“I need to stop on the way for some diapers.”
“We can do that.” He rose from his seat after shutting his computer down. Up at the lodge, he had a computer, so he could work remotely whenever he was there. He wouldn’t be able to do anything about the distillery other than remotely. He’d give Dean a call tomorrow to let him know he would not be in for a bit. But the new batch of whiskey he was working on wasn’t ready for sampling yet, anyway.
“Let’s take care of your car first.”
She grabbed the baby monitor, clipping it to her belt. “She’ll be fine here for a bit while we get your car packed. And if we can stop by our place to grab the rest of our things. I’d rather not have them tossed in the trash because I didn’t make rent.”
“Good enough.”
He helped her pull her minivan into his garage. The state of her finances couldn’t be any more obvious than her beat-up van beside his sleek black Porsche SUV, which was only one of his vehicles.
They transferred her kid’s car seat into the back seat of his Porsche. “Why don’t you put the food together and pack it into the truck while I pack a bag. Then we can get your daughter and the playpen into the car.”
She nodded. “Fine. Anything you definitely want me to bring?”
“The coffee. And there’s a container full of scones on the counter. Bring the opened dairy products, the leftovers from the barbecue, and anything else that catches your eye.”
“Okay, I’m on it,” she murmured as they entered the house. They each went their separate ways to complete their tasks. He tossed a week's worth of clothing into a suitcase along with his toiletries. He could always order more and have it delivered to the cabin.
Then he carted his suitcase downstairs and found his soon-to-be bride hefting bags full of food on her way into the garage. “Let me get this in the trunk, and then I can help you.”
“This is all of it.”
They packed the car. And then he went with her into his office and watched her scoop her sleeping kid into her arms. Her daughter was totally dead to the world. They made a sweet picture. “If you want to get her in the car, I’ll get that.”
“Thanks.” She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
They were like two feral cats who decided to form an alliance and weren’t one hundred percent sure the other wouldn’t turn on them the moment their back was turned.
Jasper folded up the playpen, then grabbed his phone charger and the money clip. She’d shown him just how careless he had been with his things. He flipped lights off on his way to the garage and found them in the car waiting for him. When Freya spied him carrying the playpen, she emerged from the SUV.
“I got this.”
“Are you sure?”
“Aye, it’s easy.” He squeezed the playpen into the back and spent a few minutes rearranging everything. Then it was time to leave. His phone buzzed with a text from his brother. He’d worry about answering him later.
God, he did not know what he’d tell Xavier when his marriage came to light. His brother knew him better than anyone. And he doubted he would believe their sudden love story. But then, he would also understand Jasper’s point of view on the matter.
In the front seat, he glanced at Freya. “Where are you staying?”
“The Village Motel over in—”
“I know where it’s located.” He shook his head. That place was in one of the most crime-ridden areas of the city. And it was supposed to be one of the seediest motels in the area. That’s where she had been living with her kid?
Bloody hell!
Maybe it wasn’t as bad as he assumed. Maybe they’d arrive and he would discover it was a nice place. And pigs will fly.
Jasper backed out of the garage. He set the house alarm with his phone before pulling out of the driveway. Then he followed the GPS through Denver.
When he pulled into the parking lot of the Village Motel, Jasper swore to himself. It was a hovel. There was garbage in the parking lot. There were broken bottles on the sidewalk. And don’t even get him started on the building itself. Rundown didn’t even cover it. The building looked like it should be condemned and slated to be demolished.
The exterior hadn’t been repainted in at least twenty years. It was covered with dirt and grime that appeared almost baked into the yellow building that made it look brown. The windows had bars on them. Bars on the windows at a motel, for fuck’s sake.
He spied some unsavory individuals eyeing his Porsche as they drove through the lot. “Which room is yours?”
She pointed out the first-floor room all the way at the end. He drove and backed into the spot right in front of her door. “We need to be quick. I don’t want to linger.”
Because god only knew what would happen to them if they did. There was a group eyeing them like they were easy pickings.
“We don’t have much. In fact, if you can sit in here with her while she’s sleeping. I can collect our belongings and be done in a few minutes.”
He ground his teeth. He didn’t want her to head inside alone. It was in his nature to protect those weaker than him. But she was right. It would be fastest if she ran in and grabbed their things. He didn’t want to take his eyes off his vehicle because the group was eyeing this car like they’d hit pay dirt. The best course of action would be to send her in. He glanced her way. “Leave the door open, and I’ll be at the trunk, waiting for you.”
“Fine. I’ll be quick.” She shoved out of his car and headed inside her room.
Jasper stood watching, surveying the motel and its inhabitants while monitoring Freya and her kid. He shot a brief glance into the room and couldn’t believe what he spied. The place was a fleabag. The carpet was ragged and stained. It looked like it hadn’t been updated since the seventies.
Bleeding Christ! She’d been living here?
Jasper was fucking horrified by the state of the place. He might not save everyone, but in this, he could do some good for Freya and her kid. It solidified his decision to uphold the bargain they’d struck.
Freya carried out a few bags. He was stowing them in the trunk when a beady-eyed man with a comb-over and pot belly hastened to her door.
With an angry scowl, the man spat, “You owe rent for last week and for this week, or you and the brat need to get out today. We’re not running a charity here.”
Jasper stepped in, moving between him and Freya. This asshole was on a power trip. He stared the man down, scowling fiercely, ready to tear the bastard limb from limb if he came any closer to her.
The fucker had the audacity to sneer and say, “Who the fuck are you, her pimp? I won’t allow that type of thing to happen here.”
Jasper growled and clenched his hands into fists. It was either that or he’d wind up in prison for decking the slimy bastard. Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled his wallet out and fished out a few bills. Then shoved them forcefully against the man’s soft chest. “Here, this will handle any outstanding bill my fiancée owes. She’s leaving today and won’t be back to this fleabag motel. And if you ever malign my fiancée or future stepdaughter again, I will put you out of business.”
Jasper took a menacing step closer and said low, “And if you ever think of calling her a whore again, I’ll do so much worse than put this place out of business. You’ll be pissing through a straw the rest of your sad, sorry existence. Now get the fuck away from us.”