Chapter Three

Bonnie

For the first time in weeks, Bonnie felt safe. She had a fluffy towel draped over her shoulders with another wrapped around her body and a third drying her hair. She sipped gingerly at the hot chamomile tea in her hands. A small sigh of relief rippled through her.

The knot of tension that seemed to live in between her shoulder blades relaxed just a little bit. She wasn't shivering anymore, and she wasn't afraid. It almost felt like a dream after the past few weeks.

"So, what were you doing out on No-man's Road?" Laura asked, drinking from her cup of tea. "It's kind of off the beaten path."

She and Mia sat across from her at the large square table, and Dylan had pulled up a chair catty-corner to them. Bonnie was doing her best not to look at him too much. She had a bad habit of staring at handsome men.

“I was trying to enjoy the mountains,” Bonnie explained. “I thought my car could handle it since it didn't look too steep. Apparently not.”

Laura nodded. “Are you from around here? Or just driving through?”

“Um, just passing through,” Bonnie replied. She adjusted the towel over her shoulders.

“Where are you headed?” Laura pressed. Her voice was friendly, but the tension in Bonnie's shoulders started to creep up again.

“Laura, stop interrogating the poor woman,” Mia said gently, setting her tea on the table. “If she doesn't want to tell us, she doesn't have to.”

“Thank you,” Bonnie replied quietly, looking into her own cup of tea. She looked up at the faces of the people around her. They were kind. It gave her courage. “Actually, I'm kind of on the run.”

“From what?” Laura asked, leaning forward with excitement in her eyes. Mia gave her a stern look that Laura completely ignored.

"My ex. It's a bad situation, and I needed to get away from him," Bonnie lied. It was her standard go-to lie now, but she couldn’t talk about them. Her most recent ex-boyfriend was happily married and living in Reno. He wouldn't appreciate being used like this, but it was better this way. She hated lying to these people who were helping her but, no one asked questions about why she was running from an ex. No one asked her to prove it or said she was making things up. It was far more believable than the truth.

“That's terrible,” Laura whispered, her green eyes wide. Mia nodded as well.

“I was taking the back road because it not only looked prettier, but I'm trying to stay away from busy places. I don't really feel safe in crowds right now,” Bonnie explained with a shrug. She happened to look over at Dylan to see his brow darken. He looked over at the door like he was expecting her ex to walk through it at any moment and he was going to beat the shit out of the guy.

“He won't find you here,” Dylan assured her, his deep brown eyes meeting hers. She believed him. The knot in her shoulders relaxed a little more.

“Anyway, that's why I was out there,” she finished lamely, forcing herself to look away from him. “I was looking for scenic views and once again chose poorly.”

“That's terrible,” Laura said, shaking her head. She paused and frowned. “I just realized that we didn't get your name.”

“Oh! I'm Bonnie.” She smiled at the two women and Dylan. “Bonnie Kincaid. It's nice to meet you all. Thank you for all the help today.”

“You're most welcome,” Mia assured her. She looked thoughtful as she sipped her tea. “If you're looking for some good mountain views, I recommend going up the mountain on Turnback Road. Once your car is fixed up, of course.”

“I'll make sure I do that,” Bonnie replied. She set her empty mug down on the table. “Do you have a mechanic in the area you would recommend? Once the rain stops, I'll call for a tow.”

“There's no need to do that,” Dylan said quickly. “We have plenty of people here at the ranch that can fix your car. Besides, this storm isn't going to let up for a while.”

“It isn't?” Bonnie felt her heart sink. She had planned on just getting back on the road as soon as possible. She didn't really have a plan on where she was going, but she wanted to keep moving before they found her.

Mia shook her head. “The forecast has the rain going until morning, but you should stay here.”

“Here?” Bonnie looked around at the cafeteria. It was obviously meant for children and teens, not adults. The colors were far too bright and cheerful.

“All the campers are gone for the night,” Mia explained. “We have an extra counselor cabin and plenty of room.”

“I really don't want to impose,” Bonnie replied. She adjusted the towel on her shoulders. She already felt like they'd done more than needed to help her.

“It's no trouble at all,” Dylan assured her. Her eyes went back to him, and she found it hard to look away. He was strong and safe. “There’s no reason for you to wait for a tow and spend the night in a hotel.”

“And to be honest, the hotel in town isn’t all that great,” Laura whispered loud enough for the whole room to hear.

“Are you guys sure?” Bonnie looked around the table at the people who barely knew her but were willing to put her up for the night. “You don’t know me.”

Mia reached across the table and touched her hand. “I know people.” Their eyes met, and Bonnie saw only kindness in her eyes. “Stay the night.”

“Thank you,” Bonnie whispered. She thought about saying no, but the idea of a real bed and a hot shower was too much to pass up. Thunder rumbled outside again, sealing her decision. “I’ll stay. Thank you.”

“Of course. It’s kind of our mission to help people here,” Mia explained with a chuckle. “You need some help, so we're here to do that.”

“Is there anything I can do to repay you? I'm afraid I don't have a lot of cash right now, but I'd be happy to clean dishes in the kitchen or clean cabins or something,” Bonnie offered. “I don’t really have a job right now, so I’m happy to help out if you can use me.”

Mia started to laugh.

“Fate. It’s fate,” Laura said, shaking her head and chuckling. “Tell the universe you need something, and there it is.”

“Our dishwasher just broke, and we’re short-staffed in the kitchen this week,” Mia explained. “We need someone to help in the kitchen. I’m afraid it would only be for room and board, but if you want a job, it’s yours.”

“I want it,” Bonnie replied, nearly stumbling over the words in her haste to claim the position. Her funds were running low, and this place would be perfect to hide out in. She took a breath and smiled. “I would really like the job,” she repeated, this time with more grace.

“You’re sure?” Mia asked, keeping her smile in check. “There’s no money.”

“It would be amazing,” Bonnie told her. “Honestly, room and board is perfect.”

It meant less money spent, and it was less likely to be tracked. She couldn’t have asked for a better option. Not to mention that it meant she’d probably see more of Dylan. She told herself that wasn’t part of her excitement at all.

“Okay.” Mia smiled big and wide. “Tomorrow morning, just come back here at seven. Chef will show you the ropes.”

“Thank you.” Bonnie felt giddy with relief and excitement. Not only did she have a place to stay for the night, but she also had a job for the week. She couldn’t have asked for a better place for her car to break down. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.”

“I’m here to help people,” Mia replied with a big smile. “That’s what we do here. It looks like you could use the help, so you came to the right place.”

Bonnie glanced around the cafeteria as thunder rumbled outside.

You have no idea how right you are, she thought to herself. She needed all the help she could get.