Embracing Today, a firefighter romance: (The Trading Yesterday Series, #3), Kahlen Aymes [essential reading txt] 📗

my bag, then quickly put it into the bag, and then the toiletries before zipping it. I put on the pair of Nikes I’d brought for the drive.

“Yeah, I don’t have a suitcase.”

“In that case, maybe we should drive the whole way today,” I suggested. “I’m sure you’ll be anxious to get home.” I paused, remembering her boyfriend’s funeral was this morning. “Unless you want to go to the funeral first? We can, if you’d like. Or I can go get your suitcase.”

Marin shook her head adamantly. “No. I don’t want to antagonize Carter’s family. The stuff in the suitcase is replaceable.”

“Okay. Probably a good idea,” I agreed. I didn’t even want to suggest it, knowing it wouldn’t be good to confront them again, especially with me in tow, so I was grateful for her answer.

It wasn’t long before we were both seated in the white Toyota Camry I’d rented and headed west out of the city. I was already on the interstate with the rising sun behind us. “Are you hungry? We can run through a drive thru.”

“It’s early to eat for me, but if you are, please get something.” She smiled, clearly hearing the signs of my plight.

My stomach was growling obnoxiously, and I grinned. “I’m starving,” I admitted. It was normal for me to get up with the sun for work, and earlier lately because of the horses.

I found a McDonald’s right off of I-394 and within a few minutes I was ordering breakfast sandwiches and two coffees. Marin said she wasn’t hungry, but I ordered extra, thinking she’d feel better about eating when the city was behind us.

“Wow, you must be hungry,” she laughed at the half a dozen sandwiches I ordered.

I was a big guy, who worked out a lot and I could put down three of these sandwiches easily. “Firemen eat a lot,” I said, good-naturedly, handing her the bag and putting the coffees in the console between us. “It’s your job to feed me.” I found myself looking forward to this time alone with her and I hoped she’d feel at ease.

She pulled one of the sandwiches out of the bag and handed it to me. I had it devoured in four bites and held my hand out for another.

She laughed and obliged as I zoomed toward the exit for Highway 169. “Want me to use maps?” Marin asked holding up her phone.

“Nah, I can read the road signs,” I winked, unwrapping the second sandwich. “You know, you can eat one or two of those. I got extras.”

“Good to know you’re not a hog.” She smiled.

I patted the flat, solid wall of muscle of my abdomen. “I’m a growing boy.”

Marin picked up her coffee and took a sip. “Thanks for coming to get me, Ben. I felt safer just knowing you were on your way.”

Warmth spread through me. I didn’t want to put her off by getting all heavy, but I couldn’t help how her words made me feel. There was nothing I wanted more than for her to need me. I deliberately took a bite of my sandwich, chewed and swallowed before speaking. “I don’t know what the situation was with Carter, Marin, and you don’t need to tell me, but just know that I can be your friend and you can count on me.”

She shifted in her seat toward me, still holding her coffee. I could feel her eyes on my profile as I drove. I could sense the conflict raging inside her. “I appreciate that, but… why?”

I lifted my right shoulder in a half shrug. The last thing I wanted to say was that her situation reminded me of Missy’s, for two reasons; I didn’t want her to think I looked on her as a sister, and secondly, she hadn’t confided in me that Carter had abused her.

“I can’t really say…I guess, I feel very protective of you. I know you just lost someone you loved, and you and I just met under the most terrible circumstances. As horrible as that was, I do think that I was working that night for a reason. Call it fate, I don’t know. I don’t want you to think I’m trying to take his place. I just think we could both use a friend. For now.”

Marin swallowed and looked out the passenger window. I could see her struggling to keep tears at bay. “I agree. I’m very happy about meeting you and Gina. I’ve felt blessed to know both of you in the past days. You’re both so kind.”

I wasn’t sure how I felt that she’d lumped me in with the nurse, but I had to remind myself that her man just died, and she wasn’t ready for anything other than friendship and probably wouldn’t be for a long time, even if he was abusive. It would be difficult not to show my attraction toward her, but I vowed that I’d keep it to myself.

“So, tell me about growing up on the ranch.” I wanted to distract her and also stop myself from blurting out several questions about her relationship with Carter.

I listened intently as I drove, and soon we were approaching the South Dakota boarder. Marin told me of her life in Denver before moving to Jackson when she was nine. The love she had for her uncle was clear, though she said the first few months were difficult because her uncle didn’t have a clue about raising a kid, but then they found a mutual interest in the horses.

She told me how he taught her to ride and how she learned his business long before she went off to college. She was animated and happy when talking about her uncle, and so I hesitated to ask about her boyfriend, though after the text last night about how she feared the family would follow her to Wyoming, I felt I had to know. I needed to know what she was dealing with so I could protect her.

It was around 11:30 AM the