Lost Rodeo Memories. Jenna Night

hours.” He glanced down at his phone screen and she thought that was the end of it.

      But then he turned back to her, and looking slightly uncomfortable, he said, “My experience is that it takes a lot longer to work through the aftermath of a violent attack than you’d think. But if you hang on, and ask for help if you need it, you’ll be okay.”

      “Right.” He hadn’t given her any advice that would make her problems disappear in an instant like she wanted them to. But the empathy he was expressing felt sincere. And the honest assessment that it would take a while for things to heal was probably something she’d needed to hear to make her expectations more realistic.

      “Do you want me to help you get your truck and trailer to the house this afternoon?” he asked.

      “I think the trip here is all I can handle today.” There was no reason for her to feel physically exhausted, yet she did. And that panicky feeling was starting to come back. Not as severely as it had felt before, but still it was there. She needed to get home before it got worse.

      “Can we get them tomorrow?” she asked.

      “Of course.”

      They both stood at the same time. Her knees were shaky and she reached her hand out to the conference table to steady herself. Luke reached out and held on to her lower arm, keeping her from toppling over. His big, calm presence made her feel stronger. His touch sent a zing through her that she wished she could ignore.

      “Thank you,” she said after a moment, and he released her arm.

      “I’ll walk you out to your car,” he said. “I need to get out of the building and do some patrolling, anyway.”

      She’d come in the small sedan she kept for driving around town. Her truck was a gas-guzzler. Once she was inside the car, with the doors locked, she waved at Luke and he walked over to his truck.

      Anxious to get back to the house where she hoped to rest and relax, Melanie started up the engine and then pulled out of the parking lot, onto the street.

      In the rearview mirror she could see that Luke followed her all the way home. It felt reassuring to know he was there. And comforting to know that a man like Luke was looking out for her.