A Fare To Remember_ Just Whistle_Driven - Vicki Lewis Thompson [126]
He clutched the steering wheel as a horrible thought occurred to him. “You’re not telling me that you’ll go back to your trigger-happy groom.”
She smiled at that. “No, but before I think of getting married to anyone else, I have to repay my folks for this wedding. On my salary at the tax firm, that’ll take a long time. So you see, you’re safe.”
Josh didn’t think so. But looking into her eyes, he no longer cared.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
PRIS WONDERED how far this newfound spirit of adventure would take her. She’d never bought condoms in her life, let alone while wearing a wedding dress. But all she was risking was embarrassment, while Josh could be risking his job. And it wasn’t as if she hadn’t already been embarrassed today.
As she walked toward the front door of the drugstore, she congratulated herself on coming up with something to put Josh’s fears of marriage to rest. In fact, she’d spoken the absolute truth. She felt horrible about spending her parents’ money on a wedding that had fizzled. She’d repay every cent.
A man who looked like a college professor held the door for her. “Need something for the reception, do you?” he asked with a distinct British accent.
“Not exactly.” She smiled at him and clutched her skirts so she’d fit through the door. “I’m a runaway bride.”
“You don’t say!” He peered at her from behind his wire-rimmed glasses. “I’ve never seen one of those in real life, just the movies.”
“The opening sprint was quite dynamic, actually.” She glanced around at the shoppers that had stopped in their tracks to stare at her. “Hi, everyone.” She gave them all a little wave.
Some of the customers continued to ogle her, while others gave her shy smiles and went about their business. Trying to look as if she shopped for condoms every day of the week, she located the display and stood in front of it, tapping her finger against her mouth. She wanted the brand Josh had always used. Finally she spied a familiar box and grabbed it.
At the counter, the female clerk grinned. “Honeymoon supplies, huh? I’ll bet the groom will hear about this for the next fifty years.”
Pris had become quite fond of her new persona, so she trotted it out again. “There is no groom. I’m a runaway bride.”
The clerk’s mouth fell open. “No joke!” She bagged the condoms and gave Pris her change. “Looks like you found someone to run away with.”
“Did I ever.” Pris winked at the clerk.
“You go, girl.” The clerk gave her a thumbs-up. “How far into the ceremony were you when you cut out?”
“It had just started.”
“And you ran for the hills?”
“Yep, I sure did.”
“I wish I’d been there to see that. A little gumption, that’s what I’m talking about. If it’s not right, then skedaddle. Vamoose. Let ’em eat your dust.”
“That’s what I decided.” Pris was beginning to feel like a superhero, a champion of women who had been unfairly tricked by devious men like Brad.
“Damn straight. You have a good night, now. Enjoy your purchase.”
“Thanks. I will.” When she emerged from the drugstore, she was ready to jump Josh right there in the parking lot. She was woman, and she was ready to roar.
He got out and came around to help her into the car. “I see you found something.”
“I did.” Before she got in the car, she grabbed him around the neck and kissed him hard. It felt incredibly good to be kissing Josh again. But they had places to go and each other to do. She let him go and noticed that he looked sort of dazed. “Are you okay?”
He blinked. “I’m exceedingly okay. And I now realize that I should have asked you to buy the condoms a long time ago.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
THE SENSATION OF Pris’s mouth pressed against his stayed with Josh as he kept bearing east, looking for a road that would take them out to the water. A couple of times he wondered why he was bothering to find a scenic spot. Once they tumbled into the back of the limo, they wouldn’t care where they were.