He came to a four-way stop, braked to a complete standstill, and saw no vehicles approaching. Pressing his foot on the accelerator, he entered the intersection.
Paige’s scream pierced his ears. “Stop!”
His foot slammed against the brake pedal, and the car came to a stop, narrowly avoiding a collision with an SUV barreling through the intersection without its headlights on. There was no way the truck had stopped at the sign.
Now that the danger had fled, the seconds of pent-up fear released. Since no other cars were around, he put the car in park and turned on the hazard lights in case anyone approached. His heart thumped against his chest, and he sent a prayer to gratitude to God for protecting them. “How did you see him?”
“I happened to glance out in time to see the light from his cell phone. It looked like he was texting.” Her voice trembled, and it sounded like she gasped for air.
Staring over, he saw her hands shaking. “Thank the Lord you looked up.”
Visibly shaken, she only nodded and didn’t give a verbal response.
“Are you okay?” He narrowed his eyes, guarding her with concern. The ordeal had been terrifying, but they were safe. What was causing the extreme reaction from her?
“I will be.”
Once his heart returned to a normal pace, he turned off the hazards and drove again. He kept one hand on the steering wheel and the other on Paige’s unsteady hand. When they arrived at her home, she still displayed physical signs of fear and anxiousness. He hesitated to leave her alone in that condition.
He walked her to the door and saw tears in her eyes. That did it. He wasn’t going anywhere until she was settled. The close call had unleashed something in her, and he wouldn’t abandon her at a low point.
She wiped at her eye. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” He brushed a tendril of hair from her cheek. “Would you care for company?”
Nodding, she inserted her key in the doorknob and unlocked it. She pushed the door open and invited him to come in. “Do you drink tea? I could use a soothing cup of chamomile.”
He didn’t, but there was a first time for everything. “Sure. If you tell me where everything is, I can make it.”
“I’ve got it. Have a seat and relax.” Her voice was returning to normal.
After she went into the kitchen, Wes sat on the left side of her brown leather sofa. He looked around the room, taking in the living space. Contrary to the outside of her cabin, the inside had been decorated for autumn. Little woodland creatures sat on the bookshelves, and a pair of scarecrows sat on opposing ends of the television. A brown and orange flannel throw was folded over the sofa. The entire area created an atmosphere of coziness that matched Paige’s personality.
Her approaching footsteps drew him out of his thoughts.
She sat down on the other end of the sofa. “The tea kettle is on. It shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.”
“Are you feeling better?” He searched her gaze for any indication.
“Getting there.” She leaned into the corner of the sofa. “I’m sorry for getting all emotional. The close call resurrected a tragic memory.”
“Care to talk about it?”
“I had a childhood friend who, much like your sister, grew up with all the advantages a child could have, but in high school, joined the wrong crowd. Her life spiraled into a chaotic spin of drugs and alcohol.” Her bottom lip quivered. “One night, the summer after we graduated, she got behind the wheel of a car. She’d been drinking and shooting heroin and had no business driving. But she did and ran through an intersection. Slammed into a minivan, killing a young boy and herself.”
He swallowed the emotions balling in his throat. How easily that could have been Jenna. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s been ten years, but I’ll never forget when my parents sat me down to tell me the day after it happened.” More tears spilled over. “It’s all so senseless and preventable. That boy didn’t deserve to die because of Jessica’s terrible decision. And we could have died tonight because someone couldn’t take their eyes off their phone to pay attention to the road.”
All too well, he understood. He slid across the sofa and enveloped her in an embrace, letting her cry out the feelings bottled inside.
This feels right. Was it wrong to experience pleasure in holding her while she cried?
He hadn’t realized she’d stopped and had grabbed a tissue off the end table without moving out of his embrace. She dried her tears and peered at him with red-rimmed eyes. Despite her tearstained face, he found her beautiful. The tears showed her compassionate soul.
Locked in a gaze he couldn’t escape, he traced the trail of tears on her cheek. “Better?”
“Yes.”
