Authors: Heidi Hutchinson
Sway choked on his
apple as he finally understood what Luke was saying. He gasped for
air as he tried to ask a question but couldn’t get around the
chunk of apple lodged in his throat.
Luke laughed at him
and looked out the window at the London landscape. “Yep.”
He confirmed Sway’s fears. “I’m gonna marry her.”
He smiled to himself and brought the coffee cup to his lips, “I
just have to figure out when and how to ask her.”
It
was as it had always been for Duke. Growing up the youngest of five
kids, his siblings had left home long before he was born. He had
been his parents ‘surprise’ baby. Raised like an only
child on the backside of the Ozarks, Duke had few friends and kept
to himself. He enjoyed people and he wasn’t shy by any means.
He just didn’t
need
people. And that’s where he found himself again. Alone. His
third long drive in as many days.
He passed by the
local tavern a couple of times and considered pulling into the
parking lot. Maybe just feel the warmth of the neon for a few
minutes, it didn’t mean he’d have to go inside. He’d
shake off the feeling and continue driving.
The drive was always
the same. Long. Lonely. Unchanging. He never saw anything he hadn’t
seen a thousand times before. He passed all the same little cabins
and ‘no trespassing’ signs that had always been there.
Now, it was starting to snow. Not regular snow. Big, thick, lazy
snow. The kind that would pile into slush on the ground, quickly
making driving conditions more treacherous. Duke turned the wipers
on and peered into the gray.
Up ahead he could
almost make out a car pulled over on the side of the road. It’s
hazards were on but the falling snow was so think it was almost
unnoticeable. Duke pulled in behind the small compact car, this was
no place to have car trouble. It was a blind turn and with the
weather it was a tragedy waiting to happen.
The
plates on the little Ford said
California
.
Figures, out of towners always think they can drive in the snow,
Duke thought to himself. He set his brake and turned his own hazards
on and got out of the old Bronco.
As he approached the
driver’s side of the car he saw a woman talking on her
cellphone. He tapped on the window, startling her. The windows were
foggy and starting to frost on the corners from the cold. The woman
held up her finger for Duke to wait and she slowly stepped out of the
car.
She was tall, Duke
observed, for a woman. She was probably close to six feet because
she was nearly eye level with him. She had raven black hair that
easily reached her waist but was twisted into a loose braid that came
over one shoulder. Her almond shaped eyes were a beautiful chestnut
brown. She was stunning, to say the least. But her physical
appearance isn’t what caught Duke’s eye first. It was
the .45 pointed at his chest.
Duke raised his
hands slightly. He wasn’t sure if she was being overly
cautious or if she was going to rob him.
“
I’m
waiting for a tow truck, you would do best to get back into your
vehicle and be on your way.” She spoke with authority and held
the weapon like an experienced professional. Duke didn’t want
to argue. But it was in his nature.
“
Nice
Sig,” He complimented her. He kept his hands raised. “I
just thought I might be able to help.” He looked back up the
road. “It’s a blind turn, someone might not see you.”
“
I’ll
be just fine.” She spoke assuredly but Duke saw her swallow
just a little too hard.
“
I’m
in no mood to cause you any trouble, ma’am.” Duke
thought he’d try one more time. He had a soft spot for
stubborn women with guns...apparently. “Did you call the
Highway Patrol?”
He could see her
mind working quickly behind those dark eyes. She nodded but didn’t
answer.
“
You
can call and confirm with them who I am. I live just a mile up the
road, I help them pull cars out of ditches all the time. I’d be
glad to help you now, 'cause who knows when the tow truck will make
it up here in this snow.”
“
Do
you have ID?” The woman asked, raising an eyebrow.
Duke fished his
license out of his back pocket and handed it to her. She gave him a
hard look and then got back in her car and on the phone. She spoke
for a few minutes to what Duke assumed was the local dispatch. She
gave him a sideways glance out the window and nodded to whoever was
on the phone. When she stepped back out of the car she had holstered
her weapon somewhere Duke couldn’t be sure but at least it
wasn’t pointed directly at him.
“
How
far can you tow me?” She asked, handing back his ID.
“
As
far as you need,” Duke replied.
“
I’ll
need to get the car repaired in town, is there a mechanic’s
shop?”
“
Yeah,”
Duke was headed to the Bronco to get his tow cables. “You
staying in town or do you need a lift back up here?”
“
I’ll
rent something and drive back up, thank you.” She was
definitely not a friendly lady, Duke thought. But his thoughts
changed quickly when he saw her getting a bundle of blankets out of
the backseat of her car.
It was a child,
maybe four years old, all tucked and rolled inside numerous blankets
and afghans.
“
Can
we wait in your truck?” She asked, her lips making a hard line
on her face. No wonder she had been so quick to suspicion. She had
precious cargo.
“
Absolutely.”
