Free Somebody to Love: Sigh With Contentment, Scream With Frustration. At Time You Will Weep. by Sheryl Browne

right?’ asked he who was obviously trained to soothe in such situations.
    ‘Yes, fine,’ Donna assured him, breathlessly.
    ‘Good. Now, can you tell me whether there is anyone else in the vehicle?’
    Donna knitted her brow. ‘Sorry?’
    ‘The emergency services need to know whether there’s anyone in the car.’
    What?! Did the man think she’d actually leave someone in a burning car whilst she wandered along the hard shoulder in search of extinct emergency phones?
    ‘No,’ she said flatly.
    ‘So, there’s no one travelling with you, then?’
    ‘No, no one,’ Donna confirmed, peering worriedly into the dense wooded area on the opposite side to the traffic. Oh, God! There might be a made axe-murderer sharpening his axe, right now, even as she spoke! She took a step sideways, then another back sharpish, as a car shaved past.
    ‘Right, well, keep calm,’ the voice said, as Donna’s stomach tied itself in a knot. ‘I’ll make contact with the emergency services and inform them you’re a lone female.’
    ‘Thank you,’ Donna said, suddenly all too aware of the loneliness of being alone.
    ‘Meanwhile,’ the disembodied voice continued, ‘could you make your way back to the vehicle and let them know you’re safe?’
    ‘Yes, no problem,’ Donna croaked, reluctant to let go of the phone as the call ended. She was sure she could feel evil eyes watching her.
    An icy chill prickling the back of her neck, she turned ready to flee, and then froze. There, before her eyes, a miracle occurred. Trundling towards her, blue lights rotating, was a police patrol car. Thank you, Lord. Donna prayed earnestly, utterly relieved and tremendously…
    Gobsmacked.
    Mark was out of the vehicle, racing towards her, almost before she’d closed her mouth. ‘What happened?’ he asked, catching hold of her shoulders. ‘Are you all right?’ He searched her eyes, so much concern in his, Donna was shocked.
    ‘Yes. I think so,’ she mumbled, her teeth suddenly chattering down to her toes.
    ‘Good.’ He nodded. ‘Good,’ he repeated throatily, then, right there on the hard shoulder, spotlighted by the beams from his headlights, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tight.
    Donna swallowed back a lump in her throat, which was stuffed full of remorse. He cared. He really did care. And she’d refused to even go out with him.
    ‘Come on, you’re freezing.’ Mark eased away from her to tug off his jacket. ‘Come and sit in the car,’ he said, wrapping the jacket around her and leading her there.
    Donna didn’t resist. She didn’t want to. She felt snug tucked under his arm. Safe by his side. She studied him as he helped her into the passenger side. He smiled. Donna watched him walk around to the driver’s side, climb in, check the heater. Quietly authoritative. Quietly caring.
    ‘Okay?’ He smiled again, his face turned towards her, one hand draped over her seat as he readied himself to reverse.
    Donna nodded, still watching him, unable to take her eyes off him. Was it possible that Mark Evans was all that he seemed?
    ‘I’ll take you back to your car,’ he said. ‘You’ll need to give a few details to my colleagues. Nothing to worry about. You just need to tell them what happened.
    ‘Are you okay with that?’ he asked, concern flooding his eyes again as he obviously noticed the confusion in hers.
    ‘Yes, but… Why can’t I just tell you?’ Donna didn’t fancy speaking to anyone who was going to be all detached and official when she actually felt quite vulnerable.
    ‘Not my patch.’ Mark turned his attention to reversing back along the hard shoulder. ‘I caught the call. When I heard it was a red PT, I, er…’ He glanced at her, embarrassment flitting across his lovely concerned features. ‘Well, I thought I’d just check it out, you know?’
    Donna did know. Just because she’d had the misfortune to pick a rotten apple didn’t mean they all were. Mark had ridden to her rescue. He was nice at