kiss away the tears on her cheeks and bring a smile to her.
“I’m sorry,” she murmured, drawing away and swiping at her tears. Shannon kept her head lowered and didn’t look at him. Anybody with eyes in their head ought to be able to drive down an empty road without running off it. She’d always prided herself on her perfect driving record, and now this!
“Nothing to be sorry about,” he reassured her. “You’re safe—that’s all that matters. I think we ought to get going. I don’t like the looks of that sky.”
Pokey had been bouncing around at their feet, woofing excitedly as if the world was a wonderful place when people were around to keep him company.
“Come on, pup,” Ward said as he and Shannon moved toward the pickup. Without waiting for an invitation, Pokey jumped in and settled happily on Shannon’s lap.
Ward held his curiosity about the dog in check until he saw Shannon lightly petting him with soft, tender strokes. Then he asked with his usual smile, “Where did the pup come from?”
She told him about Kenny looking for Pokey last evening. “Somehow Pokey made his way to my cottage, and I put him in the back seat. I’d only driven a short distance when all of a sudden he jumped into the front seat and startled me.” Her voice faltered.
He could guess the rest of the story. She’d inadvertently turned the steering wheel, and the car dropped off the road.
“It was stupid,” she said in a tone that was edged with disgust for herself.
He was surprised she’d bothered with the dog in the first place. He suspected that underneath that polished exterior of hers, there might be a deep, caring nature.
“Things like that happen to everyone,” he assured her.
“Not to me,” she said firmly. “I should have made sure that the dog stayed in the back.”
“Well, no harm done,” he said.
Her eyes rounded as she stared at him. “How can you say that? No harm done? My car will probably end up smashed to smithereens and my belongings burned to a crisp.”
“True. I guess it’s just the way you look at it. Since you escaped without being smashed to smithereens and burned with the rest of it, I’d say no real harm was done.” He shot her a quick glance. Didn’t she realize how blessed she was that she’d run off the road in that exact spot? There were a hundred other places where there were no rock ledges to halt a sheer drop into the canyon below. “It’s all a matter of perspective, isn’t it?”
Shannon tightened her jaw and didn’t answer. What she didn’t need was someone reminding her that she should be grateful instead of resentful about the whole thing. If he started lecturing her about families who had lost everything, she silently vowed she’d get out and walk.
Ward knew she was shaken up and still scared by what had happened. He could appreciate the toll the experience had taken on her nerves, because his own were still on edge from the ordeal. Even now he could feel sweat beading on the back of his neck if he thought about what could have happened.
They drove in silence until they reached the school parking lot. As soon as Ward turned off the engine, a man with a clipboard came over to the pickup’s window.
“Is she the one not accounted for?” he asked Ward as he shot a quick look at Shannon.
“Yes. She had a little accident that delayed her.”
The man grunted as if he thought one feeble excuse was as good as another. “The wind is kicking up. They’ve called in some more tankers. Hot flames could crest the ridge by nightfall.”
“Or the fire could burn back on itself,” Ward countered, believing that positive and negative thoughts created their own energy.
“Well, you’re about the only one who thinks so,” the man said flatly and walked away.
Shannon swallowed hard. How much time left before the whole mountain went up in flames? “What are the chances of getting a wrecker to pull my car back on the road?”
“Under normal conditions, Ed’s Towing Service could give it a try. If the car stays hung up on those rocks, a pulley and cable could probably bring it up without too much trouble.”
She felt a spurt of hope. “So if they put out the fire before it reaches the ridge, and it’s safe to go back up the mountain, they could do it pretty fast?”
“Yes, they could—under normal conditions.” He hated to douse the sudden spark in her lovely wide eyes as he added, “But I’m afraid as long as the whole area is in a fire zone and restricted to official personnel, the car will have to stay where it is.”
“I see.” She turned away so he couldn’t see her face. Above everything else, she wasn’t going to give into any feminine weakness that would add to her humiliation.
Shannon clutched the small dog in her arms as they made their way into the gym, and she searched the crowd for a glimpse of Kenny. Putting Pokey into the child’s arms was suddenly more important than anything else.
Kenny saw her before she saw him. His childish cry of joy was unmistakable as he bounded across the floor. “You found Pokey.”
“Here he is. Safe and sound.” She smiled as she set the dog down, and Kenny fell on his knees, giggling as the pup washed his face with kisses.
“I love you, Pokey,” he blubbered. “Where were you? I couldn’t find you anywhere.”
Shannon’s eyes were suddenly misty as she saw the joyful reunion. She wasn’t aware that Ward’s hand had slipped into hers until she realized she was squeezing it. When she looked at him, she saw a warmth in his eyes that took her completely by surprise. Her defenses against allowing anyone to come too close emotionally shot into play, and she quickly withdrew her hand.
“She found Pokey. She found Pokey,” Kenny shouted to everyone.
All Shannon’s efforts to stay removed from everyone’s notice were wiped out in that happy moment. She felt horribly on display as Alice Gordon loudly thanked her over and over again, and other people, young and old, gathered around her, smiling broadly.
Laura Cozzins’s round face beamed at Shannon. “Bless you. That little tyke has been pining away for his dog. It’s a good deed you’ve done this day.”
“You don’t know what that good deed cost her. Maybe Shannon will tell you about it sometime,” Ward said. His smile wavered. “Then again, maybe she won’t. She’s a very private person,” he added, smarting a little at the way she had quickly dropped his hand.
Laura nodded in a knowing way. As a minister’s wife, she was obviously adept at reading emotions that lay beneath the surface. “How about a glass of lemonade and maybe a doughnut to refresh the two of you?” she suggested as if she were dedicated to feeding the body, as well as the soul at every opportunity.
“Thanks, but I’ve promised to deliver some supplies to the base camp,” Ward said, “I’m already late by a couple of hours.”
Shannon silently winced. They both knew it was her fault he’d been delayed. She quickly