Duke dropped his tow cables and helped her and the child into the
warmth of the still running Bronco. He made sure they were buckled
safely inside and then he maneuvered the Bronco to the front of her
tiny car. Duke jumped out and quickly connected the tow cables,
rigging everything securely.
When he got back
into the truck he tried to give her a reassuring smile.
“
We’re
all set.” He put the Bronco in gear and started slowly back
down the mountain, paying extra close attention to his driving. He’d
never transported kids before. He wasn’t sure what would be an
acceptable rate of speed. She still had that .45 somewhere and he
really didn’t need her pointing it at him while he drove.
“
Are
we going sledding, Mom?” A little voice from the middle seat
asked sweetly.
“
Mom’s
car broke so we’ll have to go sledding tomorrow.” The
woman explained gently. Her tone was so different with her child
that Duke had to look over to see if it was the same woman. Her face
had softened as she looked at her son and Duke was caught off guard
by her sweet smile.
She
looked up at him and they had eye contact briefly before Duke turned
his gaze back to the road.
What
the hell was that?
He reprimanded himself.
Keep
your eyes on the road, Duke. She has a gun.
“
Who
are you?” The child asked Duke bluntly. He couldn’t help
but smile at the forthright question.
“
His
name is Mr. Dukane and he’s giving us a ride to the place where
we can get our car fixed.” She explained to the boy.
Duke
had never been called
Mr.
Dukane
before. He’d been Duke for as long as he could remember. She
had gotten that off his ID.
“
Actually,
you can call me Duke. It’s what everyone else calls me.”
He said with a grin to the boy. His eye caught hers again and he
decided to wink.
She's
going to shoot me.
“
What’s
your
name?” Duke asked the boy, deciding not to steal anymore
glances at the exotic beauty to his right.
“
I’m
Tyler and I’m four.” Tyler said proudly.
“
Pleased
to meet you, Tyler.” Duke said and then asked, “What’s
your mom’s name?”
“
Mom.”
Tyler responded making Duke chuckle.
“
My
name is Natalie.” She replied with her own soft laugh.
“
Yeah,
Natalie.” Tyler confirmed. “Is this your truck?”
He inquired next.
“
Yep,
it sure is.” Duke confirmed. He was liking how easy it was to
talk to Tyler, way easier than talking to Tyler’s mom.
“
It
sure is big.” Tyler said trying to peer over the dash. Then,
“Do you go sledding, Duke?”
“
Sometimes,”
Duke said with a small laugh. “But I stand up on my sled.”
“
That’s
not allowed.” Tyler reported, “You could get hurt.”
“
That’s
true.” Duke agreed, “Sometimes I do get hurt.”
The conversation
continued on like this for another thirty minutes as Duke carefully
drove through the ever increasing storm. Tyler, obviously tired,
snuggled up against his mother and the cab fell quiet again.
“
Thank
you.” Natalie said, breaking the silence.
“
Not
a problem.” Duke responded, “I’m just glad you
didn’t shoot me up there.” He grinned at her
impulsively.
She smiled a little.
It was a lovely smile.
“
I
couldn’t take any chances.” Natalie explained as she
stroked her son’s hair. “He’s all I have.”
Duke wondered what
she meant. He didn’t want to cross the boundaries of the
social norm but he’d never been good at following those rules
anyway.
“
Where’s
Tyler’s father?” Duke blurted. It sounded awful as it
spilled out of him but he couldn’t take it back now. Maybe she
would just shoot him after all.
“
He
died in Afghanistan three years ago.” She answered with a
touch of regret in her voice.
“
Army?”
Duke asked.
“
Marine,”
Natalie corrected. That explained the Sig.
“
I’m
sorry,” was all Duke could think of to say.
“
He
was a good dad.” Natalie continued, “Tyler won’t
ever remember him, but I’ve never seen a man love his child the
way Mark loved Tyler.”
“
So,
it’s just you two against the world then.” Duke said as
a statement more than a question.
“
We
do okay on our own.” Natalie's quietly defended.
“
I
have no doubt.” Duke agreed. “I’ve never had a gun
pulled on me for offering to help with a tow.” He gave her a
sideways grin.
“
Sorry
about that.” She attempted to apologize but Duke stopped her.
“
Don’t
you dare.” He said sternly. “More women should do
exactly what you did.”
She turned her head
to hide her smile but Duke saw it reflect on the window.
“
So,
you live around here?” She changed the subject and Duke let
her.
“
Yeah,
I live in this ugly lodge up in the mountains.”
She chuckled at his
description and he felt warmth creep into his cheeks. He liked making
her laugh.
“
So…”
Duke didn’t want to come across as a creeper but he wanted to
know if he should be aware of any other men in her life before he
proceeded with his train of thought. “Do you have a boyfriend
or fiancé or anything?”
“
Ha!”
Natalie laughed again. “That was real subtle.” She was
smiling openly now.