Free Grace: A Christmas Sisters of the Heart Novel by Shelley Shepard Gray

resist teasing him a bit. “Safer from the weather or from other cars?”
    He looked around at the long line of fender benders and scowling people. “Both,” he said dryly. “These types of things bring out the worst in people. And it is really cold.”
    The officer was tall. At least six foot. He had the kind of jaw and cheekbones that looked carved out of stone. But he didn’t look hard. No, his eyes were kind. And his demeanor was relaxed and easy. Even the cold didn’t seem to affect him all that much.
    She lifted her cell phone. “I’ve never been in an accident like this before. I’m not sure what to do.”
    “We’ve got some tow trucks on the way. Yours is one of the ones that’s going to need a lift, I’m afraid.” With a frown, he tapped the Civic’s smashed back end. “It’s not going anywhere.”
    “I think you’re right.”
    “Hello? Officer?” Behind them, an elderly man was calling for assistance.
    The patrolman turned the man’s way and grimaced. “He’s in bad shape. Listen, I’ve got to go help him.”
    “I understand.”
    He stepped away, but looked reluctant to do so. “More officers are coming, but they’re having a hard time getting here, what with all the accidents.”
    “Okay.” Why was he telling her so much?
    His eyes met hers. “What I’m trying to say is, why don’t you hop back in your Civic and stay put until I come back? Then I’ll help you.”
    He
would? That sounded awfully nice. And too good to be true. “You think you’re going to have time to come back my way?”
    “Of course. It’s what I’m here for.”
    As his calm words registered, her muscles relaxed. Maybe she was going to get out of this mess in one piece and then figure out how to get to the inn.
    For a moment, he looked like he was going to touch her arm, but he didn’t. However, his voice did gentle. “I promise, miss. I’ll come back and help you. But in the meantime, I don’t want you to freeze. Go sit in your car, turn on the engine and get warm if you can, and I’ll be back soon.” He turned and started trotting to the man.
    Impulsively, Leah called out, “Officer, be careful!”
    Looking her way over his shoulder, he winked. “Always.”
    Bemused, Leah followed his directions. She got in hercar, turned the engine back on, leaned against the seat cushion—and watched.
    He patiently listened to the elderly man who’d been calling out to him, nodded to another, and patted a woman’s arm. He sure did seem extremely capable.
    Then, of course, she couldn’t help but smile at herself. What in the world had just happened? Was she really sitting in her car, admiring a highway patrolman?
    Uh, yes.
    There was something special about him. She felt an unexplainable connection with him that she’d never felt before. Of course, that was really crazy. Right?
    Twenty minutes later, he returned. Quickly, she rolled down her window. “You’re back,” she said.
    “I promised I would be.” When he bent down to talk to her through the opening, she realized that his eyes were light brown. Almost amber or citrine in color. Almost golden.
    “So, are you still okay?”
    “I’m fine. Well, as good as I can be, stuck on the freeway,” she amended.
    “Good.” He smiled encouragingly. “Just over the bend, four tow trucks are on the way.”
    Unfortunately, there were at least six cars surrounding her that looked like they needed to be towed. “It’s going to take a bunch more than four to get this cleaned up.”
    “Oh, yeah. It’s a nightmare.” But instead of looking perturbed, he grinned. “Don’t worry. I’ve seen worse.”
    As a horn blared in the background, the officer rolled his eyes. “Everyone is getting impatient.”
    She felt bad for monopolizing him. “Listen, you don’t have to keep coming back to check on me.”
    “I want to. It’s just, well … is there any way you’d be able to wait a bit to get rescued?”
    “Huh?”
    His cheeks flushed. “There’s some folks