Violets in February (11 page)

Jed raised an eyebrow and looked at her. “Really?” he asked, astounded.

“It's not something I'm proud of. As soon I had money I'd replace it, until next time.”

“I bet that confused people.”

She nodded. “Yeah, it did.”

“So,” he said, his tone changing to flippant. “You got the call and prayed the prayer and here you are.”

Lucy closed her eyes for a moment. She thought she'd been getting somewhere, but apparently not. “Yeah, more or less. I'm not perfect now, but the difference is I'm forgiven. I'm not alone. And every time I do mess up, I know God will forgive me.”

“Yet, you still haven't gone home and sorted things out there. Sounds like you need to do some forgiving yourself.”

She sat up straight, shock engulfing her. “What?”

“For all your talk about love and forgiveness, you still hate your stepfather for marrying your mum and taking her away from you. For having other kids with her. Who, incidentally, are your brothers or sisters, and you still don't go visit. You haven't even told me their names.”

“How dare you?” Her stomach churned and she stretched out her fingers in dismay and guilt.

“Well, no one else will. I don't have a family to turn around and walk out on just ‘cos they do stuff I don't approve of. And even if I did, there is no way I'd ever do that. It's just me.” Jed stopped the truck. “Need to top up the gas tank.”

He jumped out into the storm, slamming the door behind him.

Lucy sat there dumbfounded. The horrid realization that Jed was right hit her like a two by four. She bit her lip, the hollow feeling in her stomach growing and swallowing her whole.
Oh, God, forgive me…
As soon as they got out of here, if they got out of here, she'd call her mother—parents—and arrange to go home and visit.

Lightning flashed, followed almost immediately by the roar of thunder. The storm seemed to be getting worse, rather than better.

Jed slid in, soaking wet. “There's a village a few miles up the road. We should try to get there and stay tonight.”

“I didn't think you liked people.”

“I don't,” he growled, starting the truck. “But you can't sleep in the truck again and we need shelter from this.”

They drove only a short way before he braked hard.

Lucy peered through the windscreen but couldn't see anything. “What is it?”

“Not sure, looks like a fallen tree. Stay there. I'll be back.” He got out and vanished.

Lucy rubbed her knee, her face scrunching as she gave into the pain for a moment. She straightened as Jed climbed back in. “Well?”

“We need to get out of here, fast.” He shoved the truck into reverse, backing up as fast as he could. His fingers brushed her shoulders as he laid his hand over the back of the seats, his head twisted towards the rear of the truck.

“Why, what's up?”

“It's not a fallen tree. It's a road block. There are rebel forces just beyond it. They've set up a camp.”

“Did they see us?”

“No, they'd have shot me if they had.”

“What do we do?”

The truck swung around in a one eighty turn. “I'm going to cut across and risk the main road. But tomorrow in the daylight—we'll stop a couple of miles back the other way. You need rest and food before we go any further.”

“I thought the main road was too dangerous.”

He glanced at her, a hardness and fear in his eyes that terrified her. “We don't have a choice anymore. Not if we want to get out of here alive.”

9

Stuck in the truck after a cold meal and only tepid water to drink, Lucy pulled up the Bible app on her phone. She still had no signal, but wasn't surprised as the rain pounded unceasingly on the roof of the truck and they were also over a hundred miles from anywhere. Jed didn't want to waste water on cleaning their teeth, and had offered her a piece of gum instead. It wasn't perfect, but it was better than nothing.

She glanced at Jed. He sat upright, twisting his knife in his hand. He'd already cleaned and loaded the two guns he kept in the truck.

“You really think we're in that much danger?”

“If they catch us, yes.” His voice was low and laced with something she hadn't heard before.

“You can't stay awake all night.”

“I promised to protect you.”

“And you can't do that if you're exhausted. There's still a long way to drive.” She paused. “How about I keep watch until midnight or so and then you do.”

He shook his head. “I'll take first watch. Wake you about three or so.”

“OK.” She turned her attention back to her phone and started to read.

