CHAPTER THREE
Somewhere deep inside, a warning signal nagged at Rachel. She wanted his approval. Was it more than a desire to impress the new boss? Why did it matter to her what Luke thought?
Wishing she had at least changed clothes, Rachel looked into the manhole. “Take time for your eyes to adjust to the dim light,” Luke advised. “I’ll be right behind you.”
Was she crazy? Actually considering this?
Thunder rumbled in the distance, warning of the approaching storm. If it was anything like the last, Rachel didn’t want to chance being caught in it. Especially not down a manhole.
Yet the cat’s desperate cry latched onto her heart. Luke was right. They couldn’t just leave those cats down there to die.
“Let’s hurry!” She rushed to the sidewalk and snatched someone’s empty recycling bin, then ran back.
Luke offered his hand as she lowered herself to sit at the edge of the manhole, feet dangling. She reached for the ladder, but Luke’s grasp did not release her.
“First a quick prayer.” The smooth, confident request caught Rachel off guard.
“Okay...”
His fingers entwined in hers, much like Rachel’s father’s had when she was a child. How she missed Pastor Charles Harman, his leadership and transparent faith.
Luke closed his eyes, but Rachel kept hers open, watching him. Her heart fluttered as he spoke and suddenly she realized why this man and his Christian music so grated her nerves on previous occasions. She missed her father dearly and hearing those songs reminded her of the man she’d lost to cancer.
“Lord, protect this woman. Keep her safe and if You could hold that storm off an extra minute or two, it’d help considerably.” He finished with a light chuckle, opened his eyes, and winked at her.
“Thank you.” Feeling as if something had shifted inside her, Rachel pulled free and reached for the ladder.
His prayer filled her with confidence and she charged downward into the dark hole as the kittens mewed and the cat cried frantically. “I’m coming, kitty kitty. I’m coming!”
“Take your time, concentrate,” Luke encouraged. “But hurry up.”
“Right,” she laughed. The stench was overwhelming as Rachel lowered herself from the ladder. Calf-high water rushed over her feet, destroying her favorite—very expensive—pair of suede flats. “Great.”
She flashed the light, searching for the endangered feline family. Spotted, the cat hissed at her, clearly terrified. “Hey kitty kitty.”
The darkness was terrifying. She inched forward slowly. “Shhh...it’s okay.”
“Everything okay down there?” Luke called.
“I don’t think the kitty likes me.”
“She’s scared. Just approach slowly.”
Rachel continued sweet-talking the animal when suddenly it leapt at her. Thrown off guard, she screamed, stumbled, and somehow managed to catch the clawing, hissing cat, dropping her flashlight in the process. Thrown off balance, she plopped to her butt in the rushing water and it splashed around her.
“Rachel! Are you okay?”
Darkness engulfed her as she wrestled the unhappy kitty and managed to overtake it. Something—who knows what!—whooshed past her side and she screamed. “Disgusting!”
“Rachel! I’m coming down!”
“Don’t!” she called back, scrambling to her feet while gripping the furious feline in an unyielding hold. “I’ve got it. Everything is under control.”
She trudged back to the ladder and handed him up the unhappy cat. “Have fun,” she warned. “That lady is one crazy-mad mama.”
“I trapped her under the recycle bin. She’ll be fine once we rescue her babies. Hurry, it’s starting to drizzle.”
“I’m on it.” Rachel sloshed through the water back to the kittens. She gathered as many as she could hold and rushed back to the opening, then repeated the process.
Luke hauled her to safety and she emerged from the manhole laughing. Together, they ran to the safety of their condo building as the storm brewed around them, the rain falling harder and harder.
They were both soaked by the time they made it inside with the recycle bin of kittens, the cat following closely behind.
“We did it! You did it!” With that, he leaned over, clutched her by the shoulders, and planted a quick kiss to her cheek.
“What was that for?”
“Good job.” He winked at her for the second time that night and Rachel’s heart started beating funny.
“Uh, thanks.” Suddenly, Rachel realized one minor issue. “But we aren’t supposed to have pets in the building.”
“Who cares? We’ll find them a home soon enough.” We. How had Rachel gotten herself involved in this?
“We’ll go to your place first and you can grab a change of clothes. Then we’ll go up to my place and feed our new buddy here some steak.” He glanced back at the cat who trailed them. “She’ll be our best friend in no time.”
For some reason, despite knowing she desperately needed to write her column, Rachel went along with all the “we’s” and “ours.” Together they walked toward her apartment.
Rachel stopped dead in her tracks, shocked to find Gage standing there. “Rachel! I was worried sick about you. I heard about the power outages. You’re not answering your cell.”
Suddenly, Rachel was keenly aware of her tattered, disgusting appearance. She was soaked in sewer water. Scratched up from the cat. Her hair was all over the place.
Meanwhile, Gage appeared the epitome of polished, male perfection. He barely gave Luke a glance. “Are you okay? You look like something the cat dragged in.”
