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Yeah, right. Not only had the doctor given her the all clear to continue riding, Megan didn’t doubt that Nash had put her atop a horse that was the safest out of the bunch. Never one to stay behind, she squeezed her legs, sending Major cantering with Nash off in the distance ahead of her. Every minute that passed only thickened the air with the awareness that the phone call wasn’t a mistake. Something was burning. And as Major’s hooves thundered against the ground, moving them quickly over the hill, the thick black smoke appeared in the distance.
By the time Megan arrived at the ranch, the barn was engulfed in flames, and Nash was off his horse, handing him to one of the cowboys.
Megan cantered right up to Nash’s mother near the house, as Jenny called out to Nash, “The kittens. I put them in a stall in the back to keep them safe while I tended to chores. The barn was empty, but the kittens . . . they’re in the barn!”
Nash’s gaze flicked to Megan’s. She shook her head, and yet wanted to nod at the same time. Those poor kittens, but Nash’s life could be at risk running into a burning barn. He inhaled sharply then ran straight for the burning building.
“Nash,” Megan yelled.
He never turned back.
Flames licked up the side of the barn, smoke billowing out of one of the broken windows.
A cold iciness slid over Megan as she carefully dismounted then offered the reins to one of the Blackshaw ranch cowboys, Butch, she believed his name was—he’d come into the Spurs a few times—who stood frozen in shock. “Here.” He slowly turned to her and blinked. “Take them,” she snapped.
Awareness returned to Butch’s dark eyes, and he scooped up the reins then turned Major away. Megan ran to Jenny, throwing her arms around her. “Oh, my God, Jenny. Are you okay? Is anyone in there?”
Jenny gripped Megan tight. Her voice blistered. “The kittens, Megan. I left them in there in their basket because they were sleeping. I didn’t want to . . . I left them . . .”
Tears welled in Megan’s eyes. Those poor little babies. “Nash will get them.” He had to get them. Nash did not fail. Ever. He was always the guy who came through when someone needed him. He was brave and loyal and all the things she wanted in a man. “He’ll get them. And he’ll get out safe,” she told both Jenny and herself.
“Dear God, Megan,” Jenny gasped.
The flames were so loud. The cracking of wood filled the air, as thick smoke made the oxygen vanish. “What happened?” she asked Jenny, trying to understand.
Jenny’s eyes were huge, face pale. “I don’t know. I was doing some cleaning. I thought I smelled smoke, so I came out front.” She clung to Megan, trembling. “It was only a small fire. I moved there to get the kittens when all of a sudden, there was an explosion and the whole barn went up.”
“An explosion?” Megan repeated, trying to make sense of that. She doubted there was farm equipment inside that required gasoline. The barn was too small.
Sirens had Megan glancing over her shoulder just in time to see River Rock’s firetruck racing up the driveway, along with a few police cars.
By the time Megan looked back, the side of the farmhouse had flames flicking up the sides.
“My home,” Jenny cried. “Not my home . . .”
Megan wrapped her arms around Jenny a little tighter, feeling helpless to stop any of it.
A whimper came at her feet. Megan grabbed Jenny’s hand then squatted down and wrapped her arm around Gus’s thick neck. The dog stared at the barn. “It’s okay, buddy,” she managed to choke out. “He’ll be okay.”
But where was Nash? Why wasn’t he out yet?
“This is taking too long,” she said beneath her breath.
The firetruck came to a hard stop and the firefighters jumped out of their truck, and it was a flurry of activity. Megan watched the barn’s door, counting the seconds that passed.
Where are you?
In a blink, the smoke somehow only grew darker, and Megan’s heart stopped beating for a single moment when suddenly there seemed to be no door. There were only flames. So many flames. There was no way out.
She slowly released Gus, ready to yell at the firefighters to go to the back to make sure Nash could get out, when another explosion cracked through the air, sending Megan stepping back.
No.
Tears made her eyes blurry at the reality unfolding before her. The entire front of the barn suddenly collapsed into flames and ruins.
“Nash.” She took a step forward, not thinking of anything but Nash and getting hi
m out of there. Everything right then and there got real, and her belly fluttered, like the baby knew that her daddy was in danger. On instinct, she charged forward and screamed, “Nash.”
