Chapter 6
The wine was nearly gone, Blooming Grounds put back together, and plenty of laughter shared. The night was creeping to end, as much as Megan didn’t want it to. The brewing friendships and camaraderie between this family-like group of friends had her hooked. Even if one of them was making it hard for her to sit comfortably.
Colton and Megan had been seated next to one another, compliments of meddling matchmakers in the group, and she was pretty sure it began and ended with Sam and Evie, likely assisted by Carigan and Morgan. She adored them for their thoughtfulness, but they were making it increasingly hard to keep things in the friend zone with the handsome firefighter next to her.
It wasn’t lost on the crowd that they laughed a little harder at each other’s jokes and had a few more lingering looks than the rest. All it took was one kiss. One kiss branded forever in her mind as the quick beginning and end to anything that could transpire. Colton may be half way to dating already, but Megan was stuck in the past and not ready or able to move forward, no matter how hot and tempting the muse.
Thoughts of their brief escapade danced around in her head, blushing her cheeks. His grin and knowing-wink let her know that he knew exactly what she was recounting in her mind. If he read her that well already, she was in trouble.
The shifting in her seat, from the fury of heat he was causing her in all of her unmentionable places, earned her a chuckle. Damn, he was good.
A loud honking sound broke the spell and drew everyone’s attention to the street just outside. Megan was sitting, facing the window, and immediately spotted the cause for alarm just before he was hit by a car. A well-dressed man had been staring back at her while crossing the street from the opposite side and stepped right in front of a vehicle traveling down Main Street.
Screams scattered from the late-night crowd that had been out enjoying the warm fall evening. One scream in particular caught her by surprise…her own. The friends vacated their table and rushed outdoors to assess the scene. All off duty emergency and rescue personnel, they jumped into action and did what came as second nature to them.
Carigan grabbed Dawson’s oversized professional first aid kit that he kept in his truck, a few cars away. Megan stood there completely in shock as Dawson and Colton assisted Carigan in an impressive attempt to save the stranger laying in the street before them. Blake set out flares and redirected the evening traffic and “looky-loos,” making a path for the ambulance and fire truck that could be heard in the distance.
The upset driver that hit the mystery man was tended to by Morgan while Jessie cleared the sidewalk of gawkers. Evie stood above the scene, phone to ear, directing and updating dispatch, and Sam stood at Meg’s side, consoling her, wiping the tears she hadn’t even realized were there. It was like a sobering scene straight out of a movie. The only thing missing was the eerie music, full of dramatic highs and lows to match the events as they unfolded.
Megan stared at the man lying on the pavement, eyes locked on his gaze. He was staring back with a smile that sent chills down her spine. A strange sense of fear filtered through her. There was something familiar about him, something dark and icy. The swarming sensation filled her with dread and the need to run.
Why did he have such a familiar look about him in a small town where she only knew a handful of people? He had been watching her from across the street. She noticed him just before he had moved her direction. He let out a brief chuckle that reeked of depravity as his eyes glazed over and he went blank. Tears stained her cheeks while her secret past began to haunt her where she stood.
How could anyone have found her? She had been so careful. No, he must have been a tourist, late to the party. She was safe here. She was impossible to find – all of her tracks were covered. This was just wine and a little paranoia.
Blake noticed Megan’s reaction to the man and the man’s focus on her before he took his final breath. Was this a case of shock on her part and his final moments being at the feet of a pretty girl, or was there more? Something was nudging him toward the latter. He would find out. He always did when there was malice of any kind, and this left an uneasy stench.
The on-duty paramedics continued where Dawson and Carigan had left off, giving every effort they had to save the stranger on their way to the hospital, even if it didn’t look good for the man. The street had been cleared and reopened to traffic as if nothing had transpired. Sitting inside Blooming Grounds, Megan couldn’t take her eyes off the street from where she sat.
They tossed the last bottle of wine and cleared the table that had been the host of their joyful evening until the past hour. Shaken to her core, Megan was at a loss for words when she was startled by the eyes pinned on her by the group of friends standing in front of her.
