she’d go. He was sure of it.
“I’m going after her.” Leo headed for the door.
“What the hell, Leo?” His dad walked after him, his voice irritated. “We can find another cook, or you can do the cooking.”
“I don’t give a shit about the food, Dad.” Leo stopped at the door. “I’m in love with Mindy.”
Cal Fortiss chortled as Leo pulled the door open. “You’ve got a funny way of showing it, son.”
When his dad was right, he was really right. And Leo had a lot to make up for. But first, he needed to find the one that kept getting away.
***
Mindy dried more tears on the way out of town than she cared to count. All day, she’d jerked when the door opened, wondering if she’d have to face Leo. More than anything, she wanted to work Friday and then take off. They’d make it through the weekend no problem, and maybe she could even talk Cal into giving her a reference when she got back to Portland and started looking for work.
But only if she did her job the best she could.
She’d cleaned the kitchen like a mad person, baked enough of Leo’s buns to last them through Halloween, and froze them. They’d even turned out okay.
In fact, she kept a bag of them with her. And every time she started to cry, she’d pull one of those buns out of the bag and sink her teeth into it. The rich, buttery flavor reminded her of Leo, and pain shot right through her with each memory.
But it was a good pain. A pain she needed to remember. Plus, those buns were so damn good.
She’d been on the road for about half an hour when she passed through her first town. Mindy considered pulling off and throwing the buns in the garbage, or picking up some more comfort food, but more than she wanted comfort, she wanted to get away from Leo.
He wouldn’t be able to hurt her if she was gone.
Cowboys couldn’t hurt you if you hurt them first. They’d cower and self-protect, and eventually leave you alone. She’d learned that much in her years in the city. A city more full of Montana boys than most small towns back home.
And she had a thing for cowboys.
Mindy palmed her face again, catching the tears. Much as she hated to admit it, she was going to miss Leo Fortiss. It almost would have been worth it to open up and let him hurt her. Almost.
Some idiot behind her was flashing his lights and honking. And speeding! Holy cow. The guy was gonna pass her. Maybe it was some off-duty cop trying to get to an emergency. Or a fireman.
Mindy kept her speed and continued driving. The idiot could pass her and get to wherever he was in such a hurry to get.
But instead of blowing past her, he got right up on her tail. Mindy’s heart raced. Was there something wrong? Was she getting arrested? Should she pull over?
The guy was so close to her tail, she couldn’t do anything, so she slowed, hoping he’d get frustrated and just go around her. He didn’t. His honking intensified. In the shadow of his lights, she could see him gesturing to her.
Maybe her purse was on top of the car or something.
Mindy slowed to a stop and pulled over. It was still pretty light out, and this was a high traffic road. There weren’t any cars behind them now, and the two lanes stretched across the horizon, empty in both directions. But someone would come along. If this was some kinda scam, she could handle herself.
When the car stopped, she threw it into park, but left it running. She exploded out the door. “What the fuck, buddy?”
She came face-to-face with Leo Fortiss.
Leo’s chest rose at the sight of her. Her face was pink and a little wet. She’d been crying. But she was pissed! He hadn’t known what else to do, once he spotted her car. He wanted to call her, but he didn’t have her number. Leo was just glad he found her.
He almost took her in his arms right here, even with her red face, screaming at him. He’d never been so glad to see another human being in his whole life.
“Jesus, Min. You took off.”
That quieted her.
“I’m going after her.” Leo headed for the door.
“What the hell, Leo?” His dad walked after him, his voice irritated. “We can find another cook, or you can do the cooking.”
“I don’t give a shit about the food, Dad.” Leo stopped at the door. “I’m in love with Mindy.”
Cal Fortiss chortled as Leo pulled the door open. “You’ve got a funny way of showing it, son.”
When his dad was right, he was really right. And Leo had a lot to make up for. But first, he needed to find the one that kept getting away.
***
Mindy dried more tears on the way out of town than she cared to count. All day, she’d jerked when the door opened, wondering if she’d have to face Leo. More than anything, she wanted to work Friday and then take off. They’d make it through the weekend no problem, and maybe she could even talk Cal into giving her a reference when she got back to Portland and started looking for work.
But only if she did her job the best she could.
She’d cleaned the kitchen like a mad person, baked enough of Leo’s buns to last them through Halloween, and froze them. They’d even turned out okay.
In fact, she kept a bag of them with her. And every time she started to cry, she’d pull one of those buns out of the bag and sink her teeth into it. The rich, buttery flavor reminded her of Leo, and pain shot right through her with each memory.
But it was a good pain. A pain she needed to remember. Plus, those buns were so damn good.
She’d been on the road for about half an hour when she passed through her first town. Mindy considered pulling off and throwing the buns in the garbage, or picking up some more comfort food, but more than she wanted comfort, she wanted to get away from Leo.
He wouldn’t be able to hurt her if she was gone.
Cowboys couldn’t hurt you if you hurt them first. They’d cower and self-protect, and eventually leave you alone. She’d learned that much in her years in the city. A city more full of Montana boys than most small towns back home.
And she had a thing for cowboys.
Mindy palmed her face again, catching the tears. Much as she hated to admit it, she was going to miss Leo Fortiss. It almost would have been worth it to open up and let him hurt her. Almost.
Some idiot behind her was flashing his lights and honking. And speeding! Holy cow. The guy was gonna pass her. Maybe it was some off-duty cop trying to get to an emergency. Or a fireman.
Mindy kept her speed and continued driving. The idiot could pass her and get to wherever he was in such a hurry to get.
But instead of blowing past her, he got right up on her tail. Mindy’s heart raced. Was there something wrong? Was she getting arrested? Should she pull over?
The guy was so close to her tail, she couldn’t do anything, so she slowed, hoping he’d get frustrated and just go around her. He didn’t. His honking intensified. In the shadow of his lights, she could see him gesturing to her.
Maybe her purse was on top of the car or something.
Mindy slowed to a stop and pulled over. It was still pretty light out, and this was a high traffic road. There weren’t any cars behind them now, and the two lanes stretched across the horizon, empty in both directions. But someone would come along. If this was some kinda scam, she could handle herself.
When the car stopped, she threw it into park, but left it running. She exploded out the door. “What the fuck, buddy?”
She came face-to-face with Leo Fortiss.
Leo’s chest rose at the sight of her. Her face was pink and a little wet. She’d been crying. But she was pissed! He hadn’t known what else to do, once he spotted her car. He wanted to call her, but he didn’t have her number. Leo was just glad he found her.
He almost took her in his arms right here, even with her red face, screaming at him. He’d never been so glad to see another human being in his whole life.
“Jesus, Min. You took off.”
That quieted her.
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