“Back where?” He frowned.
Maddie clutched his phone. “To my wedding.”
He scrutinized her, his eyes traveled over her slightly disheveled figure. “Are things that bad?”
She nodded, feeling the warmth of his gaze. “Maybe I could call my maid-of-honor and have her come pick me up.” Maddie started dialing the number. Luckily, numbers were easy to memorize and her friend’s cell phone number was one she had been calling for the last couple of years. Then she hesitated. Would Lyndsey pick her up or would Howard or her parents weasel the information out of her and turn up instead? The last thing she could deal with at that moment was facing her ex-fiancée and her parents.
“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” The concern in his tone nearly undid her. When was the last time anyone had truly cared about her thoughts or feelings in the build-up to the wedding?
“I can’t,” she whispered, holding out the phone to him, her shoulders slumping.
“I can’t leave you here.” He raked his hand through his hair, rumpling it. “How about I take you to Elk View Corner and you can figure out what to do next? Call your friend and tell her I’m giving you a ride.” A second later he’d dug out his wallet and handed her his drivers license. “I’m Garrett, by the way.”
“Maddie.” She took his license, her fingers brushing his in the process. A ripple of awareness ran down her spine at the slight contact.
“Make sure you give her the license plate as well.” When she frowned questioningly, he added, “For your own peace of mind.”
Maddie looked at him. He seemed genuine. And sexy. Don’t even go there, she warned herself. She’d just jilted her groom at the altar. The last thing she needed was another man in her life. Besides, when was the last time a totally sexy guy had been attracted to her?
She made her decision. “Okay. As long as we don’t go to Meadow Flower Resort.”
He quirked an eyebrow, then nodded. “Deal.”
Maddie dialed her friend’s number. A large truck sped past, its driver looking at the two of them with mild curiosity before turning his attention back to the road.
As soon as she heard her maid-of-honor’s voice, she rushed to speak. “Lyndsey, it’s me.”
“Maddie, where are you? Everyone’s frantic! Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. But I need you to find a pen and paper.”
“You’re not in any trouble, are you?”
“No. But I need you to write down something.” She waited, conscious of Garrett being able to hear her every word, although he wasn’t obvious about it.#p#分页标题#e#
“Okay.” Lyndsey sounded breathless.
“Write down Garrett Trask, and this license number.” Maddie walked around to the back of the luxury SUV and read out the license plate.
“Got it. But Maddie, what’s this all about? Are you coming back? What about the wedding?”
Maddie's knuckles tightened on the phone. “There is no wedding. I’ll call you tonight to let you know I’m okay—”
“But Maddie, are you really going to leave Howard at the altar?”
Maddie closed her eyes at the enormity of her decision. “Yes.”
“What am I going to say to him?”
“You can tell him I can’t marry him.” She cut off her friend mid-squawk. “Lyndsey, this is important. If you don’t hear back from me by midnight tonight, then call the police with the information I’ve given you. I got a flat and—” she lowered her voice, “—Garrett is giving me a ride.”
“But Maddie—”
She waved the phone in the air. “You‘re breaking up. Talk to you tonight.”
Maddie ended the call and took a moment to compose herself. Then she turned around and tried to smile at Garrett. "I guess I better call the rental car company."
After speaking to a cheerful customer service representative who assured her they would pick up the car and return it to the rental office, she handed the phone back to Garrett. “Thanks.”
“My pleasure.” He leaned across and opened the passenger door, smiling reassuringly.
She hesitated for a second, then clambered in the passenger side as elegantly as she could, her efforts hampered by the puffy, taffeta skirt.
“Thanks,” she murmured again, fastening the seatbelt.
“We should get to Elk View Corner in an hour.” He put the SUV into gear and drove back onto the highway.
Maddie clutched her dainty purse. Doubt assailed her. Had she done the right thing? Getting a ride from a stranger was a risky thing to do, even if she had given Lyndsey his driver’s license details.