“Um, my car went off the side of the road. I’m in a ditch, I think, and I’m a couple miles outside of town.”
“Okay, did you call 911?” he asks calmly.
“No …” I trail off, realizing I absolutely should have called emergency services. “I called you,” I rasp.“I’ll find you. Stay where you are, and please, don’t move too much.”
“Cooper,” I cry.
“I’m coming, baby, I’m coming,” he says and hangs up.
I try to stay still and look around me, but the rain is coming down so hard everything is distorted and dark, and my headlights aren’t working. I can’t tellwhere I am, and if I try to open the door and I’m near where the ravine, I could slide to my death. Or I could be in one of the deeper ditches and walk right out. But I’m not willing to take that gamble.
I have to trust that Cooper will find me.Dear God, please help him find me.
Whitney Houston comes on and I snort because my shuffle clearly cannot read the room.How Will I Knowplays and I’m pretty sure this is a joke. God’s sense of humor never ceases to amaze me.
While I wait for Cooper to find me, stuck in this car, and possibly about to fall to my death. I ask myself the same question as Whitney. How will I know?
How will I know if turning down this promotion, which I’ve worked so hard for, is right?
How will I know if staying in Paxton, leaving my parents, and giving my all for this shop and Cooper is not going to bite me in the long run? My past is full of the heartache of rejection and wondering when I’ll finally have my moment. But am I ignoring the moment?
The car door whips open, startling me, and Cooper leans in, dripping wet, shirt soaked through and worry covering his face.
“Hey, stubborn, you alright?” he asks.
I nod because I can’t talk.
“You’re lucky. If you drove twenty more feet, you would have slipped into the ravine,” he says as rain pours over his shoulders.
Is he my moment? Is this it?
“Come on, I’ll take you home. We’ll get the car later, hopefully the water level doesn’t rise too high,” he says loudly as the wind and rain whip around us.
I unbuckle my seatbelt, and Cooper catches me from dropping onto the steering wheel. Reaching around, I shut the car off, and he takes my purse, looping it over his head as he pulls me out of the car. It’s at an awkward angle against the ditch, and I struggle to get my footing.
Cooper closes the door and comes up behind me. “You’re going to have to dig your feet in to get up. I’m right behind you,” he says, as thunder booms.
I swipe the water out of my eyes and grab onto the rock and plants to pull myself up.
Cooper pushes his large hand on my butt, helping me go first.
Eventually, we make it out, and he helps me into the truck.
When he slides into the driver’s side, he pats my knee, and I promptly burst into tears.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay. We’ll get your car out tomorrow. Fletch has a winch on his truck. I don’t. You’re okay.”
I try to smile and wipe my tears, but I can’t stop the sob as it yanks itself from my body.
Windshield wipers going as fast as they can, he pulls the truck back onto the road, driving slowly until we come up on my gravel driveway. Our phones blare at the same time.TORNADO WARNING SHELTER IN PLACE.
“Naomi,” I gasp, the tears for myself immediately ceasing. I know in the back of my mind Cooper would never leave her by herself, but my heart can’t seem to put the two together.
“She’s safe. I left her with Aunt Dixie before I came to get you. It’s just a summer storm,” he says gently.
“I should have called 911. I’m sorry,” I rasp.
Cooper pulls to a stop next to the house, and thunder rumbles, making me jump.
