He clicked the phone without replying. He couldn’t lie to her anymore, not after five months of not being honest. It had been a while since he’d listened to his own heart, and it was time to do it now. Would things work out between him and Nicole? He didn’t know, but he at least had to put forth the effort. There was something special about that woman, and he needed to go with his gut feeling that she just might be the one he could fall in love with.
He put his car in gear and drove toward the main road. Was the feeling he’d been experiencing with Nicole really love? They’d only known each other for a few days, even though he’d dreamed about her for a few years. Mick Remington wasn’t alove-at-first-sighttype of man. Shoot, he hadn’t ever given his heart to a woman. And yet, only after a few days, he was ready to make a commitment with Nicole? That was hard to believe, and he’d have to do some serious thinking before saying anything to her.
The sun was setting earlier these days, and darkness had sneaked upon the little town. He slowed his car as he rounded a curve. A black truck with tinted windows driving the opposite direction zoomed past Mick, making him swerve out of the other vehicle’s path. What a jerk! Who would drive that fast on this particular road, anyway? Drunken fool!
As he rounded the bend, a dust cloud from the ravine a half mile up the road captured his attention. The closer he came to that spot, he slowed his car. A dark-blue vehicle was down in the ravine... overturned and crunched!
He quickly stopped his car and jumped out, peering down the slope. His heart beat in a frantic rhythm as he carefully slid down the hillside. He yanked his phone out of his pocket and dialed 9-1-1.
As soon as he heard the voice on the other end, he started talking.
“There’s been an accident on the road by the Adkins Dev-Tech building. It’s just before you reach the curve in the road. The car... looks like it rolled down the hill. Send an ambulance quickly!”
“Can you stay on the phone? I’m sending out a unit right now.”
The closer he came, familiarity struck him. That was Nicole’s car!
Saying a silent prayer, he hurried faster.
“It’s Nicole Adkins’ car.” His voice broke. The scent of leaking gas filled the air. “Oh, no! The car is leaking gas. Please, tell them to hurry.”
The car’s wheels were still turning. She must have swerved out of the way of that black truck, which made her car roll down the hill.
“Nicole,” he yelled, reaching the vehicle.
He fell beside the driver’s door and looked into the cracked window. The seatbelt held the unconscious – and bloody – woman in her seat.
“Sir? Is anyone hurt?” the operator asked.
“Yes. She’s hurt badly.” He bent closer to the window. “Nicole? Can you hear me? I’m going to get you out of there.”
The operator’s voice came through the receiver again, but he ignored it and slipped the phone back in his pants pocket.
Carefully, he tried to open her door, but it was stuck. He swore and darted around to the passenger’s side. Thankfully, he was able to open that door. He crawled in, not caring about the broken glass from the windows cutting his arms.
He reached Nicole and checked the pulse at her neck. When his fingertips felt the slight throb, he sighed. Pushing the car’s airbag away, he felt for the seatbelt and where he could unfasten her. Carefully, he braced his shoulder and back of his head against her as he unclicked the seatbelt. As she dropped onto him, he caught her.
“Nicole, I got you. I’m not going to let you go. You’ll be all right now.”
Although he said the words, he knew they needed to get out of the vehicle in case it caught on fire. Maneuvering himself backward, he gently dragged Nicole out of the car.
Once the ground was under his knees again, he crawled faster. Finally, he was at a spot to pick her up. Using gentle care, he slipped his arms under her and lifted her until he could stand. As he carried her away from the crunched car, sirens wailed in the distance. Help would be here soon.
He found a place to sit in the grass and laid her on his lap and studied her face. A deep gash across her forehead was where the blood had come from, but it wasn’t bleeding as badly now.
Emotion tightened his throat and stung his eyes. “Nicole, please open your eyes and look at me. I need to know you’re all right.”
She wasn’t moving, and that bothered him. He checked her pulse again. It was weaker than before.
“Oh, Lord,” he prayed with all of his heart, “please don’t take her from me. Don’t take her from the people in this town who love her. She’s a special woman. We all need her.”
He couldn’t say anymore because of the tightness in his voice. He gave her a brief kiss on her lips. “Nicole. Look at me.”
The sirens were nearly upon them, but he couldn’t feel any relief yet.
“Nicole, don’t leave me. Please... I love—”
Voices from up on the ravine interrupted his confession and he looked up. Medics carrying a gurney hurried down the slope.
