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Tammy turned on her headlights and pulled into traffic. “What a way to spend a Friday night.”
“I’d like to see Mike again, but sitting in a Mexican restaurant for hours is ludicrous. I’ve never done such a thing. Even in high school and college, boys chased me. Not the other way around.” She crossed her arms over her ample chest. She had lingered like one of the tortilla chips in a basket, waiting for someone to pick her up. Unbelievable.
“So, now what? Forget him or go looking for him?”
“Why on earth would I do that?”
“Come on. That’s the first man—and I use the term specifically—who has snagged your interest in—oh no. Someone’s had an accident.” Tammy’s anxious voice jerked Cassie’s attention.
Flashing lights lit up the dark. Police cars and fire trucks blocked the lanes of traffic. Firefighters hosed water on a burning car. The fear that normally attacked her when she saw a fire truck hovered, but a stronger fear pushed to the front of her mind.
Mike. Could he be fighting a fire?
“I wonder what happened,” Cassie said, hoping no one had been hurt.
“Oh my God,” Tammy shouted. “Look. There’s a man on top of that SUV. It’s on fire.”
Cassie stared in horror as a man fell from the burning car. Her heart leaped into her throat. “Stop! Stop!”
“All right, already.” Carefully, Tammy eased her car to the side of the highway and found a spot to park. “Cassie, what is it? Do you recognize him?”
Her gut clenched. She took a steadying breath and leaped out of the car. A compelling need drove her. She had to see. Had to know.
“Cassie, wait.”
Smoke rolled into the sky. Gas and exhaust fumes filled the air. A large crowd had gathered and police kept the people back. Several trucks, a rescue squad, and firefighters were scattered around the scene. She threaded through the crowd, fear crushing her chest. Her heart pounding with each step as terror ate at her insides, stabbing her brain. Then she saw him.
Jared.
She almost didn’t recognize him without a full set of teeth flashing in a smile. But then, why would anyone be smiling at a vehicle accident?
“There’s Jared,” she said, feeling Tammy’s presence behind her.
“He’s not in uniform. Or in a fireman’s suit.” Tammy called to him. The second time he heard her. Then Jared stepped back and Cassie saw—Mike.
Her legs nearly buckled.
His head hung, his shirt had blood on it and she couldn’t see the rest of his body. Oh my God. Had he been in the wreck?
Jared motioned to a policeman to let them through. She hurried forward, closing the distance to the medic squad, fearing the worst and praying he was all right.
“Mike?”
His head jerked up. Glazed eyes bore into hers.
“Hey, girls,” Jared said. “Just the medicine my ole buddy needs.”
Cassie’s eyes soaked up every inch of Mike. Black smudged his face and he looked a mess, but he was the most wonderful sight to her. When he smiled, she started breathing again. She wanted to touch him, be sure he was safe and unharmed.
“Are you okay?” she managed to get out. “What happened?”
“I’m fine.”
He didn’t sound fine.
“Jared and I saw the SUV on its side and stopped to help.” His deep voice grated, rolling over her, making her already shaky nerves tremble.
“Mike, here, saved the driver,” Jared explained.
