Page 48 of Lucky Strike

“It’s fine. I’m going to call Ross.”

“I’m already out the door. Stay inside your car.”

“Sam—hello?” He had disconnected.

Perfect. Just perfect. She didn’t want Sam to help her. After the horrible things she had said to him, it didn’t seem fair he would ever do anything nice for her again. Considering the abrupt way he answered the phone, he was a reluctant hero, doing it because… To be honest, she didn’t know why he was doing it. Luna didn’t want to be obligated to him in any way, and rescuing her on the highway would definitely obligate her to…treat him nicely? Was that such a bad thing? She hadn’t been nice to him much at all and yet he was still helping her. Luna decided to call him and tell him, never mind, but she got voicemail instead.

Sitting in her car, Luna had time to think. Mia had been right. Ross had done a lot for her. He made sure she never had to worry about anything but her education when she went away to college. He kept the jewelry store going after Victor died and kept their little family together. She had never thanked him for any of it.

She thought about his parents again. Maybe they had died around this same location. Ross would be devastated if she shared the same fate. Luna couldn’t do that to him. He’d been hurt enough in his life, and he didn’t need more, especially from her. The winding highway was dangerous and the shoulder she had managed to pull onto wasn’t big at all. Someone could whip around the corner and hit her.

She scrambled over the passenger seat, got out, and trekked onto the side of the road filled with a dense amount of pine trees, ferns and sweet pea vines. A car would have to careen off the embankment to hit her now. She sat on a stump and listened to the American River rushing nearby and considered her current predicament.

Chapter Nineteen

Sam raced onthe highway, exceeding the speed limit to get to Luna. He wasn’t sure why he had this uncontrollable urge to help her after their last conversation. He wasn’t mad at her, more mad at himself for entertaining the possibility she might actually like him. He was also angry because her words were still able to slice through his callous outer shell and injure him. But mostly he was angry because, in spite of everything, he couldn’t stop thinking about the kiss. Their moment on the Ferris wheel had been a gift, one that invaded his mind non-stop, and sheer willpower alone didn’t seem to be enough to put an end to it. But he would overcome it. He would, as soon as she was safe and at home.

When he took a curve and saw her SUV a short distance ahead, relief hit him. He rolled alongside her vehicle, turning his head as he passed, and his heart stopped. No one was inside. Shutting off his bike, Sam jerked the kickstand down, ripping the helmet from his head. He rushed to the SUV, but she wasn’t there. He shouted her name as worst-case scenarios zipped through his mind.

“Luna!” he yelled into the wilderness, panic taking hold of him.

“I’m here.”

He whipped around as she emerged from the brush. Relief transitioned into irritation. “I told you to stay in the car!” He marched closer, jabbing a finger in the direction of the abandoned SUV.

One hand went straight to her hip. “You’re not the boss of me!”

“It’s not safe!”

“I know!” A slight sob burst through her temper as she slapped a hand across her mouth.

Sam stopped. Luna was a string ready to snap—all large, glossy eyes and trembling shoulders. His anger melted away. He strode to her spot in the woods, pulling her into his arms. He was the right height for her to cry on his shoulder, because this was exactly what she did, as if she’d been holding tears for far too long. Sam took her sorrow as she dampened his jacket and tucked her face into his neck.

When she pulled away, he kept one hand to her back, using his other to push her hair away from her face. Concern filled him when her eyes submerged with tears again. Regardless of how strained their relationship was, he hated seeing her broken.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

She nodded in response.

“Can I have your keys so I can check out your car?”

She surrendered them, remaining on the embankment as Sam investigated her mechanical mystery, discovering her problem soon after.

He returned to her spot, putting the keys in her hands. “I’m going to drive over to Fresh Pond. I’ll be back.”

“What? Why?” Luna worried her bottom lip between her teeth.

“It won’t take me long. You ran out of gas.”

“I—No, I don’t think so.” She took a moment to think before her cheeks flushed. “Are you sure?”

“Did everything shut off? Was the steering wheel hard to turn?”

Her eyes dropped. “Maybe.”

“I’ll get some gas and come back.”

“Can I go with you?”

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