Oh, no!
“Who do I look like?” The words were out before she could stop them. She wanted to kick herself for indulging in this conversation that had a distinct possibil
ity of blowing up in her face.
He continued to study her. “Hmm... I’ll have to give that some thought.”
There was a large rock nearby. She brushed off some of the freshly fallen snow. “Sit here and wait. I’ll be right back.”
“Where are you going?”
Gizmo’s name clogged in her throat. She’d never be able to get the words out. She swallowed hard. “I... I have to check on something.”
“It’s too late to save the car.”
She turned to find fire engulfing the hood. If Gizmo was there—if he was trapped—she had to help him. Serena quickly set off for the car, before she could talk herself out of her plan.
Jackson was shouting at her to stop, but she kept going. She would be careful—as careful as she could be. She could feel Jackson’s gaze following her. She didn’t care what he thought. If Gizmo was hurt and needed her, she had to help him.
Serena rushed through the thickening snow to the car. She carefully made her way down over the small embankment. All the while, she kept an eye out for any sign of her buddy. Between the snow and the wind, there was no sign of his little footprints.
With great trepidation, she turned toward the place where the car was smashed against the trees. Could he be in there?
She rushed over and bent down. She reached out to sweep away the snow from around the front tire, but for the briefest moment, she hesitated. Her whole body tensed as she imagined the ghastly scene awaiting her.
She gave herself a mental shake. With trembling hands, she set to work. And then at last, most of the snow had been swept away. There was no Gizmo. She took her first full breath. It didn’t mean he was safe, but it was a good sign. And right about now, she’d take any positive sign possible.
She turned in a full circle, searching for him. She even ventured the rest of the way down the embankment. There was no sign of him. The crash must have spooked him. How far had he run? And how long would he last in the extreme conditions? She repeatedly called his name.
Between the thickening clouds and the heavy snow, visibility wasn’t great. With the deepest, most painful regret, she realized she couldn’t help Gizmo. A sob caught in her throat. The backs of her eyes stung. She couldn’t fall apart—not yet. She had to get Jackson to safety and then she’d return to continue her search for Gizmo. The car continued to smoke and smolder, so she scooped up some armfuls of snow and heaped them on the hood, hoping to douse the flames. She then moved to the side of the car and, catching sight of a bag in the back seat, she retrieved the large duffel bag.
She returned to the rock where the man was still sitting. “I need to get you out of this weather.”
“What were you doing?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Just now. You were searching for something.” And then his eyes widened. “That dog. He’s yours.”
Once more her eyesight blurred with unshed tears. She blinked repeatedly. She nodded.
“It almost killed me.” The man’s deep voice rumbled.
Serena’s chin lifted and her gaze narrowed in on him. “And you might have very well killed him.”
As though her pointed words had deflated him, the man had the decency to glance away. His anger immediately dissipated as the gravity of the situation sunk in.
“Are you sure?” he asked. “I tried to miss him.”
“I called him and I searched around, but I didn’t find any sign of him.”
“And just now, when you returned to the car, were you looking under it for your dog?”
She struggled to keep her emotions in check. She nodded. It was the best she could do.
“I’m sorry.” His tone softened. “I’d never intentionally hurt an animal.”
“It’s not your fault. It’s mine. I let him off his leash. I should have known better.”