When the Heart Falls (16 page)

*** 

Dylan stretched as he stepped out of the truck cab and let out a huge yawn. He had had a long day on the ranch and had been looking forward to getting a good night’s sleep. Of course, that all ended when his cell phone rang at one thirty in the morning. Groggily he had answered the phone and thanked the person on the other end before getting out of bed and throwing on a pair of jeans, black t-shirt, cowboy boots, and his hat. The air was sticky and muggy as he walked through the gravel parking lot of The Dark Horse Saloon. The place was dead except for a few cars still lingering. He walked into the building and toward the bar. The jukebox was blaring Garth Brook’s “Friends in Low Places” and someone was singing karaoke very off key along with the song. The few men that were finishing their beers were sending out hoots and whistles and cheering the foolish singer on.

“
Sorry, bud, the bar’s closing,” the bouncer said as he stopped Dylan in his steps.

“
It’s ok, Chuck. He’s here for me,” the bartender said.

The bouncer allowed Dylan to continue to the bar. Once there he stopped and leaned across the counter to shake the bartender’s hand.

“
Hey, Paul. How’s it goin’?” Dylan asked.

“
Oh, not too bad. Yourself?” Paul replied.

“
Tired as hell. Where is she?”

Paul nodded to the stage and Dylan turned his head in that direction. There was Misty, clumsily dancing around and singing her heart out to her devoted fans. She looked like she was having a blast, and that she’d have one hell of a headache in the morning. Dylan shook his head and chuckled.

“
How long has she been here?” he asked Paul.

“
Not sure. My shift started at nine and she was here when I got here. I stopped serving her a while ago, but I think she’s been sneaking drinks,” Paul told him.

“
Nice,” Dylan said sarcastically. “Well, thanks for calling me.”

“
It’s no problem man. I didn’t want her driving like that and I didn’t know who else to call. I would have called her a cab but she probably wouldn’t even be able to tell me where she lived right now.” Paul chuckled.

“
You’re probably right.” Dylan laughed back. “I guess I better get her home then. Hey would you mind following me out to her place and bringing me back here to get my truck?”

“
Don’t see why not,” Paul said. “I just have to finish up closing and I can meet you out there. Where does she live?”

Dylan gave Paul the address of Misty’s parent’s ranch and then headed out onto the dance floor. He watched her as she finished her song and then clapped and whistled. She looked in his direction and her face lit up like a fire cracker on the fourth of July. He walked over to her and held out his arms to help her from the stage.

“
Come on, super star, let’s get you home,” Dylan joked as he grabbed Misty around the waist and lifted her from the stage.

“
Did you come to watch me sing?” she slurred and fell into his chest as she lost her balance.

The smell of alcohol on her breath was enough to make him drunk. He leaned his head away from hers and took a breath of non-alcoholic air.

“
Shoo, Misty! What did you do? Take a bath in Jack Daniels?” he asked, scrunching his face up a little.

“
Dylan, that’s silly.” She giggled. “Where are we going?” she asked as he kept his arm around her waist and started to usher her to the door.

“
I’m taking you home.” he said.

“
But I haven’t finished my show!” she protested and waved her hand back toward the stage.

“
I think your show is over for tonight. That poor mic needs a rest.” He chuckled.

“
Dylan McCoy, are you telling me I can’t sing?” she asked and stumbled a little bit.

He helped her keep her balance and jokingly replied, “Misty, you couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket.”

“
You don’t know what you’re talking about. I sing like a bird,” she said proudly and lifted her chin.

“
A dying bird,” he said under his breath. They walked past the bar and Dylan nodded to Paul. “See you in a little bit.”

“
I’ll be there as soon as I get closed up,” Paul agreed.

What should have been an easy task of walking her out to her car proved different. She kept tripping in the loose stone and dramatically throwing her arm in the air as she kept trying to prove to Dylan that she could indeed sing like a bird. Dylan was annoyed but amused at the same time. At one point she took a tumble and landed flat on her behind. Dylan could barely contain his laughter when she whined that her butt was bruised and insisted that he kiss it and make it better. When he finally got her out to her car, he leaned her against the side long enough to open her purse and get her keys. He hit the unlock button and the cars lights blinked twice. He walked her around to the passenger side and opened the door for her.

“
I don’t want to get in,” she said like a child getting ready to throw a temper tantrum.

“
Misty, please get in the car,” he said softly.

“
No!” she said as she stomped her boot on the ground. “Not until you tell me that I sing like a bird.”

Dylan sighed and shook his head. He knew it wasn’t worth arguing with her so he smiled and said, “Ok, you sing like a bird.”

“
Thank you,” she said arrogantly with a smile. She went to push herself from the side of the car so she could take the passenger seat, but lost her balance and fell into Dylan’s chest. His arms firmly wrapped around her so she wouldn’t fall.

“
Easy now,” he said. Dylan loosened his grip a little bit after she regained her balance, but he didn’t let go. He looked down at her just as she leaned her face up to see his and their eyes locked. For a moment, it seemed as if time was standing still. He could feel his heart rate quicken as she stared into his eyes. He wanted nothing more than to lean down and join his lips with hers. Caught up in the moment, he smiled a little and leaned in toward her. The scent of Jack Daniels on her breath brought him up short. He opened his eyes and pulled back from her. He could tell she was a little confused but she didn’t question him. If she hadn’t been so intoxicated Dylan would have taken advantage of that moment and kissed her.

