I open my eyes as sunlight streams in through a window. The last thing I remember is feeling tired and asking if I could sleep on the couch, and some woman scolding Matt for not offering a guest bedroom, maybe it was his mother?

I look around and see that I'm in a bedroom, wearing someone else's pajamas. I must have fallen asleep here last night. But who changed my clothes? Throwing the covers back I freak out when I realize that Mallory is not in the room with me. Jumping out the bed, I run downstairs to find her sitting on the couch with the old woman from last night.

"Morning!" Mallory yells and runs into my arms as I hold her tight. She looks so much better and the light pink color in her cheeks is returning. I look at the woman sitting next to my daughter. She has a few wrinkles, wavy, gray-dusted hair, and the same dark blue eyes as Matt. "Hi, you must be Tiffany. I'm Amy, Matt's mother."

"You're the nurse, right?"

"I retired a long time ago, but I help when I can."

"Thank you so much for taking care of my sister."

"Mommy, I'm hungry. Can we get McDonalds?" Mallory begs. Amy gives me a strange look after Mallory calls me mom.

"It's just a nickname she has for me. Kids are so weird, right? Anyways, we really should get going," I notice the clean duffle bag on the floor next to the couch and pick it up.

"Hun, I don't think that's a safe idea, your sister just got better," Amy says. "And no offense but I think you could use some more rest as well."

I grab Mallory's hand and make my way to the door. "Thank you for the help, Amy, but we need to leave." I open the door and walk outside to the car. "Right, still broken." I look around and see stables nearby. I head over to them and check out some of the horses. I'm glad my parents got me riding lessons when I was little.

"Where are we going?" Mallory asks.

"On a fun adventure, sweetie. But we need to be quiet, okay?" I say as I open one of the stalls. The chocolate brown horse slowly moves away, I try to get on it, but then it starts to freak out. "Calm down, girl. I need to borrow you for a couple of minutes and then we'll be out of your hair." I reach out to pet her and she nearly bites my hand.

"Yeah, I wouldn't try that again. Daisy doesn't take well to strangers." I turn around and see Matt wearing blue jeans and a plaid shirt that hugs his muscular arms.

"Please don't call the cops."

"I promise I won't as long you start telling me the truth." He looks at Mallory, "Is she your daughter?"

"Yes."

"Why are stealing my horse?"

"I don't have any other choice."

"And Tiffany isn't your real name, is it?"

"No, it's Tessa, and her name is Mallory."

He thinks for a second. "Look, I don't know what your current situation is, but I do know that your daughter is sick and moving her right now could make her condition worse. My mom can make sure that doesn't happen. I'll let you stay for as long as you want, or you can continue your plan and steal my horse." I contemplate it, looking back and forth between Matt and the horse. "This farm is also miles away from the city, so whoever you are hiding from won't be able to find you here."

"I'm not hiding from anyone and you're wrong. She will find us again, no matter how far we run."

"Then stay here with me and my family, we can help protect you."

"Why are you doing this? Helping total strangers, what do you get out of it?"

"Absolutely nothing, I'd do anything for anyone. It's who I am and how I was raised." He pauses, giving me a once-over. "Plus, it would be a shame to see those pretty eyes for just one day." I try to hide my blush. "So, what's it going to be? Stay here or steal the horse."

He's got a point about Mallory, moving her could make her illness worse. Her safety always takes priority over mine, even though I have doubts about this cowboy. "Fine, we'll stay for a week, and then we leave."

"You got enough clothes for a week?"

"I have money."

"How much money?"

"I got enough."

"A week it is then." He holds his hand out and I shake it.

"Thanks."

"You don't have to thank me, Tessa. Now come on, dinner is almost ready. " He says and we walk back into the farmhouse.

I immediately get nervous when I see a group of strangers sitting down at the dining room table. Matt can sense my anxiety, and he whispers in my ear, "Relax, these are my siblings. They don't bite, I promise." He says and introduces us to the rest of his family. "Hey, everyone this is Tessa and her daughter, Mallory. They are going to stay with us for a couple of days. So be nice."

Amy is the first one to speak. "We've met already, and Tessa is a lovely name by the way."

Then the short, brown-haired man spoke. "Nice to meet you, I'm Jackson, the younger brother."

The tall man with the dark hair spoke next, "I'm Asher, the oldest one."