“So,” Jed's voice broke her concentration. “If God loves you, how come He stranded you out here? Why didn't He send a chopper for you?”

“He must have a reason.”

“Like what?”

Lucy studied him, his profile outlined in the light from her phone. “Maybe He wanted us to take this trip together.”

“Yeah, right.” He snorted. “All we've done is fight.”

“Not all.”

Jed smirked. “True. I did kiss you.”

Her cheeks burned under his intent gaze. “Yeah.”

“And I've a mind to do it again.” He touched her cheek, his fingers gentle on her skin. They eased around to the back of her neck, pulling her closer.

“I didn't think you liked me,” she whispered.

He leaned closer, his breath warm on her cheek, his lips almost touching hers, making her shiver. “You thought wrong.” His voice was no more than a whisper. Then he kissed her, gently at first, then deeper, his free hand sliding down her arm and around her waist. She kissed him back, his touch setting her aflame.

As he pulled back, disappointment engulfed her. He ran the pad of his thumb over her lips. “G'night, Lucy.”

She looked at him. How could he kiss her like that, then just switch off? Was she that repulsive? Had she done something wrong? “Night,” she whispered. She turned on to her side and looked at her phone.

“Sleep,” came the firm voice behind her. His hat hit her arm. “Don't make me come over there.”

“You're sat right next to me,” she said glancing at him in surprise.

He winked. “And?”

Lucy thought fast. “And I have a phone with a bright torch app, and I'm not afraid to use it.”

Jed chuckled. “Do your worst.”

Lucy flipped up the app and shone the light in his eyes. “See?”

He flung his arm up to shield his face. “Agh—I can't see a thing. There goes my night vision.”

She giggled. “So any bad guys come upon us later, I'll blind them with my torch app, while you, umm…”

“Shut up and go to sleep, Lucy.”

She laughed. “Fine. I'll protect us while you shut up and go to sleep.”

Jed groaned. “I did not mean that and you know it, ratbag.”

“I know.” She touched his arm. “Thank you.”

He raised an eyebrow. “What for?”

“Driving me. Being a friend. Protecting me and…”

“Half killing you when I dropped you,” he added.

“Kissing me,” she finished.

Surprise crossed his face, making him look cuter than usual. “I've never been thanked for kissing a sheila before.”

“Really? You kissed many?”

He winked. “Never kiss and tell is my motto. What about you? Kissed many blokes?”

“Not many.”

“Oh?” His hand cupped her cheek. “A gentleman would never ask how he compares to another fella, but we both know I'm no gentleman.”

Her cheeks flamed again and she glanced away.

“Lucy?” His fingers turned her head to his. “Am I the first bloke to ever kiss you?”

Her face burned hotter and words failed her. Now he'd think her totally reprehensible.

His thumb rolled slowly across her lips. “You'll be telling me next that you've never been on a date.”

She shook her head. In for a penny, after all, he couldn't think any less of her than he did now. “No, never.” She paused. “Well?”

“Well what? You want me to take you on a date?” His eyes sparkled and his tone teased her.

She didn't answer, not sure if he were mocking her now.

“If you want me to kiss you again, you're gonna have to beg.”

Her jaw dropped and she felt her eyes widen. “Beg? You want me to beg?” If she could have gotten up and left, she would have. But she couldn't move, even if he weren't holding her.

“I've always had this fantasy…”

Lucy held up a hand. “Mr. Gorman. I don't want to hear about your fantasies.”

He put his fingers across her lips. “Fantasy about an uptight, blonde missionary doctor, with a bad knee, begging me to kiss her,” he continued. “But it's never going to happen.”

She caught his fingers. “Why not?”

“She doesn't like me. She's made that perfectly clear. And I'm not going to force myself on her, or waste my emotions on someone who hates me.”

“She doesn't hate you.”

His gaze softened. “She doesn't?” Hope tinged his voice.

