Lizzy nodded as she called information, but when she could only get a recording at the Public Utilities Department, she hung up. The wind shook the Jeep, making it shudder. She looked out the windshield and literally saw nothing but gray as the air thickened with rain and God knows what else.
She could see no landmarks.
No Jason.
She opened the door and, squinting against the spray of rain, yelled, “Jason!”
Nothing.
She pictured him trying to move the line and getting electrocuted, and was about to run out into the storm when suddenly through the thick air she saw his outline.
Relieved, she pushed away from the Jeep, hands out until she slid her palms over his shoulders.
He turned to face her, his hands immediately reaching for her. “What are you doing?”
“Hoping you weren’t electrocuted.”
“Come on, back in the Jeep.” Turning her away from him, he stayed steady and solid at her back as they staggered to the Jeep.
Inside, he sagged back and wiped the rain from his face. “Hoping I wasn’t electrocuted,” he repeated. “Jesus, I know how not to get electrocuted.”
“It’s so bad,” she murmured, staring out the window. “So very bad. The whole day…”
“I don’t know.” He looked over at her, drenched to the skin, his lashes spiky black. “It’s had some good moments if you ask me.”
Something within her turned over. Her heart, she realized, exposing its tender, vulnerable underbelly.
“Tell me why you’re not a doctor,” he said quietly.
“What does it matter?”
“It matters to you, or it did. That was all you talked about, going to Los Angeles, being at UCLA, going through medical school so that you could be an E.R. doctor. Everyone knew how much it meant to you.”
“It’s complicated. My parents died. Two weeks after graduation.”
“My God.” He shoved his hair back from his face. “How did I not know that?” He just shook his head, clearly stunned. “You were so young.”
“Older than you when you lost your dad.”
“But I wasn’t alone. I had my mom and Dustin and Shelly. Who did you two have?”
“No one, which is why I couldn’t just go to L.A.”
“So you stayed and gave up your dreams.”
No. She’d never given up the dream. But after six months, she’d known she wouldn’t be able to leave Santa Rey. Cece had been a lost, grief-stricken hell-on-wheels teenager. It’d taken a lot of attention and effort to keep her reined in, which meant she’d had little time for anything else.
But it’d been worth it. Cece had grown up and taken responsibility for herself. She was doing great, too, with the sole exception of having gotten pregnant by a complete asshole loser. “I’m good with how it all turned out,” she told him quite honestly. She’d come to love her job, and would be sad to leave it. “And actually, I’m going in the fall. The hospital gave me a scholarship for medical school.”
“I’m glad for that,” Jason said quietly.
Yeah. Everyone was glad for that.
Except, oddly enough, her. She kept telling herself it was because it hadn’t hit her yet, that’s all. She’d be over the moon once she got started.
A heavy gust shook the Jeep. In front of them, the street was becoming lakefront property. She’d never seen anything like it, with the swirling sheets of rain, the shocking howl of the wind.
Complete havoc.
“So now I know how you got to be so tough,” he said, reaching over to lightly stroke a finger on her temple, pushing a wet strand of hair away. “So tough, and so unwilling to accept a hand. You lost your support system, and then had to become Cece’s. You’re used to counting only on yourself.”
“Yes.”
“Is it really so awful to let someone help you?”
“I’m letting you help,” she pointed out. “Even when I know that this is all a moot point, that Cece is fine.” She paused. “But I’m grateful.”
“I don’t want you to be grateful.”
“What do you want?”
“So suspicious.” He ran his thumb along her jaw, played with her earlobe. “Maybe I just want a peek at your sweet and sunny disposition.”
She had to laugh at that, even as parts of her tingled. She wasn’t sure what they were going to do with all this shimmering chemistry, but she had an idea, and it made her shiver. “Jason.”
“Lizzy.” He leaned in, his mouth nearly connecting with hers, letting the anticipation build for a beat, until—
Something smacked into the car hard enough to make her gasp and jump. It was a large branch, which rolled off the hood, landing in front of them. It caught on something in the water and snagged, blocking their way.