Page 98 of She's a Big Deal

A large delivery truck was fast approaching. Stunned faces turned to stare at the buzz of its ship-like horn. There was the sound of screeching brakes. More screams from people as they realized the situation.That truck won’t be able to stop.Grace was too far to intervene, but she saw that Olivia was already flying. She watched her cut across three lanes of heavy traffic. How she made it to the other side without taking a hit was a miracle in itself. And then she was able to grab the kid. Grace clearly saw her tuck him against her chest and turn her back to the road in an instinctively protective gesture. She was running too. And still too far.Goddammit!She heard the horn again, that dreadful blast, warning of impending disaster.

“Olivia!”

Horrified, Grace watched her desperate attempt to leap out of harm’s way. The truck, a nightmare of destructive power as it thundered past, obscured her view right at that moment. By the time she could see again, Grace noted that the kid was up, and running back toward his mom. Olivia was on the ground. Not moving. Not getting up. The sight of her so still was sickening, and a powerful trigger.Blood in the snow...No.NO!Grace almost shouted it out loud.Not again!

“Olivia!” She dropped to her knees in front of her. “Liv!”

Frantically, she laid her hands on her shoulders and started to turn her over so she could see her face.Watch her neck. Be careful with her back. Oh, God, what if she’s—

???

“Ow. Shit. Dammit! Fuck, fuck!”

Olivia hissed in agony as her right knee pulsed and burned with enough heat to melt the pavement. She clutched at her leg.Broken?She kept her eyes tightly shut against almost unbearable pain. Then a single word cut through it all. One word spoken in that low and husky voice she would recognize anywhere.

“Liv.”

Disoriented, Olivia blinked in the sunshine as she glanced up. A sea of faces in front of her. Where had are all these people come from?

“Grace?” she called. “Grace?”

“Here. Look at me. I’m right here.”

She was. She had come. Relief flooded through her as Olivia focused her attention on these intent blue eyes. Her heart lifted. Could this mean—

“You’re bleeding,” Grace interrupted before she could ask her anything. “Talk to me, babe. Are you okay?”

“I… Yeah. I just… I smashed my knee.”

“Your elbow, too.”

Olivia barely glanced at the huge bruise already forming. Her shirt was all torn up on that side. No matter. Even through her own pain, she could still hear an edge of pure terror in her lover’s voice. She reached for her, took her wrist, and kept her eyes firmly locked onto hers.

“I’m okay. I promise. The truck didn’t hit me.”

“Are you sure?” Grace insisted. “Did you black out at any point?”

“No. Just twisted my knee on… upon landing.” Damn. That brutal ache made it hard to talk. “I pulled something when I fell. I think it’s dislocated.”

“Get back!” Grace roared at the crowd of onlookers. “Give us some space. Let her breathe, for God’s sake!”

“I called an ambulance,” someone offered. “They’re on their way.”

“I don’t know what’s taking so long,” Grace grunted as she moved to sit behind her. “Lean back against me, darling. Try to relax.”

“Is the child okay?” Olivia inquired through gritted teeth.

The kid’s mother reached them just as she asked. “Oh my God! Thank you, thank you! You saved his life. Are you hurt? Is there anything I can do?”

“Put your kid on a damn leash,” Grace snarled.

Olivia might have laughed and also reassured the woman if her knee had not felt like someone was slicing through it with a butcher’s knife. She could not suppress a moan with her next breath.

“Grace… It hurts.”

“I know, babe, I’m sorry.” Grace kissed the side of her face and obviously tried her best to keep her comfortable. “Look, the EMTs are here. Hold on just another minute, okay?”

She refused to move when they examined her and insisted on riding in the back of the ambulance with her. Olivia was even more grateful for her presence than for the gas and air they put her on, which instantly took away the pain and made her mushy beyond all shame—at least according to Grace at the time, who did not sound impressed. And yet… She did not leave her side for a second.

---