Page 20 of Hard Focus
The firm had given her a week off with pay, not docking her vacation time for it. Another indication that she’d chosen well in her place of work. Mr. Matthews had called twice, and his wife, Samantha, had sent over a huge basket of food and snacks. Patty had been texting Taylor regularly, switching back and forth between grousing about how her workload was twice what it should be andaskinghow Connie was doing.
“Once your family is in town, I’ll make him go home.” Alden ducked his head as he stared her in the face, his expression severe. “You could have died, Connie. Let us worry. We’re glad you’re alive to worry about.”
Connie shivered as she did each time the narrow margin of her survival was pointed out. There had been dozens of witnesses to the accident, beginning with the car directly behind her. The dash-mounted camera from that vehicle offered a close-up view of the logs attacking her car, shoving and pushing it up and over the railing along the bridge. The uploaded video ended with a long sequence just showing the emptyspacewhere her car had been only moments before, the driver’s expletives the only sounds audible once the tearing of metal had ceased.
Social media had been a fertile ground for video uploads, and she’d watched her rescue from a variety of angles. They all told the same story. She’d been only moments from dying as the vehicle succumbed to the power of the water pounding against the south bridge’s footing columns.
Once Taylor realized she’d seen the footage, they had watched some of the videos together. The various viewpoints showed a huge crowd building along the street, each face turned to track the floating wreckage of her car. A tall man breaking free from the group and plunging down the embankment, shedding shoes and a coat along the way. That man she now knew was Cole Stewartleaptinto the river, strong strokes breaking the water’s surface as he swam directly towards the car. How the car sagged alarmingly the moment he touched it, then him nearly disappearing, wide shoulders shoved through the window frame until he was halfway into the car, dangerously entangled in the vehicle should it have rolled as it threatened. Cheering from the crowd as the zoomed-in recording showed him backing away from the car, dragging Connie into view.
He’d floated on his back holding her close for a moment, and each time she watched the video, she heard him again.“I’ve got you.”
Then the finale of the rescue, Cole fighting his way against the current and towards the shore. Dozens of men and women jumped over the barrier to make a living pathway up to the road and away from the river.
The views had split then, with most of the recordings following her transfer hand-to-hand up to the waiting ambulance.
The ones she’d watched repeatedly had remained focused on Cole. Taylor sleeping quietly beside her, she’d stared without blinking as he handed her over, then gripped the hand of a man who had pulled Cole out of the water. He’d collapsed onto his back, one video zoomed in far enough she could watch his chest rise and fall with fast breaths. He’d scrubbed both palms over his face before sitting up and staring out at the car still floating downriver. Then he’d pushed to his feet and lunged up the embankment, going immediately to where Connie lay on the stretcher.
“I love both of you so much.” Connie blurted out something she’d been saying to all her friends and family over the past few days. Talking to her parents had been brutal, even with Taylor clearing the way by telling them about the accident while she slept that first day. They’d wanted to jump on the first plane out, but that would most likely have been a whirlwind trip. Reassured she was okay and healing from her injuries, her father was organizing his schedule so he could stay weeks if needed. They’d be driving in the next day, and Connie couldn’t wait to see them.
“We love you,too,” Taylor called from the kitchen, revealing he’d heard every word of their exchange. “Even when you’re as stubborn as a mule.”
“Eea-yah,” shebrayedsoftly, smiling when he laughed. The doorbell rangandConnie jumped, wincing again as her head throbbed in response.
“I got it.” Alden pushed to his feet, detouring through the kitchen to smack Taylor’s butt with the palm of one hand. “You be nice to our girl.”
“Yes, Daddy.” Connie rolled her eyes at their teasing as she tugged her blanket higher on her shoulders. She hadn’t been able to get really warm since the accident. Something she was convinced was more mental than physical at this point.
Alden’s voice rose in surprise. “Hey. What are you doing here?” The responding voice was a deep murmur, one Connie still heard in her dreams. She couldn’t make out the words, but the voice was unmistakable. Alden said, “No shit? I heard a fireman rescued her but didn’t know it was you. Come in.”
Stuck in place by shock, Connie kept her eyes trained on the doorway. The deep voice growled again, and it must have been a greeting for Taylor because he crowed excitedly, “Oh my God. I haven’t seen you in forever.” More growling and Taylor’s shocked voice lowered, becoming nearly inaudible as he repeated himself. “Oh my God. Itwasyou.”
Still staring at thedoorway,Connie called out, “Hello?” Silence followed for long moments, then Alden came into view and walked to sit back in the chair he’d been using. She needed him to affirm who she thought the visitor was, so she asked, “Who is it?”
Then Cole walked through the doorway. She locked gazes with him and stared. He stopped a couple of feet into the room and stood still. She twisted to watch as Taylor came out from behind him to edge around Cole’s form and make his way to Alden. He stood beside his partner, hand on Alden’s shoulder. Alden wasn’t looking at her but at Cole.
There were so many things swirling through her head. A thousand possible things she could say or ask. Connie’s vision became wateryandshe pushed against the arm of the couch until she was seated instead of reclining. Without warning, her throat clamped shut on her breath, and all she could do was whisper the words she most wanted to say. “Thank you.” She repeated herself. And again. Cole looked at her through the first few renditions of thephrasebut dropped his gaze when Taylor moved to sit beside her, pulling her close so she could once again sob into his shoulder.
“Let’s go into the kitchen.” She heard Alden’s suggestion, surprised when Cole refused.
“I’m good here.”
Turning from Taylor, Connie wiped her cheeks with both hands, sweeping tears away from her lashes to look up at Cole. “You saved me.”
He waved a hand through the air. “Not a big deal.” Staring at her, he asked, “You’re doing okay?”
Nodding slowly, Connie told him, “I am. I’m going to be fine. I’m alive, and everything else can be replaced.”
“Okay, then.” He thrust a hand out to Alden who shook it, looking confused. “I’ll go. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“Why did you come?” After how he reacted once he’d realized who she was, Connie felt justified in asking the question.
“Like I said, I just wanted to make sure you’re good.”
“How do you know Alden and Taylor?” She reacted to Taylor’s warning squeeze around her shoulder. “No, Tay, I’m not getting upset. I just want to know how you know each other.”
“It’s work-related, Connie.” Alden shook his head. “That’s all I can say.”
“Why are you here?” She turned her gaze back to Cole and watched as the corners of his mouth turned down. “You saved me, and forthat,I will be forever thankful. I’ll make a donation to whatever charity you want. I’ll write a letter to your boss or the mayor. I’m that grateful. But,” she leanedforwardsslightly, “why are you here?”
