a little bit of blood from last night’s adventure.
I headed downstairs where the hum of voices suddenly reached me, and instantly, my initial reaction was to pause, to back away. My body protested, and I retreated back up the steps.
I had to get my car somehow fixed and then leave. The more I kept moving across the country, the safer I’d be. Distance between Alistair and I was the answer.
Never stop in one place too long, Nelly had told me. Keep going, and he won’t track you down.
Suddenly, Jim rounded the corner to come up the staircase, and I stiffened.
He paused, smiling, and the sunlight hitting the back of his head gave him a halo. For a moment, he reminded me of an angel. Maybe he was one, seeing as he offered me a sound sleep and food without so much as mentioning payment last night. Well not yet anyway… I still needed to work that part out.
“Morning. Carrie’s just finished breakfast if you’re hungry,” he said chirpily, yet something danced behind his eyes, an uncertainty when he looked at me, just like last night, as though he knew something I didn’t.
“Thank you. I’ll be out of your hair soon.” I followed him out into the main bar area. Again, the place remained empty. Jim led me to the far table right by the window where the sun lit up the spot like a beacon.
“I’ll bring out the meal. Coffee, tea, or juice?”
“Coffee would be wonderful.” I watched him head back quickly, noting he had a slight limp, and all I could think was that maybe I’d been too trusting, that I should have snuck out earlier, except then what? My car was still half attached to a tree.
I sighed.
Barely had I finished the thought when Jim reemerged carrying a black tray. He set it in front of me. Eggs, bacon, sausage. A bowl of fruit and yogurt. Toast and butter. My stomach betrayed me and growled. I hadn’t eaten like this since I’d left.
“Carrie wasn’t sure what you’d like. It’s been a while since she had guests using our lodging.”
I blinked up at him, my eyes pricking because so few people had been this kind to me before…well, not without wanting something in return. Which made me worry he’d expect something too.
“Well, dig in,” he insisted.
“Thank you.” I buttered the toast and started eating. Jim took a seat across from me as an older woman emerged from the kitchen who I assumed was his wife.
A slightly fuller woman around the waist, she dressed in a wraparound dress the color of the meadow outside that framed her curves perfectly. She had short hair and large, round, green eyes, and I immediately felt comfortable with her.
“Hello, dear, I’m Carrie.” She came right over and gave me a half hug. A faint clementine scent overwhelmed me, and I held back the need to sneeze from the strong citrus perfume she wore.
“Jim tells me you’re from out of town.” She took a seat next to her husband and rested her hands over her stomach, smiling. “Will you be staying with us for a bit then?”
I swallowed the mouthful of scrambled eggs.
“It all depends on my car—”
“The boys at our local mechanic towed it into town this morning,” Jim explained.
“They did?” I almost choked on my food.
He nodded.
“Sure did. Well, after Jim here told them to get off their lazy asses and bring it in.” Carrie smiled at me… She reminded me in part of my mother. The tenderness, the care in her eyes, the softness in her words…but that didn’t make her safe, now did it?
“Where is it?” I lowered my fork.
“At the end of the main road, you can’t miss the sign. Dentworks. They’ve probably already started working on it.”
“Oh.” The sound fell past my lips.
“Is something wrong?” Carrie asked.
“It’s just that…” I licked my lips. “I don’t really have enough money to pay for the car. Or for your generosity.” Lowering my gaze, my cheeks burned with embarrassment that I said nothing of the kind to Jim last night. I had twenty dollars to my name, and that wasn’t going to get me far.
“Are you in danger?” Carrie asked quietly and reached over the table, laying a hand on my arm. The tenderness brought tears to my eyes, a problem I’d had since I arrived here, but I blinked them away.
I looked over to the door, thinking it might be easier just to leave. I didn’t want to talk about myself and definitely not with Jim and Carrie. Humans wouldn’t understand the barbaric ways of wolf hierarchy, how females were objects to be owned, how I doubted Alistair would ever stop searching for me and that I had to keep running.
Carrie met my eyes, waiting for my response, a look of patience passing through her green gaze.
“I left home really fast.” I peered over at them, but they didn’t pepper me with questions. They just looked at me with sympathy. Something I didn’t want, but I appreciated that over constant judgement. In all honesty, I wasn’t sure what to do with such a reaction. I’d spent the last few years doing nothing but following rules and falling short, so this…this was refreshing.
“Your stay last night plus your meals are on the house. But I’m not sure if they will fix your car for free, unfortunately,” Jim added.
A rush of emotion hit me again with his words. The concept of kindness was foreign to me, and I almost didn’t know what to do with it. I cleared my throat, pushing away the pesky tears once again.