“Yeah, well, that all ends now,” I said, trying to keep my voice level so I didn’t show my frustration or scare her.
“What does?”
“You sleeping in your car.”
“I hate to break it to you, but that’s literally my only option.You said it yourself that the closest hotel is two towns away and that I won’t make it in this weather.”
“And I meant it.You won’t.”
“Then what are you proposing I do?”She put her hand on her hip and studied me.“There was literally nothing around here when I stopped.Where do you expect me to sleep if not in my car?”
“You’ll stay here.With me.”
Four
Charlie
“I’m sorry,” I stammered, my eyebrows raised in surprise.“What did you just say?”
“I said that you’ll stay here with me.”He rocked back on his heels as if this wasn’t earth-shattering news.
“I don’t even know your name,” I blurted out as my mind scrambled to make sense of everything.A million things raced through it, but not knowing his name was the only thing it focused on right then.
“It’s Axel.”
“Okay, but still...I don’t know you.You don’t even know my name.You can’t just tell a random stranger that they’re going to stay with you.”
“Sure I can.I just did.”He shrugged, a boyish grin crossing his face.“And I do in fact know your name.”
“What?How?”
“I saw it earlier when you pulled your wallet out to pay for dinner.Charlie Montgomery.”
“Okay....But...I...No...”I pushed out a frustrated breath and tried to get my words out.“I didn’t mean to stay so late that you couldn’t get out of here and go home before the roads were too bad.I’m sorry.”
“You didn’t,” he replied as he walked behind the bar and grabbed his phone from the counter before coming back to where I was standing.