Toughen up, Molly.
No matter how bad her circumstances were, that poor guy in the truck had it worse. The sheriff climbed up on the back of the truck and removed her jacket from the window so he could check on Russ.
“My name’s Jake,” he said unexpectedly. “You’re Molly, right?”
“Y-yes.” She was shaking with cold by now.
“Are you okay? You’re not hurt?”
“I’m fine.” She waved her hand at the vehicle. “He’s t-the one who’s injured. I don’t k-know how long he’s been here, but it’s p-possible he’s hypothermic and the w-water level is rising, so I’m w-worried he’s going to drown before we can get him out of there. I s-stayed here and talked to him. Is the ambulance on its way? Is—”
He climbed back down and moved to her. Grabbing hold of her shoulders he squeezed, and she quietened immediately. She couldn’t even make out what the guy looked like, but he had a presence that couldn’t be ignored.
“It’s okay, Molly.” The reassurance in his voice calmed her nerves. Maybe she’d been wrong about him. He didn’t seem to have an ego issue and he was being kind of nice, checking on her. “Except you should have stayed in your car, like you were told. Next time, you’ll follow directions, yes?”
“Well, hopefully t-there won’t be a next time, but I’m pretty s-sure if there is I won’t be waiting in the car while s-someone is alone and hurt.”
He undid his jacket then wrapped it around her shoulders. She gaped at him.
“Put your arms through and do up the buttons. It’ll keep the rain off.”
“What about you?” she asked, thrown by his kind gesture. Her temper faded. He now had nothing to protect him from the elements.
“I’ll be fine. Better that I’m wet and cold than you. Why don’t you go up and wait in the car for the ambulance?”
It was worded like a request, but it felt like an order.
“I’ll wait here.” Not that she was helping, but she didn’t feel like leaving them.
“You’ll do as I say and go up and wait in the car.”
“Um, hate to burst your ego bubble, but I don’t have to obey you.”
Who did he think he was? She was a grown woman. She could take care of herself. “What should we do?” she asked quickly before he could say anything more. “The water’s rising fast.”
“It is,” he replied, not sounding worried at all. “You’re not going to do what I say, are you?”
“Nope.”
He sighed then turned to the truck, shining his light against the driver’s door. “Here, hold this then.” He handed her the flashlight. Grateful for something to do, she held it as he grabbed the door handle and pulled. She bit her lip to stop herself from telling him she’d already tried that.
The door groaned and then opened. Well, hell.
“Do you have a neck brace ’cause if you’re going to move him we should put that on first.”
“I know.”
She flushed with embarrassment.
She held the flashlight while he secured the neck brace. The jacket he’d wrapped around her was keeping the rain off, but she was still chilled, her hands shaking. If he noticed, he thankfully didn’t say anything.
Her stomach churned. “How much longer will the ambulance be?”
Just then they heard a siren in the distance. He turned back to her. “Sounds like it’s almost here.”
A few minutes later a door slammed then someone yelled down to them. Jake yelled back.
A couple of paramedics soon appeared, a stretcher held between them. They worked swiftly, and she just kept out of their way as they got Russ out of the vehicle, then quickly up to the ambulance. The sheriff turned to her.