When Brenna realized the next morning that she was puttering around the house and accomplishing nothing, she decided to mobilize herself and go running. There just seemed to be nothing else to do around here when there wasn't anything to do. If that made sense. For the first time, she questioned the wisdom of dropping her whole life and moving here. What made her think one place would make her happier than another? She had learned long ago that your troubles follow you wherever you go, so why did she think she had left them behind? Maybe she would think more clearly after running in the bracing ocean air.
She chose to go north again and didn't question her reasoning. The chance she would actually run into Adam again was slim. Still, she found herself searching the empty horizon, gray sand stretching endlessly into gray sky. There seemed to be no one else on the beach on this off-season weekday morning. Turning after a couple miles, she headed back. She was nearly to the access road when she saw the tall man and his black dog loping toward her. She felt a jolt inside and thought okay, do I keep running or stop to talk? Does he want to stop and talk? How the hell do I know?
Adam slowed as he approached her, hoping she wouldn't remark on their presence on 'her' end of the beach. He usually stayed farther north, but maybe she didn't realize that. He wiped the perspiration off his forehead, thinking this was not the impression he wanted to make, always sweaty and smelling like a gym locker.
He waved at her as they met each other on the wet sand. "How are you?"
Brenna smiled. "I'm fine. How are you?"
"Okay." Wow, original conversation.
They both began to speak at once and as they laughed, he motioned at her to go first.
Brenna said, "I'm discovering cabin fever. What do you do around here when it's yucky out?" Oh, geez, can you get your foot a little farther in your mouth? You sound desperate.
Adam shrugged his shoulders. "Watch TV, play pool, go bowling...that's about it here." Unless you have a good woman with you...don't go there, buddy. His cheeks reddened slightly and he cleared his throat. "There's a bar around the corner from Mel's."
"Oh, okay. Thanks, maybe I'll check it out. Well, I guess I'll see you around." Brenna managed to smile at him and started walking to her Blazer. See? Told you he's not interested.
Adam groaned as Max nosed his hand, impatient to finish their run. What a joker. That was probably the best chance he'd have. Oh, well. His feet were heavy as he jogged for home.
Restless and feeling bored that evening, Brenna decided to take a drive. The gray day had changed to a damp night, with drizzling rain and wet pavement. She told herself to drive with caution, but her mind was still preoccupied with thoughts of Adam and how she was going to get past this hurdle and be content again. As the wipers steadily cleared the water from her windshield, she stared blankly through them and did not see the dog jump across the road in front of her until the last second. Instinctively, she pushed the brake to the floor and felt the Blazer fishtail out of control. She only had time for one thought of 'oh, shit' before the vehicle spun off the road and into the ditch.
Adam drove the ambulance with calculated speed, knowing the roads were slicker than usual after their spell of good weather followed by rain. The familiar siren wailed from the vehicle as the red and white strobes lit up the wet trees on the roadside.
"Okay, slow down here," his partner told him. They went more slowly, not wanting to miss the vehicle in the dark. Someone had called it in but, assuming carelessly that it was empty, had not bothered to stop.
"There!" His partner pointed to their right and Adam rolled to a stop, directing a bright light on the scene. The dark 4x4 was fortunately right side up. The ditch was two feet deep in water and someone could've drowned had it been upside down. Adam cursed the ignorance of the driver who had not stopped. They waded down to the vehicle, Adam realizing with a tightening in his chest that it was a Blazer.
As he slogged through the slough to the driver's window, it rolled down an inch, just enough for him to hear Brenna say in an exasperated tone, "It took you long enough!"
Adam laughed with relief and Brenna snapped at him again. "You think this is funny?"
"No, no. I'm just glad you're okay. Scared me there for a minute. I take it your doors are stuck?"
"Yes, they are! Do you think I'm sitting here for my health?" Her voice trembled as she remembered the dog. "Adam, a dog ran across the road. Is he out there anywhere?"
"We'll worry about that after we get you out. Move over and we'll pop this door open." With a terrible metallic tearing sound, the door came open and Brenna clambered out, gasping as she sank to her knees in the cold water.
"Okay, now help me look for the dog." Brenna started into the water, but Adam pulled her back.
"Get back here, you don't even have a flashlight. And let me see your face. Did you bump your head or anything?"
"No, I'm fine, I had my seatbelt on. Give me the flashlight."
Adam gave in, waving off the other EMTs, and after a few minutes they located a wet form on the bank. They both went for his neck to see if he was alive and, although unconscious, his pulse was strong. After feeling for broken bones and finding nothing obvious, Adam carefully picked him up and they slogged back through the water. An EMT helped them up the side of the slippery ditch, and a volunteer bundled them into the back of his car and sped for the nearest animal hospital.
Chapter 15