The Girl He Used To Love

“IT LOOKS LIKE they have the road blocked off.” Faith pulled her car up next to the young deputy who was directing and diverting traffic. She rolled down the window. “Is there another way to get on Highway 14?”

Dressed in enough rain gear to protect him from a monsoon, the deputy pulled a whistle from his mouth. “We’ve been under a flash flood warning since last night. The highway’s closed from here to Highwood. You can take Whispering Hills down and get on 14 off Brighton.”

Brighton was a good fifteen miles from here.

“My car is no more than a mile down the road.” Dean leaned forward so the deputy could see him. “I need to fix a flat and then I’ll be headed north. Can you let us through?”

“Can’t do that, sir. Road’s closed. If you had a car out there, a flat tire is the least of your problems. Check back tomorrow.” He stuck his whistle back in his mouth and blew it at someone making a U-turn behind them.

Faith could feel one heck of a headache coming on. Maybe Dean would be willing to go to his parents’ now that he had to stick around a little longer. All she knew was that she needed to get him out.

“Take Whispering Hills but turn left on Rosewood,” Dean said.

“That doesn’t go all the way through to the highway. It dead-ends at the forest preserve.”

He kept his eyes fixed out the passenger-side window. “I’ll cut through the forest and come out right where my car is. I can’t sit around all day waiting for the road to open up.”

Faith figured she couldn’t talk him out of his plan. Dean had always been a leader, not a follower. Besides, it was only drizzling now, nothing like the thunderstorm that had hit last night.

Dean grabbed the umbrella from the backseat as Faith pulled into the parking lot. “Thanks again for taking me in last night.”

“No problem.” Faith opened her door as he stepped out.

“What are you doing?” he asked. The way he looked at her made Faith want to climb back in her car and drive away.

“Going with you,” she replied, pulling her hood over her head. “What if you need help?”

His eyes definitely rolled. “I got it, Faith. Don’t worry.”

“I either wait here for you or go with. But may I remind you that you can’t change a tire and hold an umbrella over your head at the same time?” Faith could be stubborn, too.

“Whatever.” Dean closed his door and stomped off into the forest.

Spring was in full bloom and the canopy of leaves provided some protection from the rain, but not enough to keep things dry. Faith was not wearing the right shoes to go traipsing through the wet brush. Instead of their footsteps crunching leaves and snapping branches, the only sound was the wet slap of their feet in mud.

Dean didn’t wait for her or check to make sure she was okay. He barreled through to the other side, where the ground became so saturated it was more like a lake.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Dean huffed with his hands on his hips. Faith trudged up next to him. Her shoes and socks were soaked.

They weren’t far from the road and through the trees she could see a car—a car that would be faring better if it was a boat. Water covered the tires.

“Is that—?”

Dean nodded and exhaled an exasperated breath. His car wouldn’t be taking him back to Nashville today. Or tomorrow. Or...

He turned around and stalked off in the direction they had come. She could understand his frustration, but did he have to be so rude?

“I’m sorry about your car. I can take you to your parents’ and I’m sure they’ll be able to find someone who can help you tow it out of there,” she said, desperately trying to keep up with him.

He stopped and Faith almost ran into him. “I’m not going to my parents’. Can you take me back to the farm?”

“You could be here a few days. Don’t you think you should let them know you’re here?” The thought of being around Dean for another day, possibly more, was enough to give Faith a full-blown panic attack.

“I can’t. Please, Faith.” He didn’t have to explain. She could see it in his eyes, the pain the memories were digging up.

There was no way she could put him through that. “Fine.”

His shoulders seemed to relax at her concession.

Instead of taking off and leaving her behind, he walked with her, even held out a hand to help her step over a fallen tree in their path.

Faith lifted her leg over the log but her foot stuck in the mud on the other side, throwing her off balance. She lunged forward, still gripping Dean’s hand. He tried to steady her but she ended up pulling him down with her.

Her knee sank into the mud with a splat. She stuck out her hands to stop from falling face-first. Dean dropped the umbrella and landed on his behind. Not good. Faith tried to get up, but her feet couldn’t get any traction and she fell again, sending splatters of mud everywhere.

“Great.” Dean held his hands up, searching for a way to get up without touching the mud. It was highly unlikely in Faith’s opinion.

She started to laugh because it was that or cry. They were both ridiculous and completely helpless.

“What are you laughing at?” he asked as he fought a smile.

Faith got up on her knees and lifted a muddy hand, smacking it down on his shoulder. “We’re hopeless.”

Dean stared at the new mud print on his shirt. “That’s going to cost you.”

“I’m not scared of you,” Faith said, making a second attempt at standing. “You look more afraid of getting dirty than I do.”

The challenge had been presented and Dean Presley didn’t back down from a challenge. Faith wasn’t sure how she could have forgotten.

Dean used both hands to grab fistfuls of slop. “Not scared, huh?”

Faith’s heart beat a little faster. If she didn’t move, she would be washing mud out of her hair for sure. The twinkle in his eyes reminded her of the boy she once loved.

She thought she could escape, but standing on this sludge was worse than being on ice. Her feet went out from under her again. Dean smacked her on the forehead with one hand.

Game on.

CHAPTER FIVE (#ulink_c19e697a-3b0f-583e-8ef6-250cb9175e23)

“I’LL PAY TO get your car detailed,” Dean offered as he stood beside Faith in front of her car. Her clean car.

“It’s not going to be cheap if we get in there like this,” Faith replied. Her face was hidden under a mask of mud. Even her eyelashes had globs stuck to them.

“True. You should probably pay since this was all your fault.”

“My fault?” She turned her head, her dirty hair flicking muddy water his way. “I slipped. You attacked me. We wouldn’t be nearly this messy if it wasn’t for you.”

Dean smirked. Mud wrestling with Faith was the most fun he’d had in a long time. It was like they were kids again, back when neither one of them had any worries or responsibilities.