Towering

didn’t hurt that this guy was gorgeous. As he came closer, I could see that he was tall with white-blond hair that glowed in the morning light. His walk, too, was different than anything I’d ever seen. People in Slakkill walked quickly and with hunched shoulders, as if they were cringing from the constant cold or just weighed down by their pointless lives. The only exceptions were the jocks, who walked with a swagger that revealed they didn’t realize they were someday going to end up as beer-bellied car salesmen, like their dads. This guy had neither. He looked open. And, did I mention cute?
    Even Ginger must have noticed because she stopped barking as he approached. In fact, she trotted up to him and licked his hand like she knew him.
    “Hey, girl.” He petted her head.
    “That dog would kill you soon as look at you,” I joked.
    “I can see she’s very protective.” He laughed. His eyes were the brightest blue I’d ever seen, the color of the ice-blue mint cough drops Mom used to give me when I had a cold. He held his hand out. “Can I help you?”
    I started to take it then hesitated. I knew nothing about this guy. Yet, what choice did I have? I was injured, stranded someplace where a car passed maybe every few hours. Mom was inside, probably watching General Hospital. Did I refuse his offer and try to crawl to safety? Even Ginger, my supposed line of defense, was now happily sniffing the guy’s very cute butt.
    “I’m not going to abduct you, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
    But wouldn’t he say that even if he was?
    “You just looked like you could use some help. I could go away and call the volunteer fire fighters, and they’d be here in an hour or so. It’s just, the situation has sort of a romantic quality, like the novels girls like—a fair young maiden takes a tumble and a handsome young man comes to her rescue.”
    I said, “You consider yourself handsome, do you?”
    “Is there any question.” He grinned. “Can I help you up?”
    I tried one last time to push myself up, then winced. I decided to take a chance. “Yes, please.”
    I grasped his hand. It felt hard, calloused, a man’s hand. But when I tried to stand, I yelped in pain.
    “You probably shouldn’t put weight on it,” he said, and then, before I could protest (even if I would have), he scooped me up in his arms and started to carry me away.
    “Wait. Where are you taking me?”
    “Just my car.”
    “Your car?” I saw an old blue Pinto parked by the roadside. Visions of abduction once again began dancing in my head.
    He laughed. “Nothing like that. I have some crutches in the back from when I sprained my ankle last month. Should be able to adjust them to fit, and then, I can take you wherever you want to go. Do you live there?”
    He pointed to our house, which looked suddenly really old and dirty. Obviously, I should have let him drive me up the driveway, but I knew Mom would freak if I came home in a strange car with a strange guy. The way she’d been acting lately, she’d probably lock me in my room forever. Also, I didn’t want the day to be over so quickly.
    “Um, yes, but I’m supposed to go buy eggs from our neighbor, Mrs. McNeill. That’s where I was going. My mother called and told her to expect me. She’s probably waiting outside.”
    That wasn’t true. Mom wasn’t friendly with Mrs. McNeill. They’d fought when the McNeill goats had gotten out and terrorized my mother’s precious garden, and now, she only let me buy eggs when she didn’t feel like going to town. But I figured it wouldn’t hurt to have him think someone was expecting me.
    “Okay, Mrs. McNeill it is.” He managed to open the car’s passenger door and lowered me to the seat. “Just a sec.”
    He walked around to the trunk and took out not only the crutches but an ace bandage. “Look what I found. Can I put it on you?”
    “Um, shouldn’t I know your name first?”
    “Oh, sorry. It’s Zach. You can put it on yourself, if you want. I just thought—”
    “No, it’s okay. The name was all I wanted. I’m Danielle, by the way. But everyone calls me Dani.”
    “Nice to meet you, Danielle.” He knelt beside me and drew my foot up to his bended knee. He pushed my pant leg up, and when he touched my skin, a cold spark ran through me. I shivered.
    “You okay?” he asked.
    I nodded. “Just static electricity, I guess.” It wasn’t, but I didn’t know what else to say.
    He began to massage my ankle and,