managed to push myself to my knees and stand up, dirty and a bit bruised but not bleeding from anywhere, nor did I appear to be on fire. Unlike my car.
I stared at it, the dancing flames. The realization that my ride was totaled. How would I go anywhere? Thoughts of shopping for a new vehicle kept my mind from the fact I’d almost died.
“What happened?” Jace asked, surveying the wreck.
“A tree fell on my car, and then it caught fire.” Seemed pretty obvious to me. The part I remained less clear about was my hazy recollection of seeing a flaming projectile flying through the air.
Had someone set the fire on purpose?
Who?
I eyed Jace, who had his thumbs hooked through the loops of his jeans, his quilted lumberjacket open over the chest on a solid color button-up shirt. How coincidental he happened to be in this spot.
“Why are you here?” I blurted out.
“I live down the road. Remember?”
“And you went for a ten-mile walk?” I couldn’t help the suspicion.
“My truck is parked right there.” He pointed to his vehicle. Odd how I’d not spotted it until that moment. “I was on my way into town when I saw your car crushed under that tree. I thought I’d offer a hand.”
“How come I didn’t see your lights?”
“Soon as I saw you were in trouble, I dimmed mine so as to not blind anyone.”
He had a plausible excuse. Even better, he had wheels, meaning I wouldn’t have to walk. Or I could keep acting like a suspicious bitch until he left.
“Thanks for stopping.”
“Have you called the accident in?” he asked, leading me away from the dancing flames.
“No. My phone died.”
“I’ll text the town’s emergency line. Let them know about the accident and fire. They’ll get a crew out here to handle it.”
“Meaning I need to stay and talk to them.” I sighed as exhaustion suddenly dragged me down.
“Not tonight you’re not.” He opened the passenger door to his truck. “It’s an accident with no one hurt. A report can wait.”
Could it? I could have died had the person tossing the firebomb been a few seconds sooner. What if Jace hadn’t shoved me out of the way? Which reminded me, Jace had used himself as a shield. “Are you okay?”
He seemed unharmed, he certainly walked fine, and he wasn’t rolling on the ground smothering flames.
“Probably better than you since I squashed you.”
“You are a tad heavy,” I agreed.
“If it makes you feel better, you make a soft landing.” He shut the door and moved around the truck while I sat there trying to figure out if the statement was said as a compliment or a dig about my extra weight.
I couldn’t tell, and I couldn’t ask as he slid behind the wheel.
He put the truck in drive. “Let’s get you home.”
Nothing more was said as he drove us down a road bereft of life or light. Only when he pulled into my driveway and past the line of trees did the soft glow of home welcome.
I was so happy to see it I hopped out of the truck before Jace could get around to my side. “Thank you for saving my life and the ride.” Even as I said it, I still wondered if he’d been the one to throw the firebomb and then pretend to rescue me. Would Jace do such a thing? And why?
I knew he wanted my property. Was he trying to scare me into leaving?
“If you need a ride into town tomorrow, let me know,” he offered.
“I’m sure I’ll be fine, but thanks.” I swept past him, heading for the front door, which took a bit of doing to unlock because of course my key wouldn’t go in the slot and turn. Shaking hands and all that. Apparently, I wasn’t as calm as I thought.
I glanced over my shoulder as I stepped inside and saw Jace standing sentinel, watching me, a bulky shadow against the headlights of his truck. The brilliance of them so very visible. How had I not seen them on the road? Logic dictated if he saw me, I should have seen him.
Perhaps I’d been facing the wrong way.
Maybe. I was definitely distracted, so it was possible I’d not seen him arrive.
I’d barely shut the door when I had a yowling cat at my feet. Grisou let me know in very vocal terms how inconsiderate I was. Not in real words of course, but meows and rubs against my leg and then a saucy walk to