“She's been hiding how she feels because she doesn't understand it. She can't work out why she feels the way she does, or what it means. She's confused—” Lucy broke off, unsure how to continue. She sucked in a deep breath. “She's not good at talking about stuff like this, kind of embarrassed that she's gotten to this age and doesn't know what to do.”

He stroked her cheek gently. “Is she going to ask?”

Her lips were inches from his, his fingers gently holding her in his arms. Right then, there was no place she'd rather be. “A lady never asks.”

He winked. “But you're no lady.”

“Please,” she whispered.

He smiled slowly, leaning forwards and closing the gap between them. He kissed her gently. “Now, go to sleep, Lucy.”

~*~

Lucy jerked awake, heart thumping. She sat bolt upright. What had woken her?

The sound came again.

Gunfire.

She turned to Jed, but he wasn't there. “Jed?” She looked around wildly. Where had he gone?

He stuck his head over the seats in the front. “Shh. We need to get out of here, now.”

She shuffled forwards. “Pull me over.” He grabbed hold of her outstretched arms and yanked her into the front of the truck. She stifled the cry of pain as her leg hit the seats, then the dashboard.

“Sorry.”

“S'OK.” She bit her lip as agony coursed through her.

Jed pulled the rifle from the driver's door and shoved it at her as she fumbled with the seatbelt.

“What's this for?”

“Protection. They shoot us; you shoot them back.” He turned the key in the ignition.

“I can't.”

Jed kept trying to start the truck. “Lucy, now is not the time to quote the sixth commandment at me.”

Surprised, she twisted to face him. “You know what the sixth commandment is?”

“Thou shalt not kill,” he quoted, the engine finally roaring into life. “You either drive or you shoot,” he floored the pedal, driving as fast as it was safe to do. “And as you can't drive…”

Lucy hung onto the dashboard. “I can't shoot either.”

He sighed. “Lucy, you saw what those animals did to that little girl and her father. So you don't need me to tell you what they'll do to us if they catch us. I will die to protect you, but I am one man against thirty or maybe forty.”

“OK.” She clutched the rifle tightly, praying hard. She didn't want to have to shoot anyone, she was a healer, not a killer, but short of Divine intervention, she might not have much of a choice.

Jed continued to drive hard and fast, glancing in the mirror. “We're being followed. Pull back that lever on the left of the rifle next to the trigger. That's the safety; the gun won't fire with it on.”

She did so.

“I need you to aim out of the window, behind us, and pull the trigger. Be careful of the recoil. It shouldn't be too bad, but watch it. You won't need to reload, as it's got thirty bullets in the cartridge.”

“I can't,” she said.

“Stop telling me what you can't do and just do it!” he snapped.

She'd never heard that tone before. It was beyond irate and she didn't want to argue and annoy him further. Lucy twisted in her seat, and managed to get one shot off. The recoil pushed her against the belt and she grunted.

Several shots came back at them and she shrieked.

“Are you hit?” Jed demanded.

“No…”

“Then fire back! Aim low, try to get their tires.”

Lucy called on every ounce of courage she possessed and slid the rifle out of the window again. She got off another shot and missed. More shots whizzed past them, one hitting the door of the truck, landing inches from her foot.

She screamed, her heart pounding. Then, she fired again.

The truck behind them swerved and crashed into a tree.

Jed glanced in the mirror. “Nice shot, Lucy!”

Tears filled her eyes, numbness spreading through her. The rifle dropped from her hands as she slumped onto the seat. “I killed…”

Jed glanced behind and then at her. “No, you didn't.” He accelerated through the brush and trees, somehow managing to dodge them, keeping the truck on the narrowing path. The vehicle slid and bounced until it finally broke onto the main road. He put his foot flat to the floor.

Lucy closed her eyes, crying hard, begging forgiveness. “I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Forgive me.”

“You don't need forgiving.” His hand touched her arm. “You did a good job, trust me.”

“I'm meant to be a doctor not a murderer…I killed them.”

“Darl', no one died. Trust me. There are four men to a Ute like that. I saw all four get out.” He squeezed her arm, and then moved his hand back to steering wheel. He flipped off the headlights.