It’s amazing how quickly you can get scared—I mean, good and totally terrified. But I was down there on the ground, looking up at those big wheels coming toward me, and I suddenly realized the driver didn’t know I was there, and was going to back over me. I’d seen someone get run over by a car once, and all I could think of was that that was going to be me.
 
I scrambled over the curb, barely avoiding getting squashed into the pavement. Thunk thunk. Unfortunately Kat’s bag wasn’t so lucky.
 
The truck stopped moving. I stood up slowly, a tight pain in my chest like someone had just stamped on my heart. I felt angry. I felt foolish. I felt scared. I felt furious. I felt like I had so much adrenaline pumping through my veins I was ready to rip that idiotic driver’s head off and stuff it in whatever remained of Kat’s tote.
 
The driver’s side door opened. A guy got out. My world froze.
 
He was gorgeous. I mean really mind-meltingly good looking. It’s not like I believed in love at first sight, but I swear I wouldn’t have been surprised if the Beatles had suddenly materialized on the beach beside me and started singing sappy love songs, while a bunch of cartoon hearts flew around my head.
 
“Did... uh, did I hit something?” he said, striding past me.
 
I opened my mouth, but no words came out.
 
He was tall—at least six three and seriously lanky, with this wicked stylized black angel design on his shirt and a silvery cross pendant on a thick chain around his neck. Definitely the best looking guy I’d ever seen. And he was seriously annoyed.
 
“Did I hit something?” he said again, not really looking at me. “I thought I heard something clunk.” He bent down and looked under the truck. “Didn’t I?”
 
“Well, yeah sort of, but not really.”
 
“What do you mean ‘sort of’?” he snapped, getting down on one knee, and checking to make sure the muffler was still in one piece. He was muttering something under his breath. Like a prayer.
 
I have to admit I was pretty indignant. I mean this stupid, reckless driver had nearly smashed into me and now here he was too busy making sure every bolt on his ugly rust-bucket was still in place to even make sure I wasn’t hurt.
 
“Well, you did nearly hit me,” I shot back.
 
“Oh really?” he said, not turning around, with an edge I took to be defensiveness cutting through his voice. “I didn’t see you in my rearview mirror.”
 
“Well that’s because I was sitting on your tailgate.”
 
Oh crud. I started regretting those words the second they flew out of my mouth. But needless to say, thinking before speaking had never really been one of my strong suits.
 
“Well,” the guy said, his voice dripping heavily with sarcasm, “in that case I guess maybe I am the one who should apologize.” He straightened up. “Because heaven knows...” He turned to face me. “I...uh... I should... um..." His words trailed off, as his eyes slid from my face, down to Kat’s bag at my feet. He was even better looking up close.
 
His eyes met mine again. They were a spectacularly clear shade of blue and he had the slightest sunburn across the bridge of his nose. A small, teasing smile flickered out onto his face. And for a long second, neither of us said anything.
 
“I am sorry,” he said, finally, wiping his hands on his jeans. “You’re OK though... Right?”
 
“Oh, absolutely,” I nodded enthusiastically. “You... umm... you did kind of bump my cousin’s bag a little bit. But it’s fine,” I added quickly.
 
To be honest I hadn’t really assessed the damage, but I held the tote up in what I hoped was a reassuring way. It was pretty badly scuffed. But I was almost certain Kat would forgive me.

Chapter One - Page Four