“You okay, Princess?” Jessie showed sincere concern, even with the princess dig tossed in.
“Oh, yeah. Just…wow, that was something else. Right?” She shook her head as if it would clear the images of the man and all that the past hour had held.
“Honey, it’s okay to feel stunned. We are used to things like this in our lines of work,” Carigan offered with sympathy for her friend.
“Yeah, this isn’t something we see every day, but we see it. If you need to talk about it, we’re here. Okay?” Evie offered.
“No, thank you, but I’m fine. It was just…a little shocking. That’s all,” she finished with a synthetic smile. She stood to hug them all goodbye and thank them for their help in her night’s success.
Blake gave Colton a nod while hugging her goodbye, as if understanding why he was the last to leave. It was clear she was still shaken, and Blake, being Blake, didn’t miss a thing. Colton nodded back before giving the standard “bro” goodbye handshake as he made his way out the door. Colton appreciated his friend’s intuition and concern but had already decided that he was taking her home, whether she wanted him to or not.
Megan turned, startled by Colton still standing there. She quickly wiped at the tears that had finally won and made their way down her cheeks.
“Oh, sorry! I thought you walked out with Blake. I don’t know why I am crying. I didn’t know the man. Too much wine and tired, I suppose.” She laughed off the emotions and gave a simple shrug and eye roll, annoyed with her own behavior.
“Let me drive you home, Meg. We are practically going to the same place.”
“Oh, Colton, I appreciate it, but…”
He cut her off before she could deliver any excuses. He moved in closer, placing his hands on either side of her waist, bending down so he was at eye level. “I’m not taking no for an answer, sweetheart. What you saw tonight…was awful. You’re clearly shaken up and in no condition to drive. I’ll drive you home, and I’ll bring you back to town tomorrow morning for your car. We’ve had enough excitement for one night. We don’t need another accident.”
As the man from the street’s face wandered through her mind, taunting her, provoking a reaction she didn’t quite recognize, she finally caved. She nodded her head just as the tears started again, and she hiccuped a quiet sob. He pulled her in and held her tight, comforting her while she let out what had been stirring for the past hour.
He rubbed her back, kissed the top of her head, and whispered sweet words of encouragement. “It’s okay, honey. It’s over. I’ve got you,” he said. “You’re okay, darlin’. You’re safe.”
He was right in one regard – he did
have her. He had her good and tight, and she didn’t want him to let go. His arms were strong and packed with something she had never experienced—comfort, concern, and something else that she couldn’t quite put a finger on. He felt like home on a dark and stormy night, and she wanted to stay there forever.
What he didn’t have right was that she was okay. Sure, the sense of distress would pass when the wine completely wore off and she had a chance to reconcile the feelings provoked by watching a man possibly die at her feet. Her gut said safe
was a term to be used loosely – that perhaps that man was there for her
, and this might just be the beginning of something she thought couldn’t find her.
The drive home was quiet. She hadn’t said a word since shedding her mountain of tears. Glancing at her sitting beside him with her arms wrapped around herself and her head leaning against the window, he could see the emotions streaming through her.
She began to rub her hands nervously across her lap as they pulled into her driveway. She lived alone with her nephew, and it hadn’t bothered her until now. Paranoia had settled in as ghosts of her past taunted her with a single incident that likely had nothing to do with her. She sat staring at the front of her house long beyond parking in the driveway.
Colton had cut the engine, but she remained where she was, rubbing her hands as if building up the nerve to go inside. A shocking event will cause people to act anything other than their level of normal, but something about her sense of anxiety left him unsettled. She was nervous, maybe afraid, but why?
“You okay?” he asked, unsuccessful in gaining her attention. “I’ll walk you in, get you settled.”
Colton jumped out of the truck and made his way around to her side to help her out. When he opened her door, she was anything but focused, still lost in thought. He put a hand on her leg, startling her back to present.
“Whoa, you’re okay! It’s just me, honey. Where were you just now? You have me a little worried.” His expression confirmed his words as he spoke softly to her, hoping not to further upset her.
