"The brother who's going to hunt me down?"
"The same one." I studied Griffin again. "What about you? What do you do when you're not rescuing stranded drivers?"
"Like I said, search and rescue pilot. Wildfire crew mostly. Don't have time for much else. I was down in Southern California picking up some specialized equipment for my crew. Heading back to Nevada now."
That explained the competent vibe and the emergency equipment in the back. "Dangerous work."
"Can be. But someone has to do it."
Something in his tone made me look at him more carefully. There was a seriousness there, a weight that suggested he'd seen more than his share of real emergencies. It made my car troubles seem relatively minor.
"Thank you," I said quietly. "For stopping. Not everyone would have."
Griffin shrugged. "Couldn't leave you there. Besides, you looked like you were about to challenge your car to a duel."
I laughed despite myself. "I was considering it. I don't like being messed with."
"I could tell." His eyes flicked to my outfit—professional but comfortable, chosen specifically for making a good impression. "You've got that 'I will not be defeated by the world' look down to an art form."
"Is that a bad thing?"
"Not bad. Just... intense."
"There's nothing wrong with having standards."
"Never said there was. But sometimes shit happens, and you have to roll with it."
I was about to argue that point when his phone rang. He answered via Bluetooth, and Beck's gravelly voice filled the truck.
"Griffin? Got bad news about the Honda. Engine's completely shot. Even if I could get parts, we're talking a rebuild that would cost more than the car's worth."
My carefully constructed budget crumbled a little more. "How much are we talking?"
"More than you want to spend, honey. You'd be better off putting that money toward something newer."
I closed my eyes, feeling my independence slipping through my fingers. Without a car, how was I supposed to get around Oakcrest Bay? How was I supposed to prove I could handle this job when I couldn't even manage basic transportation?
"Thanks, Beck," Griffin said. "We'll figure something out."
When the call ended, silence filled the truck. I stared out the window, trying to process this latest disaster.
"I'm sorry," Griffin said finally.
"It's not your fault." The words came out sharper than I intended. "I'll figure something out. I always do."
"You know," Griffin said carefully, "I need to make a stop in Foxfire Valley first to deliver this equipment to my crew. But from there, it's only about four hours to Oakcrest Bay. I could take you the whole way if you want."
I looked at him suspiciously. "Why would you do that?"
"Because you need help, and I'm not on a tight schedule at the moment. The equipment delivery is the only thing I'm on the clock for right now."
His offer was tempting, but it also felt like admitting defeat. I'd wanted to start this new chapter by proving I could handle anything independently. Instead, I'd need a chauffeur who made detours.
"I can't ask you to go that far out of your way."
"You're not asking. I'm offering." He glanced at me. "Besides, you might actually like Foxfire Valley. It's got character."
"What kind of character?"
