Rock Hard Neighbor

“Sir, you need to come with us,” the manager said.

“I suggest you do as they ask,” Brian said.

“No worries. I’ve got plenty of city girls I can tolerate to replace you,” Daryl said. “City girls that have real passions. Girls who don’t waste their time doodling their life away.”

I saw Brian’s fists clench at his sides as the manager escorted Daryl from the restaurant.

“Lose my number, Amanda!”

“I already have,” I called back..

I sighed with my head in my hands as Brian sat back down in his chair.

“I’m so sorry,” I said.

“Who the hell was that guy?” he asked.

“My ex. I ended things with him a few months ago. He was pissed when I left the city without telling him.”

“Well I can certainly see why you left him,” Brian said.

“I’m so sorry, Brian,” I said as tears welled in my eyes.

“Hey. Amanda. Look at me.”

I rose my watery gaze to him before he reached over and took my hand.

“You have no reason to apologize,” he said. “He’s the jackass. You did nothing wrong. Let’s enjoy the evening, okay?”

His thumb swirling along the top of my hand was comforting. I relaxed into my seat as I laced our fingers together, our eyes connected as a grin spread across my face.

“I have to admit, it was kind of hot, the way you stood up to him,” I said.

Brian smiled back. “No one messes with my fiancé,” he said.

My stomach flipped when he said the word. I couldn’t believe that I was actually going to marry this man tomorrow. I squeezed his hand in reassurance before the waitress approached us again. We gave her our food orders and talked about how the day tomorrow would work. The food was delicious, and I ate until I could hardly eat anymore. Then Brian escorted me back to his truck with his hand on my lower back. I felt safe when I was with him; protected and cherished. So many things I hadn’t felt when I was with Daryl for all those years.

For one brief moment, I allowed myself to hope that maybe this marriage wouldn’t turn out to be fake at all.

CHAPTER 20

Brian

Falling asleep with Amanda in my arms was pure bliss. I reveled in the feeling of her nuzzling into me, and the way her leg mindlessly slipped between mine. I enjoyed having her next to me in my bed, keeping my body warm during the cold night on top of the mountain. But when I opened my eyes to take in the scent of her hair, she wasn’t there.

“Amanda?”

I opened my eyes and looked around before I sat up in bed. Her side of the bed was cold, and it caused me to jump up.

“Amanda. Where are you?”

I slipped on a pair of pants and padded out into the kitchen. The lights in the house were out, and Lanie was still sound asleep. I saw a dress hanging up in the living room that I didn’t recognize, but there was no Amanda to be found.

Where the fuck was she?

I started to panic. What if she’d changed her mind during the night and left? What if she had decided to go back to her asshole ex? What if the fire had scared her and she thought I couldn’t protect her from Lanie’s crazy father? What if she just didn’t want me? The questions ran through my head, threatening to make me crazy as I searched the house for her.

“Amanda!”

“Ssshhh. You’re going to wake Lanie.”

I looked down the hallway and saw Amanda coming through the front door. She was bundled up in a scarf and a coat, and she was cradling something in her arms. I rushed toward her and stopped just shy of the kitchen, where she dumped the cans of cinnamon rolls onto the counter.

“It’s freezing out there,” she said. “You should put on a shirt.”

She hung up her coat and scarf on the coat rack by the door. Shivering, she walked over to the cans and began rummaging around for a pan. I studied her as she prepared to make breakfast, trying to calm myself down now that she was here in front of me. She hadn’t left me. She hadn’t run away. She was here, right where she belonged.

I let out a long, relieved breath.

“Brian, are you okay?”

My eyes connected with hers as she turned toward me, her body leaning against the counter.

“Oh my gosh. I didn’t worry you, did I? You were sleeping hard when I woke up. So I figured I could go get some stuff from my place to cook breakfast. You didn’t have much here besides eggs.”

“I’m just glad you’re here,” I said.

She walked over to me and wrapped her arms around my neck. I buried my face in her hair, taking in her scent. I could smell the dust from her cabin on her, and I made a mental note to ask about the condition of it later. But for right now, I would settle for helping her make the cinnamon rolls.