The Unwanted Runaway

Destination Gas Station

Anna’s POV

After leaving the gas station, we climbed back into the truck and continued our journey. Evan took the wheel and dropped both Carter and me off at his house, conveniently located on the way to Sun Creek Ranch. Before driving off, Evan rolled down his window and promised to call me tomorrow with updates on the situation. I sincerely thanked him for his help. As the truck drove away, I stood in Carter's driveway and realized that both Denton and Evan did not have my phone number. However, before I could mention it to Carter, he beat me to it. "Don't worry," he reassured me. "He'll call the house phone." I couldn't help but be impressed by Carter's intuition.

He kindly grabbed my luggage and duffel bag, and we made our way into his home. I noticed that it was a cozy two-bedroom, one-bathroom house with a lovely living room and an open floor plan. The kitchen was smaller compared to the one I shared with Joey back in L.A. Carter led me to a small room at the back of the house, which was decorated with spaceships and stars, giving it a unique space-themed vibe. "This is my son's room," Carter explained. "But since he's with his mom this week, you can stay here for now." I couldn't help but feel grateful for his hospitality.

After a long day, I asked Carter if I could use the shower. He kindly responded, "Yeah sure, no problem. I understand." He then mentioned that he had to work early the next day and would be at the station by 4am, so he would just shower in the morning. "There's some leftover pizza and Chinese food in the fridge if you're hungry," he offered. "Feel free to help yourself to it." I thanked him and quickly got ready for the shower.

After finishing my shower, I crawled into bed feeling grateful to be staying in Carter's home. Despite sleeping in the kids' room, I finally felt relaxed and comfortable. The bed was definitely a big factor in that. As I lay there, my heavy eyelids closed and I drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

When I woke up, it was already noon the next day. I decided to get up and make the most of my day. As I headed into the small living room, I couldn't help but feel thankful for Carter's generosity in letting me stay with him until I figured out my next move. It was a mix of emotions for me - fear of the unknown, but also excitement at experiencing true independence without a judgmental family member by my side.

I settled onto the couch and grabbed the TV remote, hoping to find something interesting to watch on this Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately, there wasn't much on. Remembering that Carter would be working a 12-hour shift, I decided to check out the fridge and cupboards for something to eat. As I rummaged through, I thought it would be nice to make him dinner as a thank you for his kindness.

While looking for ingredients, I noticed a note on the kitchen table from Carter. He had left me his Netflix and internet passwords, as well as his cell number in case I needed anything. In that moment, the house phone rang and my heart skipped a beat. I hoped it was Evan or Denton with good news about working at the ranch. I answered nervously, but it turned out to be a woman looking for Carter. I politely informed her that he was still at work and offered to take a message. She declined and said she would call back later. I couldn't help but feel a little weird about the call and worried that I may have accidentally caused trouble with Carter's girlfriend, if he had one.

Realizing that I was still in my sleeping shirt and tiny shorts, I quickly changed into a pair of comfortable leggings and a black tank top with a pink open-button short-sleeve shirt. I slipped on my trusty black Vans and took a moment to appreciate the small collection of clothes I had with me. Most women would have a bigger wardrobe, but I was content with my few pairs of shoes and clothes. In my backpack, I carried my old flip phone and a few books, my only possessions besides the clothes in my suitcase. I knew I needed to find a job soon because my other belongings were in a storage unit back in California, a place I couldn't really call home anymore.

Feeling a little lonely, I decided to spend some time on my social media accounts. As I scrolled through, I couldn't help but feel a bit heartbroken that no one seemed to be wondering about my whereabouts or well-being. Even my family, who were expecting me in Missouri, had not reached out. I hadn't told anyone about changing my plane ticket to a bus ticket and I kept my phone off most of the time to save the battery. I couldn't believe that Joey, my ex-fiancé, hadn't even asked for the engagement ring back yet. Part of me wanted to throw it in his face, but the other part of me couldn't help but hold onto it, a reminder of a time when I thought I was truly loved. But now, looking at it, I realized it was all a lie. Joey only wanted my money and I had been foolishly obedient and faithful to him. I had even dreamt of starting a family with him. But now, it all seemed like a distant memory.

