“I will.”
I hung up and held the phone in my hand as I waited. A few cars flew past, not even bothering to slow down. I was glad theydidn’t stop because I didn’t really want some stranger coming up to the car, but a little caution would’ve been nice.
My hands were shaking.
For a moment when the wheel wouldn’t turn, I’d thought I was going to keep going straight into the trees on the opposite side of the road. The fact that it was nighttime just made things that much worse. I already hated driving at night. The lights from oncoming cars burned my eyes, and it always felt like it took so long for my eyes to adjust so I could see again once they’d passed me.
“You’re fine,” I muttered to myself. “It all worked out.”
Less than five minutes after I’d called my dad, the roar of a Harley had me turning in my seat. I couldn’t tell who it was until the man climbed off his bike and I recognized his silhouette in the darkness.
In seconds, I’d unbuckled my seat belt and thrown my door open. I’d barely made it out of the car before Bas’s arms were around me and he’d lifted me off my feet. He carried me around to the passenger side before setting me down again.
“What the hell happened? Are you okay?”
“The fucking steering went out,” I replied, my voice high and pitchy. “I came around the corner, and I could barely turn the wheel.”
“Fuck,” he mumbled, pulling me tighter against him, his lips against my forehead.
“What would make it do that?” I asked as his hold loosened. “It was fine on my way to town.”
“Sounds like your power steering went out,” he said, glancing at the car. “Not common in that model, but it happens.”
Headlights illuminated the road as they rounded the corner, and then another vehicle pulled off the road behind Bas’s motorcycle. Someone hopped out of the driver’s seat.
“Harp?” my brother called as he strode our way.
I squinted in his direction. He hadn’t turned his lights off, so it felt like we were standing in a spotlight.
“I’m fine,” I called back as he jogged closer. “But I might’ve peed my pants.”
Bas laughed under his breath and backed away from me a little.
“Dad said your steering went out?”
“It was fine when I left the restaurant, but by the time I took that corner, I could barely turn the wheel.”
“Power steering must’ve gone out.”
“That’s what Bas said.”
“Glad you didn’t panic, sister,” Gray said, pulling me in for a quick hug. “Dad’s gonna stop at the club and grab the wrecker. He’s only a few minutes behind me.”
“I’m going to give him so much shit for loaning me a lemon,” I said with a slightly hysterical laugh. “What the fuck?”
Gray shook his head and looked at the car. “We go over the loaners every couple of months. Not sure how we could’ve missed a power steering issue. The prospects check fluids every other week when we don’t have anythin’ else for them to do.”
“You got anythin’ you need to get outta the car?” Gray asked distractedly, still looking at it. “Me and Frankie can take you back to Mom and Dad’s.”
“Frankie’s with you?” I asked in surprise.
She hadn’t gotten out of the truck. It was raining, and the argument could be made that there wasn’t anything for her to do on the shoulder of the road, but it was still odd that she hadn’t even come over to check on me. We’d been friends for years, since Myla had brought her home and introduced her to everyone. I was her man’s baby sister. And Bas was here, too, and he was one of her best friends on the planet. Even if I hadn’t just dealt with a scary situation, she normally would’ve at least come to say hi.
“Yeah.” Gray jerked his chin toward the truck.
“I’d rather just wait for Dad,” I said, trying to sound nonchalant. “I can ride back to the club with him.”
“You sure?”
