Page 26 of Meant for Two
There was a pause. "I'll be there as fast as I can. Hang tight, Blair." Zane's firm and resolute voice helped calm her.
"Thank you, Zane," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. As she hung up, a glimmer of hope flickered inside her. The fact that someone strong and capable was coming to her rescue was a comfort she desperately needed right now.
As she waited for Zane’s arrival, a newfound determination coursed through her veins. She was Blair Gibson, a strong and independent woman, and she wasn't going to let a car wreck keep her down.
* * *
Jeff's apartment was a chaotic mix of paint cans, tools, and newly finished projects. He had just installed the last of the kitchen appliances when his phone rang, interrupting his work. He wiped his hands on a rag and grabbed the phone. Zane's name appeared on the caller ID.
"Hey, what's up?" Jeff answered.
“Blair's been in an accident. Someone sideswiped her car." Zane's voice cut through the line, the urgency of the situation evident.
Jeff's heart rate skyrocketed. "Is she okay?"
"She's alive, but she's trapped in her car. I'm on my way there." Zane's reply was swift.
Jeff didn't have to think twice. "Where is she? I'm coming too."
"She's on Forest Road 17, on the bend after you leave Woodland Estates."
Jeff's mind was already racing as he grabbed his keys. "I'll meet you there, but can you call Uncle Adam to let him know she was in an accident? I’ll contact my brother to see if he can meet us with his tow truck.”
“I can do that.” And then Zane disconnected.
Anxiety and anger shot through Jeff. Upon hearing Blair had been hurt, his protective instincts surged like a tidal wave. He couldn't shake the panic that gripped him.
As he sped through the streets toward the accident scene, he dialed his brother Ethan's number. Since Ethan worked at a car repair shop, he’d know how to handle a situation like this.
“Hey, Jeff," Ethan's voice crackled through the phone and what sounded like a drill echoed in the background.
"I need your help. Blair's been in an accident. Her car might be totaled.” Zane hadn't said that, but if she was trapped, the car wouldn’t be in good shape. “The bottom line is that she's stuck inside. She just called.”
“What’s her condition?” Ethan's concern was palpable.
"Zane said she's alive, but I need you to bring any tools you think might help get her out. And a tow truck.”
"I'll gather everything I can. Just tell me where she is.”
After giving Ethan the location, it didn't take long before Jeff pulled up to the accident scene behind Zane’s car that was parked on the side of the road. Jeff rushed toward his friend. When he looked over the edge of the road, he spotted Blair's mangled Mercedes resting precariously on its side, and Jeff's heart clenched at the sight, his anger boiling beneath the surface.
Blair's car door was crumpled, her trapped figure visible through the driver's side window. Jeff's gut churched. “Have you spoken with her?”
Zane's gaze was fixed on the scene. “I just got here. She's conscious at least. Let’s see about getting her out of that mass of steel.”
Jeff nodded, his mind focused on the task at hand. "I called Ethan. He's bringing his tools and a tow truck.”
“Good. Hopefully, we can yank the door open,” Zane said.
Just as they were about to go down the hillside, the sound of an approaching engine drew their attention, and Ethan's tow truck rolled to a stop on the side of the road.
His brother hurried toward them, his expression reflecting their concern as he assessed the battered Mercedes on its side.
“Have you tried to get her out?” Ethan asked.
Ethan was a solidly built man, his arms bearing the marks of hard work and his hands roughened from years of labor. He was carrying a bag of tools slung over his shoulder.
“Not yet. We were just about to go down and try to open the door so we could lift her out,” Jeff said.