Megan looked around, suddenly embarrassed by her behavior. “Oh geez, Colton, I am so sorry. I guess I’m just a little spent. Long day…lots of emotions.” She chuckled as if acknowledging her odd behavior as silly, hoping to move on and not shed her secret fears.
“Okay, let’s get you inside. I can stay a while if you’d like?” He paused, reading her expression before defining his intentions to put her at ease. “Just until you’re settled in, promise. No agenda here…just a concerned friend.”
Normally, Megan would stop the conversation before it reached this point. An adamant no
would be easy to deliver, but tonight, she couldn’t. He was hard to say no to, harder to resist, but his sincerity and kindness gave her the comfort she desperately needed. Just this once, she would break her own rules. She smiled a sweet smile and nodded as he held her hand, helping her down from his sky-high truck.
Making their way inside, she gestured to the couch, handing him the remote, expecting him to put on some form of sports news or movie centered around blowing crap up. To her surprise, he turned it to something sweet, a movie that most men probably hadn’t heard of. He really was different from the rest, an amazing catch if she were fishing.
“Can I get you anything?” she asked with a shyness that he found cute.
“No, thank you. I’m good. A good ol’ love story sounds like the perfect thing to wrap an odd evening,” he replied with a wink.
“Sounds like a plan. I’ll be right back.” She excused herself to her bedroom for a quick change into something more comfortable so she could truly relax and try to shake the ominous cloud that seemed to be hovering over her.
She returned in a semi-fitted t-shirt and yoga pants that earned her an endearing grin of approval from her guest. She hadn’t intended to dress for him but found satisfaction in knowing he had a thing for her in yoga pants. She grabbed her favorite movie-watching, throw blanket and sat on the couch beside him.
He was sitting at one end of the sofa with an arm stretched along the back. Not sure what motivated her to do so, she scooted in and leaned into him, resting her head against his shoulder. Before long, his arm found its way around her, it was strong and comforting and all she could do was melt into his embrace, finally feeling free of the stress the night had conjured up.
He could feel her body start to relax into him as he held her close. He kissed the top of her head when her breathing started to slow and deepen. Having her fall asleep in his arms wasn’t what he had planned or even expected, but he wasn’t going to complain. It felt good
– it felt right
.
Recalling the night’s events like a highlight reel, he became more and more intrigued by the woman in his arms. She was lovely and kind. Her energy throughout the night was contagious – she was completely in her element.
Her enthusiasm over the Holiday Fair warmed Colton’s heart. He could see the wheels turning and found it incredibly adorable. Nobody wanted that job, but she was damn near giddy with excitement. She seemed to be fitting in and feeling comfortable – that was encouraging to him.
He wanted to get through those walls of hers but was unsure how. He assumed there was something, or things, he still didn’t know about her that were going to be his largest obstacles yet. Something dramatic, something hurtful perhaps, he didn’t know, but he would find a way through it, straight to her heart.
Satisfied with his plan and commitment to explore who Megan Johnson was and claim her heart, he kissed the top of her head. She took in a deep relaxing breath in response, drawing a smile to his handsome face. He could get used to this.
He clicked off the TV and stood, scooping her up as he went. Finding his way down the hallway, through process of elimination, he located her room and gently placed her on her bed, sitting at the edge.
He kissed her temple and whispered, “Good night, darlin’.”
He stood to leave, but she caught his hand and with eyes still closed, pulled him closer and whispered, “Stay? Please?”
Her plea was so soft, so innocent, laced with a hint of insecurity. He knew she wasn’t asking for anything more than comfort and companionship. She was afraid to be alone for whatever reason. He was happy to be her chosen protector, the one to make her feel safe.
He crawled into her bed behind her and pulled her close. Still half asleep, she cozied her way into him as he draped his arm over her. A perfect fit, he found pleasure in knowing she wanted him, needed him, in such an emotional way. That far outweighed the physical in his mind.
Dropping one more sweet kiss to her temple, he said, “Always, sweetheart, always…”
He could get used to this…