Where in the hell am I?
That thought crossed my mind while I looked for any sign of life in what appeared to be in the middle of nowhere. I cursed silently about forgetting to reset the odometer in my car the last time I'd filled my gas tank. The gage was broken, and resetting the odometer was the only way I knew when the car was running low.
It was bad enough I'd taken a wrong turn in heading back to town, but now my car was out of gas. The only way I'd be able to get back on the road again was to grab the gas can and walk until I found a filling station.
When I opened the trunk, I realized I'd forgotten to put the gas can in there.
"Can this day get any worse?" I cried as I looked up at the sky.
I had no idea how long I'd have to sit on the side of that abandoned road, or if there was a mad rapist lurking in the woods below. I locked my car doors and tried to figure out my next move.
"God, if I'm meant to get out of here alive, something better happen soon," I said to myself.
As if my half-ass prayer was answered, I noticed a silver truck coming down the road. Still wary of strangers, I stood in the car, yet cracked my window low enough to wave for help. The truck soon stopped behind me.
I almost gasped when a good-looking young man who appeared to be in his early twenties stepped out and walked toward the driver's side of my car. "Need some help, ma'am?"
"I'm out of gas and my phone is dead," I replied. "I also forgot my gas can or I'd walked to find a station."
"Just as well," he said. "Closest one you'd probably found is about an hour away on foot, and it would've been dark by the time you got there."
I let out a sigh. "Great."
"I have an empty can in the back of my truck," he said. "I can give you a lift to get some gas."
"Oh, really, you don't have to - "
"It's fine, I don't bite." His green eyes twinkled when he smiled. "Not yet anyway."
His last statement made me laugh, and my earlier apprehension of the stranger was replaced by feelings of relief. It also wasn't like I had a choice to turn down his generous offer."Sure, why not? Just let me lock the car."
What woman wouldn't want to be rescued by a man like him, even if he was young enough to be my son if I had one? He was at least six feet tall, a shade under two hundred pounds, with close-cropped dark blond hair. He introduced himself as Marcus.
"Shannon," I replied as we climbed into his truck. "By the way, any idea where we are?"
"A secluded little place the sheriff doesn't even know about," Marcus said with a laugh. "A lot of high school and college kids out for the summer come up here to drink, smoke joints, and have sex." He glanced over and saw my reaction. "Yeah, I've been guilty of doing that stuff too. Not a whole lot else to do when one lives in the boonies."
"Too bad none of those kids were around today."
"Oh, I doubt anyone will come around until school lets out next week."
"Just my luck."
"Yeah, well, most of them would've been too stoned or drunk to lend you a hand anyway." He again smiled at me. "Good thing, too, because I wouldn't want anyone to take advantage of such a pretty lady."
I shook my head and laughed. "I bet you say that to your girlfriends all of the time."
"Yeah, if I had some."
"Oh, come on. A good-looking guy like you? I bet women are breaking down your door."
"I only had one girl," Marcus said. "We were together since junior high, but she kind of outgrew me and we split up. Destiny changed after going off to secretary college. I guess dating a manual laborer was no longer good enough for her."
"People change and eventually move on," I said. "I'm sure you'll find someone who appreciates you."
If I was only twenty years younger, I thought.
He quickly changed the subject. "What about you, Shannon? You married?"
"I was. My husband was killed in Iraq," I answered.
"Oh, man! I am so sorry for being insensitive!"
"You weren't. It did take me a long time to get over Randy's death, but I've gone out a few times. Nothing serious, though."
We soon arrived at a gas station. I stood in the truck and watched people filling their vehicles while Marcus grabbed his gas can from the back. He spent several minutes filling the can before setting it back in the truck bed.
"I hope you remembered to put on the cap tight," I said when he slid back into the driver's seat.
"Sure I did. Not the first time I had to rescue city folk who got stuck way out in the sticks."
We chatted and laughed as he drove me back to my car. I offered to pay for the gas, but Marcus brushed me off. "Your company's been payment enough."