A Fortune's Texas Reunion

“I am.” Austin kept an arm protectively around Georgia’s shoulder but extended his other. “Austin Fortune. I appreciate what you did for my sister. She says you pulled her out of that.” He nodded toward the mangled vehicle now fixed in place atop the flatbed. Charlie had a broom and a bucket and was sweeping up debris where she’d gone through the rail.

The dusty brim of the sheriff’s hat cast most of his face in shadow, but Georgia still felt his gaze roving over her as he briefly shook her brother’s hand. “Sheriff Price. I’m glad she wasn’t hurt more badly than she was. And that nobody else was involved. I’m not issuing a citation, since she didn’t commit any offenses—”

“Big of you.”

He ignored her. “That could change if under the course of investigation new information comes to light.” He was still holding his boxy metal clipboard and he slid a business card free, handing it to Georgia.

She automatically took it, annoyed with the way she shivered when her fingertips brushed his. “There isn’t any new information,” she assured him. She glanced down at the card.

“That’s Charlie’s card,” he said, pointing out what she’d just realized.

Why had she thought he might want her to have his number?

Thankfully unaware of her thoughts, he was continuing. “You’ll want to arrange things with him when it comes to getting the rest of your personal belongings. And you’ll want to keep the accident report when you deal with your auto-insurance folks. If you want Charlie to contact them for you, I can tell him to go ahead. Don’t know if they’ll want to send someone to see the vehicle in person or not. It’s a given it’ll be totaled, though.” He tore off a carbon copy of the report he’d made and folded it in thirds before extending it.

“Since my phone is MIA, I’d appreciate him making that call.” She plucked the report from his grasp. No shivers, no way, no, ma’am.

“She can come with me now?” her brother asked.

“Address of the urgent care in Amber Falls is on the back of the report. Might want to get her checked out for good measure. But as long as she’s got clearance from Sean and Sarah, I’ve got no reason to keep her.”

At the mention of their names, Sean waved a thumbs-up. “She’s good, Sheriff. Lucky as hell, that’s for sure.”

Which was what Georgia needed to remember.

“Let me get the air-conditioning going in the SUV,” Austin told her. “Then we’ll get you out of here.” He squeezed her shoulder gently before jogging across the highway.

She looked toward the sheriff.

No matter how his attitude had changed when he’d learned she was a member of the Fortune family, he had saved her from the car.

She stuck out her own hand. “Thank you for your help, Pax.” She wasn’t sure what devil made her use his name. Maybe the same devil that made her curious to see the circus that the coming wedding was sure to be.

But the devil got more than she bargained for when Pax tapped his thumb against his hat brim and pushed it up an inch before he slowly closed his hand around hers. His fingers were long, his palm warm. “Glad to be of service—” he waited half a beat “—Georgia.”

Something in her chest went tight. His emerald eyes were once again soft and warm and vaguely mossy.

She moistened her lips and slowly pulled her hand away.

It was probably a good thing that he was biased against people with her last name. Everything else about him would just make for complications.

She preferred short, simple and uncomplicated.

Moistening her lips again, she grabbed her little purse and overnighter from where they sat on the ground near the ambulance.

Aside from it, the tow truck and the sheriff’s SUV, there was only one other vehicle sitting on the side of the road, and Georgia immediately started to cross the road toward it.

“Whoa, there.” A hand grabbed her arm, hauling her up short, and she jerked, looking up at Pax.

Her heart simply thudded. That’s all there was to it. And it had nothing to do with the car accident. It was all him.

“Better watch where you’re going,” he said mildly, and she realized that a fast-moving car was approaching.

It slowed only minimally as it passed them, and only when it was gone again did Pax let go of her arm.

She hugged her meager belongings to her chest. “You’re right. I had better watch where I’m going.” Then she finally managed to pull her eyes away from his and she jogged across the once-again empty two-lane highway to her brother’s rented SUV.

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