“
Um,” he said, clearing his throat. “You ready to go now?”

She nodded her head and allowed him to help her into the car. After she was settled, he closed her door and walked around to the driver’s side. Once in, he started the car and slowly pulled out of the parking lot. Misty stared out the windshield with a blank expression. She was slowly starting to sober up and the landscape flying by was making her feel a little nauseous. It felt like her head was spinning; not only from the effects of the alcohol but from the kiss that she and Dylan almost shared. Why had he pulled away from her? She was ready and willing for it to happen. So why didn’t it? She turned to look in his direction and saw a look of confusion and concern on his face. She opened her mouth to apologize for how she had acted tonight when she noticed that he kept checking the rearview mirror. Confused, she looked behind them and saw a set of headlights trailing fairly close behind them.

“
What’s wrong?” she asked Dylan.

“
I’m not sure but I think that car is following us,” he said with the sound of concern clear in his voice.

Misty looked out the back window again and asked, “What makes you say that?”

“
They’ve been on our tail since we pulled out of the bar,” he explained. “Your seat belt on?”

“
Yes. Why?” she asked confused.

“
Hang on,” he told her as he pushed the gas pedal to go faster.

The car behind them kept up with the pace and began to tail them even closer now.

“
Yep! Definitely following us,” he said out loud. She wasn’t sure if he was talking to her or to himself. Just then the car flipped on its bright lights and rammed into the back of Misty’s car. She let out a scream and clutched the dashboard.

“
Hold on!” Dylan yelled as he floored it. Dylan drove Misty’s car as fast as it would go down the dark country road but he couldn’t seem to shake off the other car. The car rammed into the back of them once more and they lurched forward.

“
Oh my God, Dylan. What’s going on?” Misty asked through frightened gasps.

“
I have no idea,” Dylan told her as he continued to try and out run the aggressive car behind them.

Misty looked out the windshield and saw a sign for a sharp turn up ahead. “Dylan, you better slow down there’s a bad turn up here,” she quickly informed him.

“
I can’t,” he said.

“
What do you mean you can’t? Slow down. We’re not going to make the turn going this fast.”

“
I can’t, Misty. Your brakes are out!”

Fear clutched at her chest. “Oh my God, Dylan! What are we going to do?” she asked over the lump that was starting to rise in her throat.

“
Just hold on, ok. I’m going to try to make the turn. When we get to it lean to the right when I say to ok? And put all the force you can into it,” he instructed.

She nodded as the tears fell from her eyes. 
God please don’t let us die
, she prayed.

“
You ready?” Dylan asked.

“
Yes,” she said and nodded.

Their car was increasing in speed as the sharp turn grew closer. As they approached the bend Dylan stared out the windshield and yelled, “Now!”

With all the force she had Misty flung herself into the passenger door as Dylan leaned with her. They attempted to keep all four wheels of the car on the ground as Dylan held tight on the steering wheel keeping it turned. The tires screeched on the black top and they were almost around the bend when the car behind them rammed them one last time. Misty screamed and grabbed for Dylan as their car went flying off the road. It sent them spinning around in a circle, hitting a ditch with such force that the car flipped twice before it finally landed upside-down.

CHAPTER 14

The throbbing pain on the right side of her head woke her up. She opened her eyes but all she could see was darkness. She scanned her eyes over her surroundings, but they were unrecognizable. Everything was so blurry and she blinked, attempting to focus her vision. The searing pain in her head was making it hard for her to think.

What happened?
 she thought to herself.

The previous events were slowly starting to come back to her memory. She could remember Dylan coming to the bar to pick her up, could remember the warmth of his embrace as he held her close on the walk to her car, and she remembered how her heart had raced when they had almost shared a kiss. The horrific accident was the next thing to come back to her. She recalled hearing Dylan’s voice telling her to hold on, and the screeching tires as the car spun out of control. All of that had led her to this moment, in this unfamiliar place. Panic filled her body as she thought of Dylan. 

Oh God, please tell me he’s ok,
 she thought.

She sat up abruptly and grasped her head as everything began to spin.

“
Whoa, whoa, easy,” a male voice told her. She felt his hands gently take hold of her shoulders to keep her from moving any further.

“
Where-” Gasp. “Dyl-” Gasp. “Ok-” Gasp. She couldn’t get the words out. She wanted to know where she was and where Dylan was; wanted to know if he was ok or if he had been injured.

“
It’s ok,” the male voice told her as he gently laid her back down against the pillow. “I’m here, everything’s fine.”

The panic she felt moments before was replaced with relief. Dylan was ok, and he was right here next to her.

“
I’m so sorry,” she managed to say. The pain was so intense now that she felt like she could pass out at any moment. There was so much she wanted to say to him but didn’t know if her mind could make her mouth say them.

“
Shh, you need to rest,” the male voice calmly told her. She could feel the warmth of his skin as he gently took her hand in his. She turned to look at his face, but could only make out the outline of his form. She smiled slightly and closed her eyes.

“
I love you,” she whispered.

“
I love you too, Misty,” the male voice responded as she drifted from consciousness.

*** 

Dylan sat in the lobby of the hospital, recalling the events of the accident to the sheriff when he saw Misty’s parents walk through the doors. He saw them run to the nurse’s station and quickly ramble off who they were and who they were looking for.