Second Hope Cowboy Read Free Page B

demons again.
    Hell, who was he kidding? He faced the demons of the past twenty-four-seven.
    Thunder clapped and the rain started. The drops came down fast and heavy, making the red taillights appear blurry. His gut clenched. She was going down the hill slow, thankfully. He knew how treacherous the back roads could get in a downfall. The roads washed out when wet. He had his truck, built tough to handle bad weather, but he wasn’t sure about her car.
    She made it to the hill and her lights disappeared.  He turned toward the door, ready to drown his emotions with a hot shower, when he heard a crash of lightning in the trees and branches breaking. He shot around, staring into the night. Had he heard a loud bang?
    A knot lodged in his throat and tingles raced down his spine.
    Racing into the cabin, he practically ripped his keys off the hook and tore out to his truck. His adrenaline spiked and his breaths sounded loud in his ears as he sped out of the driveway like a racer out of the pits. The big tires spit mud everywhere, splattering it up over the roof and onto the windows, until finally catching tread. He dug his boot into the gas pedal and paid no mind to the warning blaring in his head that the rain still came down hard and he could end up sending his truck over the wrong side of the hill.
    Once over the ridge, he could see one light of Hope’s car and it drew him like an electromagnet.
    He needed to get to her fast!
    He slowed the truck so he wouldn’t come to a skidding halt. She hadn’t gotten far.
    Once he came upon her car, he could see she’d missed the dog-leg curve and landed in the ditch. The front of the car was buried in mud and steam rolled up.
    Pushing the gear into park, he jumped out of the driver’s side and heard another crack of lightning, then a rustling of brush. In the beam of his headlights, he saw a group of deer scatter into the woods.
    Reaching Hope’s car, he tugged on the handle of the door, pulling, but it didn’t budge. The car was locked. “Shit!”
    Racing to his truck, he grabbed a crowbar from the back and sprinted to the car, taking a running leap and sliding over the rear end and landing on his feet on the other side, boots slipping in the wet grass. Grabbing the handle of the passenger door, he held on. Digging his boots into the mud, he placed the tool against the glass, struck it hard with the heel of his hand twice. The window cracked and fell out in one big piece.
    Popping the lock and flinging open the door, he heard Hope’s soft murmur. She was bent over the steering wheel and her hair covered her face, but she was moving.
    Stretching, he gently laid her back into the seat and pushed her hair off her cheek.
    “Tucker,” she whispered.
    His heart tugged as he investigated her face in the dim neon green light of the dash. He found a spot of blood on her temple and another on her cheek, but there were no large, open wounds, which made his shoulders loosen some.
    Her eyelashes fluttered against the tops of her cheeks. “The baby, Tuck. I lost the baby.” Her fingers came up and touched his cheek.
    “What do you mean?” His shoulders tightened again. “What baby?”
    “Our baby.” Her voice cracked.
    “Yes, darlin’. We lost our baby.” Although she appeared okay, he guessed the wreck made her think of the past…and the loss. “It’ll be okay, Hope. I’m here. I’ve got you,” he whispered next to her ear.
    ****
    Hope snuggled deeper into Tucker’s broad chest as he lifted her from the truck and carried her into the night. The air was cool and damp, but he kept her warm. For just being in an accident, she felt a sense of peace. A pair of strong arms like Tucker’s could do that and she imagined she’d go anywhere with him, no questions asked, as long as he was holding her. The beating of his heart next to her ear soothed her.
    “Bring her in,” a man said.
    Lifting her head slightly, she examined her surroundings. “We’re not at the cabin,” she