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“Jake.” My voice cracked.
“Lily? Are you okay? Where are you?”
“I was on 95 when smoke started coming from the hood.”
I heard a rustling noise over the line.
“I wasn’t sure what to do.” I continually scanned the area for anything suspicious. Other than the occasional vehicle on the off-ramp, it was quiet.
I heard a door open and close. “You on the highway?”
“I pulled off to the exit ramp.” I relayed the number so he could find me.
He grunted. “Are you safe?”
I looked around. “It’s getting dark, but there hasn’t been much traffic on the ramp since I stopped.”
“Listen, I’m on my way, and, Lily, please call me if you need me.”
Tingles erupted over my skin when he’d said my name.
“Even if it’s just to have someone to talk to.”
“I can do that.” His voice settled my nerves.
“I’ll be there as soon as I can.” The rumble of his engine met my ear.
“Thank you, Jake.” I wanted to tell him to hurry, but I knew he already was. I was unbelievably grateful for his steadying, take-control voice in my ear.
“Call me back for any reason.” His voice was insistent.
“I will.” I turned off the van’s lights so that people would think it was an abandoned vehicle and wouldn’t stop.
He clicked off, and I relaxed slightly, knowing Jake was on his way. I wanted to close my eyes and sleep for a year, but I should be aware of my surroundings. A woman alone in a broken-down vehicle wasn’t a good situation.
I kept my fingers on my phone in case I needed to call Jake or the police quickly, but thankfully, no one stopped.
It was probably only forty-five minutes, even though it felt like hours, when Jake’s tow truck rumbled past me, pulled off onto the shoulder, and backed up.
The door opened, and I expected Jake to hitch the van to his truck, but he stalked toward my door, so I rolled down the window.
His mouth was drawn into a tight line, his face filled with concern. “You okay?”
I let out a breath. “I am now.”
Something flashed in Jake’s eyes, but I couldn’t determine what it was. “Why don’t you get in the cab of my truck? It’s warmer.”
“Of course.” I grabbed my purse and the one extra flower arrangement I still had and opened the door. Jake helped me hop down and used the flashlight on his phone to lead the way to the passenger side of his vehicle.
He gave me a boost into the passenger seat of the tow truck, which was considerably taller than any vehicle I’d been inside before. “I’ll just be a minute.”
He shut the door and moved to attach my van. Berta looked small and forlorn behind the large tow truck. Was I making a mistake in continuing to use her when she wasn’t reliable? She needed more work than I could afford.
It was time for me to be realistic. I’d seen a used van at a lot the other day. It would be fine for what I needed. Jake climbed easily into the driver’s side and slammed the heavy door shut. “You good?”
I swallowed over the lump in my throat before hiding my face as I fastened the seat belt. “Yeah.”
Jake shot me one more concerned look before doing the same, then he checked the rearview mirrors and pulled slowly onto the ramp. “What happened exactly?”