The last to speak was the young blonde with emerald eyes. "That leaves me, Elizabeth, but you can call me Liz. I'm the youngest of these three idiots."

"That's a mean word," Mallory says and Matt smirks at her.

"Well, dinner is ready and we're about to say the blessing. How about you two come grab some plates and join us?"

"Uh, sure," I say, and Matt pulls out two chairs for Mallory and me. 

After I grab the food and sit down, everyone joins hands as Amy blesses the food. "Dear Lord, thank you for this food, bless the hands that prepared it, and bless this family...and thank you for helping with Mallory's illness, amen."

After dinner, I offered to help Amy wash the dishes. "So, Tessa...where are you from?"

"I... I don't remember." Growing up, I wasn't allowed to go outside, I couldn't remember my hometown...all I could remember was that house.

"What do you mean, you don't remember?"

"I lived in a small town; I just don't know the name of it." The past was something I never liked talking about, it's also one of the reasons why I have a hard time trusting people. The second I think about opening up, all these terrible thoughts and memories start to fill my head.

I jump a little bit when Amy puts her hand on my shoulder. "I get it, Tessa. I had a tough childhood too; I grew up in the foster care system." I nod, orphans can recognize orphans, I guess. "And I know that it's none of my business but...I was the one who changed your clothes...I saw them, the scars on your wrist...the looked recent-"

"I'd rather not talk it about, okay? Talking doesn't change anything."

"But it might help."

"Quit the interrogations, Ma." Matt says as he walks over to us. "I'll take over dish duty, go sit down and get some rest. I swear you do too much sometimes.

"Oh, give me a break!" Am says and goes back into the dining room.

"She seems...nice," I comment.

"She can be when she isn't being stubborn." I think to myself, now I see where he gets it from.

I open a cabinet door and try to put a plate up, but I can't reach the shelf. Before I can even think about grabbing a ladder, Matt places his hand on my shoulder. "Here, let me do it." I turn around and our eyes lock into an intense gaze. He takes the plate out of my hands and places it in the cabinet door. He leans too close, and I step back, knocking down a glass cup.

SMASH!

"Sorry." I go to pick up the glass, but he stops me.

"Don't. Let me get the broom." He leaves afterward and takes his sweet time.

Being the impatient person that I am, decided to get down on the floor to pick up one of the shards and it cuts my hand. "Ow!"

I hear a frustrated sigh behind me. "I told you not to touch it."

I get off the floor and look at my bleeding hand. "It's not that bad." Okay, it's kind of bad.

"You are a terrible liar." He looks at the cut on my hand and I can see even more blood coming out. "Lucky for you, Mom told me where the first aid kit is." He leaves the kitchen for a few minutes and comes back with bandages. "May I?" I hold my hand out as he starts to wrap it up.

"So, I'm guessing your mom taught you how to do this?" I ask.

"Yep." He looks over at the glass shard covered in blood. "I'm guessing you don't like being told what to do?" He asks as he looks me in the eyes.

"Yep."

He shakes his head and finishes wrapping up my hand. After he's done, he places a kiss soft on my hand. I blush as I move my hand away. "I should go check on Mallory."

"I should clean this up."

We go our separate ways, and I walk into the living room. I see Mallory on the couch with Elizabeth, she looks tired. "Hey, sweetie. Ready for bed?"

"Can I sleep here?"

Matt walks into the living room after cleaning up the glass. "We have a guest room upstairs, it's the same one you were sleeping in this morning. There should be some extra clothes in the closet as well."

"Thank you."

"No problem," he says.

"Come on sweetie." I take Mallory's hand in mine, and we go upstairs to the guest room. "Go and get ready for bed."

"Okay, mommy." She turns and faces Matt who follows us upstairs. "Goodnight, Mr. Cowboy." I smile at her nickname for Matt.

"Goodnight...Barbie." He says as she smiles and goes inside the room.

I raise a brow. "Barbie?"

"Yeah, she has blonde hair and blue eyes like a Barbie doll."

"And what is my nickname?"

"Sparky." He offers with a wink.

I scoff. "Sparky? What kind of nickname is that?"

He smirks. "Because....your eyes sparkle like the stars under the midnight sky."

"Your nickname should be Mr. Smooth."

He chuckles. "Well, goodnight...Sparky." He winks and walks away. Maybe staying here won't be so bad after all.