After getting off the computer, I decided to watch a few shows on Netflix. Before I knew it, it was already 4 o'clock and I realized I should start cooking. I prepped and got everything ready for when Carter would come home. Even if he came back late, I would still cook, clean up, and leave his plate in the microwave for when he was ready for it. I didn't want him to think I was trying to be a housewife or a crazy person. I just wanted to thank him for his family's kindness and let him know how much it meant to me.

As I diligently scrubbed the dishes, my peaceful moment was interrupted by the arrival of Carter through the front door. "Hey, how's it going Anna?" he greeted me. I replied with a smile, "It's been a good day." I then mentioned, "By the way, I hope you don't mind, but I've taken the liberty of cooking dinner for us tonight. Just a small token of my appreciation for opening up your home to me." I quickly added, "And I promise, this is not me trying to send any secret messages or anything. Just genuine gratitude, my friend." Carter responded with a casual "No problem, Anna."

As we sat down at the kitchen table to eat, I couldn't help but inform Carter about the events of my day. "Oh, and by the way, a woman called for you earlier. She seemed surprised to hear me on the phone, probably expecting you. I didn't catch her name, but she said she'll call you back later." Carter nonchalantly replied, "Yeah, that was my ex-wife. She called me right after she hung up with you. Called my cell phone, asking a bunch of questions. But don't worry, my ex is not the jealous type. In fact, she left me a few years ago for her coworker. Now she and her girlfriend live in the next town over, and we share custody of our son Peter." He joked, "We definitely have a unique family dynamic."

As we continued our meal, I couldn't help but ask Carter about his job as a sheriff in this small town. He corrected me, saying he actually covers the whole county, which is bigger than I thought, but definitely not as action-packed as the LAPD. We both shared a laugh at that. Carter complimented the delicious smell. I served him his plate and we ate together, talking more about his family, the ranch, and what my duties would be if I worked there.

Part of me wanted to ask about Denton, but I knew it was too soon to develop any romantic feelings. I didn't want to make things uncomfortable between us, especially after only just meeting him. Instead, I asked Carter about the family dynamics and the ranch. I learned that the Sun Creek Ranch, also known as the Miller Ranch, was one of the original settlements when people were crossing the Oregon Trail. Mrs. Rose, Denton, and Evan's mother's family were the ones who owned the property. Their father's family owned a few adjacent acres, which they later expanded by buying more property from others throughout the years. The ranch was known for breeding and training a variety of horses, as well as having a small dairy farm and producing basic farm products. Carter joked that they probably had more horses than farm animals or cattle. There was still so much to learn about Sun Creek Ranch.

I asked Carter about the Dukes Bar & Grill, and he explained that it belonged to his mom, Casey, and his dad, Duke, who was also his uncle Luke's brother. Luke was Evan and Denton's father. Carter also told me about his twin sister, Carly, and her husband, James, whom I had met a few days ago. He also mentioned their two twin daughters.

Carter then told me that his uncle Luke had called him today to inform him that I would be coming over on Sunday evening and staying with them for the night. They would set me up in a nice room and get everything ready for me to start working on Monday morning. Carter mentioned that I could go to church with them in the morning if I wanted to. Apparently, a majority of the Miller family attended every Sunday morning. I wasn't too keen on the idea, but I figured why not, since I didn't have anything else to do. Carter assured me that his family was not judgmental or like the typical "Karen's" and that they were more laid-back. He also joked that I should make sure to stay on his aunt Rose's good side, as she was highly respected in the town. Carter then added that he usually wore his sheriff uniform to church, so everyone would be on their best behavior. We both chuckled at that.

After dinner, Carter complimented the meal and mentioned that he didn't usually cook due to his long work hours. He usually ordered food or went out to eat, as he was too exhausted to cook by the time he got home. He also usually ate dinner alone, as he was the only one living in the house.