She laughed. “You don’t know the half of it. Right, Luke?”
“Sure.” She noticed her new friend hung back, giving her space. Rachel spun off in a quick explanation of their adventure.
“That’s quite a story.” Gage flicked the prowling cat a look of disgust. “Grab some clean clothes and I’ll take you to my place to shower.”
“Oh, um...” She looked to Luke, who was clearly disappointed with this turn of events, then down at her appearance, and quickly made her decision. “Thanks for the offer, but I can’t leave. We have to calm Shadow and her kittens down, get her some food and a warm bed to snuggle with her babies.” She looked at Luke, who raised his eyebrows. “Yes, I named the cat, so hopefully you’re correct and she’ll be our new best friend so the name will fit.”
Gage took a step forward and reached for Rachel’s elbow and then pulled his hand back as he noticed a large brown splotch of something slimy on her arm. He retreated and frowned. “Well, it’s probably best if you don’t ride in my new car in your current condition, but I’ll wait until you get cleaned up and then we’ll go find some place to eat that still has electricity.”
Rachel acknowledged she was pretty filthy, but was a little hurt that he prized his car’s interior more than her—and he apparently didn’t even listen to the rest of her reasons.
“I really can’t. Once I get cleaned up and take care of the cats, I still have an article to write before morning and it’s beginning to look as though it will be in long-hand if the power doesn’t come back on soon.”
“Don’t worry about the article. The power’s out so you’ve got a good excuse. Besides, I hear the new boss is the real touchy-feely type. He’ll probably give you a pat on the head and a gold star and promote us all, including the janitor, to assistant editor. Maybe we should get him together with your annoying neighbor upstairs, Mr. Sunshine,” Gage sneered.
Rachel gasped and heat flooded her cheeks, but before she could utter a word, Luke stepped forward.
“I’m sure the new boss will be demanding, professional and a lot tougher than that or he wouldn’t have been put in charge of such a high-caliber publication.”
Gage turned to Luke and studied him as if seeing him for the first time. “Who are you and what do you know about our new boss?”
“Luke Ashton, annoying neighbor and new p
ublisher of This Week. And, for the record, that janitor could edit the heck out of any document I put in front of him.”
She should explain her remark to Luke, why she’d complained about him being annoying to a coworker. She really should.
She loved her job and wanted to keep it, hoping some day to become assistant editor.
But life wasn’t always about her, or, in this case, about her saving face with her new boss. And Luke seemed the type of man who was more interested in action than words.
What mattered was getting the kittens and mama cat to safety.
She turned to Gage. “I’m certain you can find your way home without my help. And there are plenty of excellent restaurants you’ll be able to enjoy, either with or without electricity, but certainly without me.”
He leered toward her ever-so-slightly. “Come on. You can grab a quick shower at my place, then we’ll enjoy dinner at an Italian restaurant by candlelight. Most women love a romantic ambiance.”
Romantic ambiance? Was he kidding with those fancy words? He must be trying to impress the new boss.
She glanced at the sky through a hall window. The moon and several stars peeked through gray clouds. Finally, the storm was clearing out.
Shadow rubbed against Rachel’s legs. She laughed, bending to rub the cat’s fur. “So, you’ve forgiven me for taking your babies? Don’t worry, you’ll all be warm and fed soon.” She gestured toward the recycle bin Luke held, careful not to meet his gaze. The kittens mewed an impatient reminder.
Straightening, she turned back to Gage. “Thanks for the invite, but I’m heading back to my apartment.”
Gage eyed her steadily. “You mean I’ve come all this way for nothing? I’m starving and could’ve eaten dinner by now.”
She shrugged. “You’ll have to blame your hunger on the storm. Now you’ll have more time to work on your article for This Week.”
Gage shook his head and flashed a cold smile. “Maybe I’ll write about two heroes who braved tonight’s storm to save the world.” He didn’t wait for a reply. He swung around and stomped to his car.
Rachel shook back her wet hair, took a deep breath, and met Luke’s eyes. She’d avoided his gaze long enough. “I don’t feel like a hero,” she began.
Luke met her gaze and held it. His eyes warmed. Carefully, he set down the recycle bin and straightened. Still holding her gaze, he entwined his fingers in hers. “A hero is someone who has given her life to something bigger than herself.”
She couldn’t help but grin. “I’ve heard that quote before.”
Luke smiled down into her upturned face. “It’s a quote by Joseph Campbell. I’m an editor. I love books and reading, remember?”
“Luke...I...I want to apologize.” She lowered her voice. “I didn’t mean what I said about you. I judged you unfairly.”
“Don’t apologize. I’m still giving you a gold star for tonight.” He winked, causing her heart to beat in that funny rhythm. Her stomach fluttered.
She inhaled. After the rainstorm, the air smelled so fresh, so new.
“Good,” she said, “I’ve always liked gold stars the best.”
Did you enjoy Luke and Rachel’s adventure? Check out their newest exploit and discover what awaits their relationship in After the Storm, our next free short story.
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